This is a case study and a dialogue about the major disasters experienced by Ichijo, a long-established inn in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the Maldonado family, a Venezuelan family conglomerate. The Ichijo family was hit by the Great Tohoku Earthquake, but made a dramatic recovery afterwards. The Maldonado family had all of their assets confiscated with the arrival of the Chavez administration, but the family emigrated to the United States and South America, where they started new businesses in their respective locations.