#386 Akio Morita: Founder of Sony

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Apr 22, 2025

Delve into the life of Akio Morita, a pioneer who redefined Japanese manufacturing with a focus on quality over shortsighted profits. Discover how he embraced innovation, collaborating with Masaru Ibuka to create iconic products like the Walkman. The discussion examines Morita's commitment to long-term vision and workplace happiness, revealing how his strategies continue to inspire modern entrepreneurs. Plus, explore unique cultural insights on resource conservation that shaped Sony's operational efficiency.

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Sony's Humble Post-War Start

Akio Morita started Sony in a burned-out Tokyo building just after World War II, with little money and supplies from the black market.
Despite hardships, he was determined to rebuild and transform Japan's industry with innovation and quality.

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Bigger Mission Beyond Sony

Akio set Sony's mission as making Japan known for quality, not just Sony itself.
This bigger vision inspired Sony to shift Japan's global reputation from cheap to high-quality products.

00:00 / 00:00

Walkman: Innovation Despite Opposition

Sony invented the Walkman by removing recording features to miniaturize it, a move initially opposed internally.
This bold defiance created one of the most successful consumer products ever, changing personal music consumption forever.

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Akio Morita was a visionary entrepreneur and co-founder of Sony. Born as the first son and fifteenth-generation heir to a 300-year-old sake-brewing family in Japan, Akio eschewed the traditional path to forge his own legacy in electronics.

In post-war Japan, Akio joined forces with Masaru Ibuka to found Sony. They started in a burned-out department store with limited resources—to build their first product they had to buy supplies on the black market. Akio was determined to change the global perception of Japanese goods as poor quality. From day one he set out to build high-quality, differentiated products, targeted at affluent markets.

Akio believed in long-term vision over short-term profits, product innovation without market research, and brand building over immediate profits. Against all opposition, including inside of his own company, Akio invented one of the most successful consumer products of all time: The Walkman. It sold over 400 million units and inspired countless other entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, James Dyson, and Phil Knight.

This episode is what I learned from rereading Akio's classic 1986 autobiography Made In Japan.

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