Scaling Japan Podcast

In this episode of the ⁠Scaling Japan Podcast⁠, we are happy to welcome back Schyler Alexandra Cole, an associate at Incubate Fund and a founder of Startup Co-Creation Community. Be sure to check out our previous episode together, episode 40: VCs in Japan, where we talked about how to better understand what venture capitalists are looking for. Today, we will be continuing that conversation as well as delving into how to successfully raise money. Links from Guest Appearance ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Incubate Fund KK⁠ ⁠Co-Creation Community Show Notes (2:30) Types of companies and business models that VC firms invest in (4:18) Types of companies that VCs avoid (5:36) What it means to 'have traction' (8:24) Early stage capital (9:49) Understanding founder market fit (11:03) Working together with a co-founder (12:19) Reasons why VCs reject companies (13:35) Understanding the meanings behind key VC language (18:39) Why things might be lagging in between steps (19:32) Average investment amount for pre-seed (20:35) How can a pre-seed founder increases their chances of being funded (23:11) Espectations of seed stage explained (23:43) Expectiations of series A explained (27:21) How to effectively follow up (30:13) Additional tips (33:10) Important questions to ask investors (38:56) Advice for creating great pitch decks (42:25) Determining valuation in Japan Coaching with Tyson Looking to take your business to the next level? Let our host Tyson Batino help you scale your business from $100,000 to $10,000,000 dollars with his coaching and advisory services. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit here to learn how he can help⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode of the Scaling Japan Podcast, we are joined by Tim Romero as he sheds light on the startup ecosystem in Japan. He discusses how the startup ecosystem has developed over the last decade and what are its current and potential future trends. He also mentions what is needed to take the ecosystem even further. Tim Romero hosts the Disrupting Japan podcast, the original and number one podcast on startups in Japan and he is a pioneer for foreign founders in Japan. His content has helped inspire countless foreign and Japanese entrepreneurs to make the startup journey. Show Notes 02:30 - Foreigners in Japan have an outsize role to play in the startup ecosystem in Japan 05:57 - Status of Startups in Japan 07:45 - Comparison of Startups in Japan vs the US 08:10 - Positive Trends in Startups in Japan 15:25 - Changes in the startup ecosystem in Japan in the last 5 years 18:55 - Understanding the proper pitch to investors 21:15 - New trends in the Startup ecosystem  in Japan in 2023 27:55 - Catalysts of the changes in the startup ecosystem in Japan 29:45 - Current gaps in the Startup ecosystem in Japan 32:40 - Community building for startups for foreigners vs Japanese 38:50 - How to get more Japanese participants for the startup ecosystem Want to learn more about business scaling in Japan? Subscribe here for LinkedIn newsletter updates on future episodes! Links from Guest Appearance Reach out to Tim Romero on Linkedin. Make sure to check out Disrupting Japan Podcast for more valuable insights on startups in Japan. Link to additional resource You can read our article about Creating A Startup in Japan Guide to Venture Capital in Japan article Know more about angel investment in Japan with Yuki Shirato Coaching with Tyson Looking to take your business to the next level? Let our host Tyson Batino help you scale your business from $100,000 to $10,000,000 dollars with his coaching and advisory services. He is a resident mentor of the 500 Global Japan program and has helped many seed-series A-level companies in Japan.  Visit here to learn how he can help

In this episode of the ⁠⁠⁠Scaling Japan Podcast⁠⁠⁠, we are joined by Schyler Alexandra Cole, an associate at Incubate Fund and a founder of Startup Co-Creation Community. This will be part one of a two part series covering venture capital in Japan. Today's focus will be on how to understand venture capitalists so that you can make a meaningful first impression. Be sure to stay tuned for part two when we delve into how to raise money. Links from Guest Appearance LinkedIn Incubate Fund KK Links to Additional Resource Co-Creation Community Venture Deals by Brad Feld, Jason Mendelson, and Dick Costolo Pitch Deck post Show Notes (1:20) Schyler's self introduction (5:02) What qualifies as early stage (5:52) Difference between the seed stages (6:39) Types of companies that VCs invest in (8:48) Types of companies that VCs avoid (10:03) How many companies reach out to Incubate Fund (12:12) Reaching out to VCs (15:09) Who to reach out to in the VC team (18:54) Schyler's experience as a VC (21:35) Overview of positions in a VC firm (23:27) Qualities of a good VC candidate (27:54) How to better engage with VC (29:10) Advice for foreign entrepreneurs (30:02) Startup Co-Creation Community (33:01) Making connections in Japan as a foreign founder Coaching with Tyson Looking to take your business to the next level? Let our host Tyson Batino help you scale your business from $100,000 to $10,000,000 dollars with his coaching and advisory services. ⁠⁠⁠Visit here to learn how he can help⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode of the ⁠⁠Scaling Japan Podcast⁠⁠, we are excited to be joined by Ziv Nakajima-Magen, the co-founder and partner at Nippon Tradings International and Nippon Bridge. He too is a podcast host, running the Japan Real Estate podcast that offers helpful insights into the property market of Japan. Ziv will be sharing his expertise on the ins and outs of purchasing a franchise in Japan and Japanese franchisor networks. Links from Guest Appearance ⁠LinkedIn⁠ Nippon Bridge Japan Real Estate podcast Show Notes (1:14) Ziv Nakajima-Magen's self introduction (7:28) Advantages to doing a franchise (9:40) People who aren't suitable for franchises (11:08) Capital aspect of franchises (13:11) How much do franchises cost (14:07) Different types of franchises (16:45) How is marketing supported (20:18) Key things to look out for when choosing a franchise (22:19) Role of account manager (23:43) What makes Japanese franchises different (29:38) International franchises in Japan (32:49) Business visa (34:55) Summary of key points Coaching with Tyson Looking to take your business to the next level? Let our host Tyson Batino help you scale your business from $100,000 to $10,000,000 dollars with his coaching and advisory services. ⁠⁠Visit here to learn how he can help⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode of the ⁠Scaling Japan Podcast⁠, we are joined by Ruth Jarman, the founder and CEO of Jarman International KK. She also sits on the board of Directors as outside Director for KADOKAWA and Fujibo Holdings. Ruth will be sharing her experience with selling to large entities and the government. She provides great advice on how foreign business owners can build a strong network and form new B2B relationships. Links from Guest Appearance LinkedIn Jarman International Charity Golf Cup Links to Additional Resources Mirai no Mori Visit Kochi Japan Show Notes (1:09) Ruth Jarman's self introduction (4:47) Leading the way in Japan (7:57) What is an effective proposal (10:32) How to write an effective proposal (16:02) Nemawashi explained (20:53) Litmus test - money (23:18) Litmus test - people (26:33) Litmus test - certifications (29:04) Importance of company address (35:24) Joining a chamber of commerce (37:47) Experience with sub-contractor relationships (42:41) Conducting due diligence Coaching with Tyson Looking to take your business to the next level? Let our host Tyson Batino help you scale your business from $100,000 to $10,000,000 dollars with his coaching and advisory services. ⁠Visit here to learn how he can help⁠⁠.

In this episode of the Scaling Japan Podcast, we are joined once again by Evan Burkosky. He is an expert on marketing and sales in Japan, angel investor, startup advisor, and the head of Enterprise Digital Marketing at TechnoPro, a publicly traded company on the Tokyo stock exchange. Today, Evan will be sharing his experience with applying different sales methodologies and frameworks in Japan.   Links from Guest Appearance LinkedIn Startup/DX Advisor Links to Additional Resources Predictable Revenue Episode 35: Marketing and Sales for B2B SAAS Products with Evan Burkosky Episode 18: Sales Framework Explained with Mari Ono Show Notes (1:20) Evan Burkosky’s self introduction (3:32) What is a sales methodology  (6:38) Customer journey explained (10:13) What is a deal qualification framework (12:22) How has sales culture changed over time (15:56) Challenger sale methodology explained (18:20) Shared responsibility of decision making in Japan (20:38) Why deals can be long processes (24:00) Most common frameworks in Japan (29:17)  Which framework is most effective in Japan (31:03) Stakeholder alignment document and process explained (36:40) Why company size does matter (38:46) What type of deal size justifies implementing a deal qualification framework (40:19) Working with channel partners (42:46) Account based sales Reachext Reachext is a fast growing recruitment firm in Japan. They work with both employers and candidates, allowing companies to hire skilled professional and candidates to achieve their dream careers.  EJable Looking for bilingual jobs in Japan or Japanese speaking positions worldwide? EJable is a job board full of in-depth information and useful resources to help you find great opportunities.

In this episode of the Scaling Japan Podcast, we are excited to welcome back John Kirch. He is the Head of beqom Japan, a total compensation management software solution focused on managing compensation and performance for HR, finance and sales, and has over 30 years of experience. Following the same theme of market entry from his previous episode, today John will be explaining how to enter the Japan market using channel partners. He delves into the full process, from how to find the right channel partner to how to succcesfully manage them. Links from Guest Appearance LinkedIn beqom Link to Additional Resource Episode 28: Tech Market Entry in Japan with John Kirch Show Notes (1:27) John Kirch's self introduction (5:51) Channel partners explained (9:09) Why people use channel partners (12:30) Differences between reseller vs distributor (14:01) How much should you pay channel partners (16:20) What happens if annual targets aren't met (17:29) Consultancy firms (18:59) How to find a channel partner (23:29) How to evaluate a channel partner (30:15) How to succesfully onboard a channel partner (36:18) How to manage a channel partner (43:37) How to get validation in Japan (45:51) Payment cycle explained (46:42) When to get a channel partner Reachext Reachext is a fast growing recruitment firm in Japan. They work with both employers and candidates, allowing companies to hire skilled professional and candidates to achieve their dream careers. EJable Looking for bilingual jobs in Japan or Japanese speaking positions worldwide? EJable is a job board full of in-depth information and useful resources to help you find great opportunities.

In this episode of the Scaling Japan Podcast, we are joined by Evan Burkosky. As an expert on marketing and sales in Japan, he is an angel investor, startup advisor, and the head of Enterprise Digital Marketing at TechnoPro, a publicly traded company on the Tokyo stock exchange. Evan will be discussing how to conduct marketing and sales for B2B SAAS products in Japan. Links from Guest Appearance LinkedIn Startup/DX Advisor Links to Additional Resources Predictable Revenue From Impossible to Inevitable Show Notes (1:33) Evan Burkosky’s self introduction (3:19) Getting leads for a B2B SAAS product (7:08) What are the different channels in Japan (10:40) How can people in the seed stage get paid POC (16:52) Inbound sales explained (22:36) What is the customer journey (26:54) Distinction between inbound and outbound sales (31:19) Lead qualifications (34:51) Culture around forms in Japan (42:56) How to promote webinars in Japan (47:31) Useful softwares and tools in Japan Reachext Reachext is a fast growing recruitment firm in Japan. They work with both employers and candidates, allowing companies to hire skilled professional and candidates to achieve their dream careers. EJable Looking for bilingual jobs in Japan or Japanese speaking positions worldwide? EJable is a job board full of in-depth information and useful resources to help you find great opportunities.  

In this episode of the Scaling Japan Podcast, we are joined by Polina Oba. She has a master’s degree on sustainable food supply chains and is the COO of Gourmet Pro, the largest food and beverage consulting network in Japan. Today, Polina will be sharing her expertise on Japanese consumers to help companies better understand how to target the different customer segments in Japan. Links from Guest Appearance LinkedIn GourmetPro Links to Additional Resources Episode 27: Distribution in Japan with Vincent Nicol Episode 29: Crowdfunding in Japan with Vincent Nicol Show Notes (1:33) Polina Oba's self introduction (4:09) What is a buyer persona (4:57) Things to consider when developing a buyer persona (11:06) Different types of consumers and their behaviors in Japan (15:51) Housewives as decision makers (18:32) Female consumer behaviors in Japan (23:14) High school trend leaders (25:24) Impact of COVID (28:52) Differences in purchase sizes (32:00) Seasonal products and purchasing cycles in Japan (40:10) Working with influencers (44:02) Cost of working with influencers Hashi Media Looking to expand your marketing and reach for your gaming, tech, or lifestyle brand? Hashi Media is here to help give your marketing the push it needs to reach a larger audience today.

In this episode of the Scaling Japan Podcast, we are joined by Fumiko Yoshida. She is the COO of Tricolage, a company that provides sustainable tourism consulting to corporations and local governments. They also craft personalized journeys and travel plans for luxury travel and assist corporations with business travel and event support. Fumiko will be updating us on the travel market industry in Japan and sharing her expertise on how to do market entry into it. Links from Guest Appearance LinkedIn Tricolage Show Notes (1:36) Fumiko Yoshida's self introduction (3:13) Tourism industry in Japan (7:00) Tricolage introduction (8:34) Types of customers in the tourism business (10:07) What are local governments struggling with (12:54) Types of tourists and their needs (18:05) Sustainable side of tourism (21:41) Domestic tourism agencies in Japan (23:58) Working with old school Japanese companies Hashi Media Looking to expand your marketing and reach for your gaming, tech, or lifestyle brand? Hashi Media is here to help give your marketing the push it needs to reach a larger audience today.