Entering the Japanese Market: Hiring a Country Manager vs. Finding a Partner Speaker: Hidemaru Sato Senior Adviser, btrax Prior to joining btrax, Sato worked for comScore Japan and Expedia Japan as Managing Director. He has also served as President of AOL Japan, playing an instrumental role in making the company one of the top ten ISPs in Japan. Sato holds a MA of Science from Waseda University and a Master of Science from Stanford University. Key Takeaways: The future outlook of foreign-owned companies in Japan Which is better? Hiring a country manager vs. finding a partner Common mistakes companies make when hiring a country manager Key features of a successful country manager How to work with your employees in Japan

1. btrax, Inc.
powering global brands
Entering the Japanese
Market: Hiring a Country
Manager vs. Finding a Partner

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Education
Work Experience

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1. Best Practices for Japanese E-Commerce
2. Driving Japanese Traffic and Revenue
1. Today’s Topic
Entering the Japanese Market: Hiring a Country
Manager vs. Finding a Partner
Previous Webinars

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1. Current Japanese Landscape
2. Before Country Managers & Partners
3. Hiring vs. Partnering
4. Common Country Manager Hiring Mistakes
5. Successful Country Manager Traits
6. Different Types of Partners
7. Finding the Right Partner
Key Takeaways Today

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Source: TEIKOKU DATABANK
Current Landscape of Foreign-Owned
Companies in Japan

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Source: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
TEIKOKU DATABANK
Worldwide
Europe
North America
Asia
South America
Breakdown of Foreign-Owned Companies in Japan

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● Research competitors and market pricing
● Identify unique value proposition to consumers
● Creating online presence
● Branding localization
● Online marketing
● Roadtrip to get market insight directly
Before Country Managers

8. Hiring & Partnering
Hiring Partnering
Cost Need administrative budget Pay for proven expertise
Speed to market
Takes time/Hard to find
right person
Faster setup and delivery
Risks Wrong hire/Hard to replace Wrong hire/Cultural gap
Network size/reach Depend on the person
Can use business
connection
Short-term growth Accelerate his/her learning Research / Test market
Long-term growth Can build a team Build branding in the field
Suitable for: Expanding stage Early stage

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1. Overconfidence in your search firm/agents
2. Overestimating resume track record
3. Not enough interviewing
4. Lack of background check on corporate
management experience and skills
5. Not measuring his/her business and personal
network reach
Common Country Manager Hiring Mistakes

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1. Combination of Japanese and Western thinking
2. Fluent English speaker is a big advantage
3. Self-starter (harder to find in Japan)
4. Strong Japanese network and network builder
5. Able to build trust from the first day
6. “Bad things first and good things later” type of
person
7. Capable of developing business roadmap, sales
policies and strategies
8. Capable of sales, marketing and training
management
9. Strong problem identifier and solving skills
10.Team player: “Never put off till tomorrow what you
can delegate today” type of person
11.Capable of connecting with all levels of Japanese
industry associations
Successful Country Manager Traits

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1. Frequent touchbase calls
2. Regular weekly status calls
3. Bring your country manager to U.S. offices and set-
up face-to-face meetings with all key people in the
company
4. Invite to all related key management meetings via
online
5. Invite to annual and mid-year sales meeting
6. Visit Japan office at least once per quarter and visit
customers/prospects with your country manager
7. Strongly trust each side
8. Share all corporate materials and changes in advance
9. Keep your employees happy
Working with Japanese Staff

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● Business and marketing agency
● Agent
● Distributor
● Other?
Different Types of Partners

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1. JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization)? btrax?
2. Communication is key for ensuring business values
and objectives are aligned
3. Developing relationships in Japan takes a long time -
partner relationships breadth and width are even
more valuable than in the US
4. Industry track record - need to have at least some
relevant experience and network in your area of
business
5. Roadtrip - still good to see the landscape in person
6. Size matters - big agencies can be cost prohibitive
for market testing, but too small can lead to false
negative (unnecessary market failure)
Finding the Right Partner

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1. Japan market entry timing
2. Understand the market challenges and size
3. Partnering is a good option
4. Keep in mind common mistakes and key traits
when you hire a Country Manager
5. Nothing is done 100% solo - help them to achieve
their best performance
6. Make your team feel valued - “Talk! Talk! and
Talk!”
Summary

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The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for
Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter
by Michael D. Watkins (Author)
The Map of Innovation: Creating Something
Out of Nothing
Kevin O'Connor (Author), Paul B.
Brown (Author)
Two Books We Recommend

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Q&A
Hidemaru Sato
Senior Adviser, btrax Japan
hidemaru@btrax.com
btrax Japan
Step Roppongi 2F,
6-8-10 Roppongi Minato-ku,
Tokyo, Japan 106-0032
www.btrax.com/jp
tokyo@btrax.com
btrax, Inc.
665 Third St. Suite 505
San Francisco, CA 94107
www.btrax.com
sf@btrax.com