Meet interesting and inspiring and entertaining people who show why Japan is a unique, fulfilling and sometimes frustrating place to do business. We will discuss how to hire, train and retain talent. How to create values that motivate, and review best practices that have worked and attempts that have failed. David will be speaking to company presidents, CEOs, CFOs, HR professionals, coaches, consultants as well as sharing with you some of my own experiences and opinions discovered over the y ...
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Strategic Leadership for Business Growth with Timothy Connor from Synnovate
56:48
56:48
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In this latest episode of the FocusCore podcast, host David Sweet is joined by Timothy Connor from Synnovate, a company that helps companies launch and succeed in the Japan market through four key practice areas. If you are a business leader in the Japanese market this conversation will provide some invaluable insights. In the episode Timothy expla…
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Managing Global Operations with Scott Smalley from DSV Japan
43:34
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Welcome back from the August break. On this episode of the podcast we sit down with the Managing Director and President of DSV Solutions in Japan, Scott Smalley. Scott is a senior management executive with over 35 years of experience, 25 of which have been dedicated to global logistics in Japan. Scott is bilingual, multicultural, well-connected and…
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Summer Re-release #4 - Turning the Tables and Interviewing Dr. David Sweet, with guest host Simon Jelfs
49:23
49:23
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During the month of August we will be enjoying some summer weather and taking a break from recording new episodes. To satiate your thirst we will be re-releasing the hottest episodes of the year, every week, for you to enjoy with a Mai Tai by the pool like David will be. In this episode of the podcast from March this year, we switched things up and…
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Summer Re-release #3 - Demystifying Corporate Boards in Japan, with Catherine O’Connell
44:54
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During the month of August we will be enjoying some summer weather and taking a break from recording new episodes. To satiate your thirst we will be re-releasing the hottest episodes of the year, every week, for you to enjoy with a Mai Tai by the pool like David will be. In this re-release episode from February, I turn the podcasting tables on my g…
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Summer Re-release #2 - Fearless Innovation as a Business Leader in Japan, with Hideo Goto
30:54
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During the month of August we will be enjoying some summer weather and taking a break from recording new episodes. To satiate your thirst we will be re-releasing the hottest episodes of the year, every week, for you to enjoy with a Mai Tai by the pool like David will be. This week we will revisit our second most popular episode of 2024 thus far, ou…
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Summer Re-release #1 - Listening to the Market with Ashley Harvey
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During the month of August we will be enjoying some summer weather and taking a break from recording new episodes. To satiate your thirst we will be re-releasing the hottest episodes of the year, every week, for you to enjoy with a Mai Tai by the pool like David will be. This week’s Summer Re-release was originally released on Thursday February 1st…
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Empowering Japanese Teams, with Marie & Sandrine from Lemon Boost
49:24
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On this episode of the FocusCore podcast we are joined by Marie Solange-Vottero and Sandrine Monette from Lemon Boost, a boutique consulting firm based in Tokyo that caters to the unique development needs of Japanese teams engaging with Foreign Customers. Listen to the episode to learn more about how Lemon Boost’s specialized Dojo practice enhances…
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Make More Impact with Less Effort, with Helen Iwata
56:01
56:01
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This episode of the FocusCore podcast is incredibly relevant for anyone experiencing burnout, overwhelm, or feeling like they are putting in a lot of effort for relatively little results. Our guest this week is Helen Iwata, founder of the #LessEffortMoreImpact Movement for Women in Business. Helen is also a TEDx speaker and coach, Nikkei Style colu…
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Establishing a New Business Entity in Japan as a Foreigner, with Jan Babatz
1:02:51
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On the latest episode of the FocusCore podcast host David Sweet talks with Jan Babatz, from Ziemann-Holvrieka, leading provider of tanks and process solutions for the beverage and liquid food industry. Jan has been in charge of establishing the Japanese entity “CLPT Japan KK”, and as a global business leader establishing a company in Japan, Jan has…
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Demystifying Japan's Recruitment Landscape, with David Chong
57:17
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On the latest episode of the podcast FocusCore Managing Director, Simon Jelfs, interviews FocusCore’s Singapore Director, David Chong. David has over 17 years talent acquisition experience across internal TA roles, RPO, and Recruitment Agency. He has lived and worked in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and China. In this discussion David Chong shares wi…
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Making Sustainable Change a Reality for Japanese Corporates with Heather Prosser
1:02:33
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This week on the podcast we talk sustainability in Japan with Heather Prosser from Morrow Sodali Japan. In the episode we discuss what sustainability is and how Japanese corporations can start to initiate sustainable change in their workplaces. If you are a business leader in Japan considering the benefits of making your company more sustainable, o…
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Improving Your Recruitment Pipeline & Processes, with Tyson Batino
53:10
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In the latest episode of the FocusCore podcast we talk to the CEO of Scaling Your Company, Tyson Batino. Tyson advises small business owners and startups on how to scale their business in Japan from six figures to eight figures and also provides coaching to executives on running an organization. In this episode Tyson shares with us his invaluable i…
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Fearless Innovation as a Business Leader in Japan, with Hideo Goto
30:54
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On the latest episode of the podcast we are thrilled to be able to welcome back our very first guest, Hideo Goto. Hideo is the President of Schick Japan and has more than 20 years experience in the health and beauty industry, and a strong track record of driving results and being incredibly innovative in his approach. If you are an APAC business le…
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Turning the Tables and Interviewing Dr. David Sweet, with guest host Simon Jelfs
49:23
49:23
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This week on the podcast we switch things up and have guest host Simon Jelfs, Managing Director of FocusCore Japan, interviews Dr. David Sweet to find out what makes him tick, in business and in life. David is originally from Denver, Colorado with 25 years recruitment experience in Japan, all of it in leadership roles. He established FocusCore Japa…
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Innovation & Leadership in the Automotive Industry, with Magnus Hansson
43:05
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The automotive industry is currently experiencing a lot of change and innovation globally with, among other things, the increased development and adoption of electric cars and autonomous vehicles. Leaders in this industry are increasingly having to be agile and innovative as well. This week we talk to one such agile leader, Magnus Hansson, CEO/Repr…
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Data Sovereignty & Social Media Disruption with Steve Pang
56:04
56:04
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This week on the podcast we delve into Web3 technology with Steve Pang. Steve is an innovative disruptor, entrepreneur, author, coach, speaker, and was my mentor when I started FocusCore, 13 years ago. Steve is also the co-founder of the social network disruptor, ZAG Network and NFT project, PSYOP ZOMBIES. If you have been hearing a lot about NFTs,…
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Demystifying Corporate Boards in Japan with Catherine O’Connell
44:15
44:15
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This week I am excited to turn the podcasting tables on my guest Catherine O’Connell, who is host and cohost of two fantastic podcasts; Lawyer On Air and Jandals in Japan. If you haven’t listened to those two podcasts I highly recommend them both! Catherine is the principal and founder of her boutique commercial law firm based in Tokyo, Catherine O…
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Listening to the Market with Ashley Harvey
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46:12
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Welcome back to the FocusCore podcast. We are excited to bring you another year of insightful and inspirational guests, as well as timely and topical solo episodes. This week we have our first guest of 2024, Ashley Harvey. Ashley is a C-Suite leader, with a 25-year international career beginning in sales and expanding out into marketing, branding, …
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FocusCore New Year Reflections and Predictions
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Welcome to the Year of the Dragon, and to another episode of the FocusCore podcast. In this first episode of 2024, David Sweet reflects on the last year for FocusCore. He discusses some highlights and some insights into what the organization has seen happen over 2023. David also predicts what he thinks might happen in 2024 in the recruitment and ta…
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RECAST: How to hire A-player candidates using the Topgrading interview methodology
17:51
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This week we revisit an episode of the podcast that originally aired on March 15th 2022. Do you want a better way to hire employees that will save you time, money and ensure you are hiring the best candidate to join your team? In the latest episode of the FocusCore podcast, host Dr. David Sweet takes you through a proven and tested hiring method an…
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RECAST: Unlocking the keys to hiring the right HR Director in Japan
1:27
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This week on the podcast we revisit an episode that originally aired on 15th March 2023. Love or hate them, great Human Resources professionals are worth their weight in gold to organizations when you have the right person. Without them, businesses struggle to retain and attract top talent, navigate compliance and legal labor laws, and create an in…
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RECAST: Business in Japan 101 - for APAC and Global Business Leaders
19:57
19:57
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This week we revisit an episode of the podcast about navigating the Japanese business landscape that aired on 26th May 2023. Are you doing business in Japan, or would like to, and feel like you could use some guidance on how to maximize your time and effort? If you are an APAC or global business leader, and looking to navigate the business landscap…
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RECAST: 5 Steps to Finding a Job with David Sweet
18:38
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This week we revisit an episode that covers David’s top five steps he uses with his career coaching clients based on his decades of experience in the recruitment industry. You might be thinking about your next career move if you have stumbled upon this episode. You know you need to craft your resume, apply for a few jobs on LinkedIn, and then you c…
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Employer Branding with Brad Corbet from Motionworks
47:34
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We’ve talked about employer branding on the podcast before and today we go a bit more in depth, exploring employer branding with Brad Corbet from Motionworks. Motionworks is an employer branding and talent attraction consulting company that supports companies for building their brand to hire the best in the Japan market. In the episode, Brad shares…
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How to hire a Talent Acquisition Professional
22:36
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Welcome to another episode of the FocusCore podcast. Join David Sweet in this episode as he discusses how to hire a talent acquisition professional for your team. A lot of companies have brought the recruitment side in-house and are looking to hire talent acquisition professionals. However, it can be difficult for businesses within Japan to decide …
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Joris Berkhout & Felicien Dumas from JLL Japan
44:55
44:55
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Post COVID and employers are looking for ways to entice employees back to the office. In this episode my colleague William and I visited Jones Lang LaSalle's beautiful offices in Akasaka Mitsuke to sit down with Joris Berkhout and Felicien Dumas and talk about best practices for businesses as well as explore more into the Tokyo real estate market. …
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Are you about to start a hiring process for a difficult position in Japan? In this episode of the podcast David Sweet discusses some important things to do when hiring for difficult positions in Japan. Listen to the episode to get some invaluable insights gleaned from David’s experience of recruitment in Japan and how it differs from other countrie…
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RECAST: How to go from an Accountant to Business Partner with Jonathan Cant
46:36
46:36
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David Sweet speaks to Jonathan Cant, Executive Consultant at FocusCore Japan on the steps needed to transition from an accountant to a trusted business partner at a Fortune 500 company. In this episode you will hear: What is finance business partnering? How do to tell a story with numbers What are the important benefits of business partnering for f…
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RECAST: Why leading up is critical to your career success
12:35
12:35
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David Sweet, CEO, and Founder of FocusCore Japan discusses the single most critical skill a manager needs to succeed - how to lead up. Leading up has many names in the English vocabulary; sucking up, brown-nosing, minion, and lackey. But what these terms don’t recognize is the importance and the skill it takes to manage upwards and the value it can…
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RECAST: Diving into Diversity and Inclusion with Yuta Hasumi, Ikigai Authentic
45:30
45:30
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With June and another Pride Month celebrated we're resharing an episode with Yuta Hasumi, Managing Director of Ikigai Authentic. We dive into diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the workplace and discuss the key difference between Japanese and international organizations' approaches to diversity and inclusion. When foreigners make up only 2% of the po…
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AI disruption: Navigating the future of recruitment with Jason De Luca, Smart Partners
48:47
48:47
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In a world where Google Bard and Chat GPT can effortlessly craft resumes, generate job descriptions, and provide interview questions in minutes, the future of the recruitment industry seems uncertain. Host David Sweet engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Jason De Luca, Managing Director of Smart Partners KK, a recruitment consultancy firm…
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Driving sustainability and innovation at tesa tape with Thomas Gassner
58:07
58:07
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Welcome to the latest episode of the FocusCore Japan podcast! In this captivating discussion, David sits down with Thomas Gassner, the General Manager of tesa tape KK Japan and Head of Automotive Asia Pacific. Currently based in Tokyo, Thomas joined tesa in his native Germany straight after completing his engineering degree at university and has be…
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Exploring the latest recruitment trends in Japan, with Simon Jelfs
42:16
42:16
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Simon Jelfs, Managing Director at FocusCore Japan is back on the podcast sharing the latest trends, hot topics, and challenges that the recruitment industry and companies hiring in Japan are seeing in 2023. And Simon and David discuss everyone's favourite AI - Chat GPT and whether it's going to be the saviour or the killer of the recruitment sector…
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Business in Japan 101 - for APAC and Global Business Leaders
19:57
19:57
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Are you doing business in Japan, or would like to, and feel like you could use some guidance on how to maximize your time and effort? If you are an APAC or global business leader, and looking to navigate the business landscape in Japan and build successful, long-term partnerships with Japanese companies, it's essential to approach business in Japan…
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The art of negotiation with Eelco Modderman, The Gap Partnership
39:02
39:02
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Eelco Modderman, a Dutchman, has spent the last 15 years living in Asia and considers himself a bridge between East and West. It's no surprise that he is now as the Managing Partner, Asia Pacific for The Gap Partnership, a company specialising in negotiation training. He started his journey with The Gap Partnership in 2017 in Hong Kong before reloc…
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Pivoting your way to a fulfilling career with Hiroki Kosugi, TransPerfect
39:54
39:54
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Finding his perfect career was no easy feat for this podcast guest. He is an inspiration and a great example of how pivoting can lead you to where you are meant to be. Hiroki Kosugi shares how he grew up in Sapporo, was recruited to a Shizuoka soccer club, became a salaryman and burned out, backpacked around the world and learned English in New Zea…
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Exploring Retail Transformation and Tech Trends in Japan with Pascal Gerbert-Gaillard, SES-imagotag
50:05
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Pascal Gerbert-Gaillard is the APAC Manager for SES-imagotag, the world leader in smart digital labels and retail IoT solutions for physical retail. He’s had a long love affair with Japan, first visiting in 2002 when he learned Japanese.! He also loves martial arts and has trained in Kendo, the Japanese art of cutting. Pascal shares his insights on…
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Unlocking the keys to hiring the right HR Director in Japan with David Sweet
20:06
20:06
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20:06
Love or hate them, great Human Resources professionals are worth their weight in gold to organisations when you have the right person. Without them, businesses struggle to retain and attract top talent, navigate compliance and legal labour laws, and create an inclusive company culture. In Japan, hiring the right HR director is absolutely critical f…
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Will the Great Resignation hit Japan? A conversation with Simon Jelfs
52:36
52:36
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Simon Jelfs, Managing Director at FocusCore Japan, makes his debut on the podcast. Simon has trodden the path many who come to live in Japan have walked - as a JET teacher. Those early years as an English teacher set him up for a lifelong career as a teacher, coach, and recruitment consultant. He’s a keen runner, a former Morris Dancer, a rugby fan…
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Internal career development versus external career development featuring Hisato Wakaizumi
39:04
39:04
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Recruitment expert, Hisato Wakaizumi returns to the podcast in 2023 to chat with host David Sweet on: Difference between Japanese and Western companies and how to make it work for you Internal career development versus external career development and what you should consider before you look for a new role The secret to delivering a successful webin…
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3 Sins of Hiring Executives in Japan and how to avoid them with David Sweet
11:14
11:14
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David Sweet, CEO of FocusCore Japan talks about the three sins of hiring executives in Japan and the common mistakes he has seen over the last 25 years in Japan when hiring. And not one to just point out the problems, he’s also sharing how hiring managers can avoid them. This episode is a short and jam-packed listen with insights for anyone who is …
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Fundraising in Japan with Knights in White Lycra Co-Founder, Rob Williams
46:00
46:00
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Rob Williams is a British financial planner based in Tokyo, and started AP Advisors Limited in 2004 to provide financial advice to expatriates. He Co-founded Knights in White Lycra with a few fellow British friends out of a desire to get fit and give back to the communities impacted by the March 2011 disaster. They began a fundraising bike ride in …
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Why leading up is critical to your career success with David Sweet
12:35
12:35
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12:35
David Sweet, CEO, and Founder of FocusCore Japan discusses the single most critical skill a manager needs to succeed - how to lead up. Leading up has many names in the English vocabulary; sucking up, brown-nosing, minion, and lackey. But what these terms don’t recognize is the importance and the skill it takes to manage upwards and the value it can…
…
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Journey from Accountant to Business Partner with Jonathan Cant, Executive Consultant, FocusCore Japan
46:36
46:36
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Jonathan Cant, Executive Consultant at FocusCore Japan is back for round two on the podcast. This time, David and Jonathan chat about the steps needed to transition from an accountant inputting data to telling a story with those numbers and becoming a valued and trusted business partner at a Fortune 500 company. In this episode you will hear: What …
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The art of storytelling in finance with Nina Michels-Kim, Institute of Management Accountants
56:27
56:27
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The windy road to work in Japan has been a long one for today’s very special guest. Nina Michels-Kim is the Director of Partnerships, Korea and Japan for the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA). She’s bilingual in Japanese and English, born in Japan having been raised by a Japanese mother and an American father, and received her college educa…
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What do tennis coaching and recruitment have in common? A chat with Hisato Wakaizumi
33:16
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Hisato Wakaizumi was born and bred in Tokyo, studied in the United States, worked as a tennis coach in Florida teaching young children to 95-year-old ladies, and now has a successful career as a Consultant at FocusCore Japan in Accounting and Finance. His unique international experience makes him the perfect person to answer the question - what do …
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Landing your business in Japan with Sam Barker
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38:05
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Japan is opening up for tourism! After more than two years of border closures, Japan is back in the news recently as it begins preparations to welcome people back to the land of the rising sun. And while Japan has always been open for business, it has been a lot harder for people to come and work in Japan with border closures, and there is a renewe…
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The challenges of managing local and regional stakeholders in Japan with Jonathan Cant, Executive Consultant
43:57
43:57
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In this episode, David Sweet speaks with fellow FocusCore Japan colleague, Jonathan Cant about the differences between local and regional stakeholders. Jonathan is an Englishman who has made Japan his home first as an English teacher, then by building a career in training and management at Z-kai Inc, and now as the Executive Search Consultant for F…
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Finding the power base in Japanese companies with David Sweet
10:34
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We are back on the podcast this week with a solo episode with FocusCore Japan’s Founder and CEO, David Sweet. David shares his 25 years of working in Japan experience and wisdom on finding the power bases in Japanese companies. This is a must-listen episode if you are working or joining a Japanese company and want to succeed. APAC leaders and Weste…
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5 Steps to Finding a Job with David Sweet
18:38
18:38
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You might be thinking about your next career move if you have stumbled upon this episode. You know you need to craft your resume, apply for a few jobs on LinkedIn, and then you cross your fingers that your resume gets a look and you get an interview. And then you need to jump through hoops with multiple interviews. It’s a lot of work! Trust me when…
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