The FocusCore Podcast (Dr. David Sweet)

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 relocating with his family to Tokyo last year to expand the reach The Gap Partnership’s reach.

The Gap Partnership works with clients to become better, more confident, and more successful negotiators, with customisable training programs and consultancy services. Clients included front-line workers to top-level executives.

In this episode you will hear:

• What is negotiation and how can you apply the negotiation framework
• The importance of negotiating successfully
• How do you build up a relationship before you start a transaction?
• How does Japan’s decision-making process influence the way you negotiate

Eelco Modderman Bio:

Eelco joined The Gap Partnership in 2017. Initially based in Hong Kong, he now heads up the Asia Pacific region from our office in Tokyo. As a Dutchman living in Asia for over fifteen years, Eelco brings together the best of East and West. With a background in big data analytics, he is passionate about sustainability, delivering impact for clients, and the personal growth of his team.

Outside of work, Eelco is an avid swimmer and in many other activities on and below the water. He lives with his wife and two children, who share his love for adventure, exploring new places and cultures.

Connect with Eelco:

Website: https://www.thegappartnership.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eelcomodderman/?originalSubdomain=hk

Email: eelco.modderman@thegappartnership.com

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

The Negotiation Book: Your definitive guide to successful negotiating by Steve Gates

The Culture Map by Erin Myer

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’....

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, our episode about fearless innovation as a business leader in Japan, with 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 leader in Japan looking to innovate in a traditionally risk averse business culture, listen to this episode to learn how to encourage a fearlessly innovative culture in your company.

In this episode you will hear:

• Advice for APAC leaders working in Japan
• How to be innovative in a traditionally risk averse country
• Strategies Hideo employs to attract talent in a challenging market
• Some of the most important lessons Hideo has learned from his decades of successful and innovative business leadership

About Hideo Goto:

Hideo Goto has been the President and Representative Director of Schick Japan since August 2022. Hideo has more than 20 years of experience in the health and beauty industry, and a strong track record of driving results.  

He started his career at Johnson & Johnson in 1996 in sales and marketing.  In 2005, he joined L’Oreal and spent 11 years there, where he turned around several businesses and scaled the growth.  He held various leadership positions throughout his tenure including GM of Active Cosmetics Division in Japan, GM of Consumer Product Division in Taiwan, and GM of Professional Product Division in Japan. Hideo Goto was promoted to Country General Manager of Henkel Beauty Care Japan and Korea in 2021 having joined Henkel Beauty Care in 2017 as GM of the Professional Division.

Hideo earned an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management in the U.S. in 2003 and a BBA from Meiji University in 1996

Connect with Hideo Goto:

Schick Japan website: https://schick.jp/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hideo-goto-8854b4ba/

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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 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'Connell Law. She is the first foreign female to set up her own law practice in Tokyo and won Tokyo Foreign Lawyer of the Year Award in 2022, Boutique Law Firm of the Year Award in 2023, and is the recipient of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2020. One of Catherine’s missions in life is to change the boardrooms of traditional Japan from the inside, sharing her lived experience through board coaching programs to demystify and open pathways for people to access and attain roles on Japanese corporate boards.

In this episode you will hear:

• How Catherine went from being a tour guide in New Zealand to studying law and working as a foreign lawyer in Japan
• What motivated Catherine to set up Catherine O’Connell Law, her own law firm in Tokyo
• About the lack of diversity in terms of board governance in Japan
• What Japanese companies can do now to diversify their boards
• What women leaders can do to open boardroom doors for themselves and others

Things mentioned in the episode:

Statistical Information about female board members in Japan: https://www.nikkei.co.jp/nikkeiinfo/en/global_services/nikkei-bp/female-board-member-survey-which-japanese-company-has-the-highest-percentage-of-female-board-members.html

About Catherine O’Connell:

Catherine O’Connell is Principal & Founder of her boutique commercial law firm based in Tokyo, Catherine O’Connell Law. She is the first foreign female to set up her own law practice in Tokyo. She won Boutique Law Firm of the Year Award 2023 and Foreign Lawyer of the Year Award 2022 and is the recipient of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2020.

Significantly, Catherine has been appointed in June 2023 as an Independent Audit & Supervisory Board Member of TOYOTA Motor Corporation. In June 2022 she was appointed as Outside Audit & Supervisory Board member of FUJITSU Limited. Through both of these appointments she has become the first non-Japanese female in Japanese corporate history to serve in this role on any Japanese Board. She is also Statutory Auditor on ASX-listed Japan subsidiary of CSL Behring.

Catherine presides as Vice-Chair of the Australian & New Zealand Chamber of Commerce of Japan, is co-Chair of the Legal Services & IP Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan and is immediate Past President of NPO, Women in Law Japan (2021-2023).

Prior to launching her law practice in 2018, Catherine was Head of Legal and APAC Regional Legal Counsel for Molex Japan LLC. She held senior In-House Legal Counsel positions Panasonic, Olympus and Mitsubishi Motors, and has extensive private practice experience at Hogan Lovells (Tokyo and London) and Anderson Lloyd (New Zealand).

Catherine hosts the award-winning “Lawyer on Air” Podcast sharing inspirational stories about women working in the law in Japan and she co-hosts the “Jandals in Japan” podcast about successful New Zealand business in...

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 and shares a simple five-step strategy to hire the A-player candidate.

Introducing you to Topgrading, a recruitment methodology proven effective by some of the best companies in the world including General Electric and Barclays. 

In this episode you will hear:

• How to engage your HR and executives to hire A-Players

• How to document and create scorecards

• Learn the easy, time-saving technique for screening candidates 

• Why are reference checks so important

• The simple process and the questions to ask  

These five steps are the bare bones of creating a recruitment process for your organization that our clients say attracts and retains the top talent.

Utilizing topgrading as a method to hire talent is the best way to sort through B and C talent and find the A-grade candidate that you want to join your organization and will ultimately save you time, money, energy, and most importantly, save you from making a hiring mistake.  

If you would like samples of a scorecard, please feel free to email me at david.Sweet@focuscoregroup.com.

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

This week’s episode with Yuta Hasumi, Managing Director of Ikigai Authentic is brought to you, especially to celebrate Pride Month. 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 population of Japan, you would be forgiven for thinking that diversity and inclusion in the Japanese workplace just don't apply. Yuta has built a global career in D&I and is working with companies and organizations in Japan and the UK to change the way they think about diversity and inclusion. 

In this episode you will hear:

• How Japan is at a pivotal point to address gender inequality 
• Local challenges when it comes to diversity in a homogenous country
• How people can develop a career in diversity and inclusion and get involved in their current workplaces 
• Why it just makes commercial sense to have diversity and inclusion policies 
• Easy steps companies and individuals can take to be inclusive (e.g.Gender Pronouns)
• Yuta’s top advice for companies to attract and retain talent 
• How can SMEs be inclusive and bridge gender gaps
• How one hair salon in Tokyo changed their labeling of hair pricing to be more inclusive and has now built a reputation in Japan as inclusive for transgender and LGBTQ+ clients setting them apart from their competitors 

Register to join the next FocusCore Webinar Walk the Talk for LGBTQ Inclusion with David Sweet, FocusCore Japan, and Yuta Hasumi, Ikigai Authentic.  

June 23 2022, 6.30pm (JST)

Yuta Hasumi Bio:

With experience in the Asia Pacific region and global human resources and talent management for overseas firms, as well as overall responsibility for promoting diversity and inclusion in Japan and the South Korean region, Yuta now operates with two bases, one in Japan and the other in the UK. He provides management consulting that makes the most of diversity, advising businesses and other organizations in planning and execution of lectures and training, coaching for management, promoting women’s participation in the workplace, and work style reforms. Yuta holds an MBA from Waseda Business School.

 Other responsibilities

• Certified Coach, COF Rosinski & Company

• Director of GEWEL, Japan

• Chair of D&I Advisory Board, Medito Foundation, Netherlands

• Member of U.S.-Japan Council, US & Japan

• Member of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the UK

Connect with Yuta Hasumi:

Website: https://www.ikigaiauthentic.com/en/home 

Email: yuta.hasumi@ikigaiauthentic.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuta-hasumi/  

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

FocusCore Webinars: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/webinars 

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter:

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 countries. Learn how your company can get the most out of your time and money spent on recruiting for difficult positions in the Japanese labor market.

In this episode you will hear:

• Writing a compelling job description that doesn’t deter good candidates
• Pros and Cons of including salaries on job descriptions
• What employer branding is and how to do it
• The importance of having a good clear interview process
• Why and how you would want to use a recruitment partner for these searches

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’. 

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne. 

"Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50. https://music.cdavisshannon.com/album/fifty-50-2 Support independent musicians and artists.

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 had guest host Simon Jelfs, Managing Director of FocusCore Japan, interview 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 Japan in 2011. He's a father of two, a keen runner, a writer, and an ukulele player. Listen to the episode to learn more about how David manages to be so proactive and motivated in business and in life, and gain some invaluable insight into the Japanese labor market and recruitment landscape. 

In this episode you will hear:

• About David’s love of running marathons and his plans to run the Barcelona marathon
• How David manages to stay so proactive and motivated in business and life in general
• How international business leaders view the Japanese market
• David’s advice to APAC leaders looking to improve recruitment performance in Japan
• About the ageless leadership skills that stand the test of time

About Simon Jelfs:

​Simon is from the UK and has over 20 years accounting and finance recruitment experience in Tokyo.  He is the Managing Director of Focus Core which focuses on providing executive search in Japan.

About David Sweet:

David Sweet is the founder and CEO of FocusCore Group.  For the past 25 years, he has helped companies hire the best executive talent in Tokyo.  He is also a certified executive coach and  author of Sweet Success, Sweet Sales, Recruit! Becoming the Top-Biller, as well as having been interviewed for the book, “Facebook & LinkedIn 対応履歴書いらずのソーシャルメディア転職術” for his expertise in using Social Networking for recruitment in Japan. He also is a published poet, including Gus (illustrated by Jennifer Shinkai),  Split Infinity Forward, and Pop Rocks. He holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Development and a M.A. in Communications from Regis University in Denver, Colorado. 

Connect with Simon Jelfs:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonjelfs

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

Today’s podcast guest is a former FocusCore alum and the current North-East Asia Talent Acquisition Manager at Maersk, Wayne Yoshida, or as he is officially known as, Supply Chain Wayne™. Wayne is a Quebecer who has called Japan home for the past 15 years and has built an enviable career and reputation in recruitment for the transport industry. 

This episode looks at two sides of the recruitment coin as Wayne shares with David what it's like going from a boutique recruitment agency to in-house talent acquisition for a global organization. Wayne candidly shares some of the challenges of working in recruitment in Japan and what companies can do to build better recruitment practices with digital technologies and systems that provide a great employee experience from the initial chat to onboarding. 

In this episode you will hear:

• How Wayne transitioned as a recruiter from the agency side to in-house recruitment - what he learned and what he likes about being the in-house talent acquisition manager 
• Recruitment in Japan and the key challenges 
• How and why Wayne built his own personal brand that led him to be known in the industry as Supply Chain Wayne™  
• Why customer relationship systems are critical for a great and smooth recruitment experience 
• How Wayne hunts Unicorns - looking for the best and most unique candidates that will bring value to the company
• The secrets to healthy competition in a competitive industry 

Wayne Bio:

Wayne Yoshida is currently the North East Asia Talent Acquisition Manager at Maersk in Japan. He started his recruitment career journey at FocusCore Japan where he built an impressive personal brand and tribe following leading Wayne to be known as Supply Chain Wayne™. He is also the editor of CargoNOW and a Senior Board Member of the International Propeller Club of Japan. Wayne will soon be able to add a published author to his title with the publication of a children's book about transportation due out soon. 

Connect with Wayne Yoshida:

LinkedIn - Wayne Yoshida

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Recruitment tools: Engin10  and Hireplanner

Wayne and David’s Mexican restaurant chain recommendation:  Casa Bonita

Wayne’s favorite South Park episode: "It's Christmas in Canada" Season 7 E15

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website:

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 Finance and Accounting at FocusCore Japan.

He shares his experience and insights about local and regional stakeholders and what Executives need to know about Japanese culture to succeed in Japan.

In this episode you will hear:

• Why empathy is key to leading effectively
• Myths about recruiters
• Debunking myths about Japanese work culture
• Changing work culture in Japan - is it the end of nomikai?
• Understanding Japanese HQs - why this should always be a priority!
• The current state of the talent market and where to next

And we debate the important question - when will the fax machine become obsolete in Japan?

Jonathan Cant Bio:

A leading member of the FocusCore team, Jonathan is a UK native who has been in Japan for just under 19 years. With around 15 years of leadership experience, he brings maturity and just the right amount of grey hair to the team. A father of two young boys, he spends most of his free time in the park or playing with Lego. He is also a fan of Newcastle United FC and enjoys photography and cooking.

Connect with Jonathan:

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/consultants/jonathan-cant?source=google.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathancant/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonathancant?lang=en-GB

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Managing Local and Regional Stakeholders: Challenges for CFOs By Jonathan Cant

Jonathan’s Podcast Recommendations

The Adam Buxton Podcast

The High Performance Podcast

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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 for successful businesses, not least because they need to understand the local landscape due to a unique market with its own cultural norms, its own values, and its own unique labour laws.

But what else do you need to consider when hiring HR leaders in Japan? David Sweet shares his top must-haves and why - when hiring an HR director in Japan.

David covers:

• Knowledge and deep understanding of Japanese Labour laws
• Ability to foster positive stakeholder relations
• Experience in recruitment and retaining talent
• Established networks

If you need help with your recruitment needs in Japan, please get in touch with FocusCore Japan and we’ll be happy to assist. We specialize strongly in HR directors and other C- Suite recruitments, specifically around country managers, CFOs, supply chain directors, and marketing directors.

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Website

David Sweet Bio:

​David Sweet is the Founder and CEO of FocusCore Japan, based in Tokyo. FocusCore provides a broad range of services from executive to talent management and leadership consulting. His particular focus is in Human Resources.

Prior to establishing FocusCore Group, David was a Director with the Tokyo consultancy Wall Street Associates, leading operations, training, and recruitment in multiple sectors. He also worked for 10 years in the U.S. Treasury Department in labor relations and organizational development.

He is the author of six books, including "Sweet Sales", "Sweet Success", and "Recruit!". He is also a Certified Executive Coach. David earned a MA in Communications from Regis University and a PhD in Leadership Development.

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’.

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne.

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album,

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 with us some of his vast knowledge of recruitment, both internally and externally, and explores the current recruitment landscape in Japan, and internationally.

In this episode you will hear:

• What made David Chong join the FocusCore team
• Why Japan's recruitment landscape can be a mystery to international recruiters
• Advice for hiring top talent in Japan and Singapore
• The importance of trust and communication when recruiting
• Common pitfalls for those pursuing a career in Talent Acquisition
• Keys to building a great team

About David Chong:

David started his recruitment career in Tokyo covering Accounting and Finance. By now he has over 17 years Talent Acquisition experience across agency, internal function, and RPO, gained from working in Tokyo, Shanghai, and Singapore. He has a proven track record to implement and improve Talent Acquisition function, lead delivery, and sourcing. 

At Toll Group (a Japan Post company), David implemented a new RPO across APAC, EMEA & USA. Partnering with multiple stakeholders, he led process simplification and increased productivity across the team of 22 recruiters. To help build the Toll digital brand and talent communities, David optimized sourcing strategy via job boards and social media such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and WeChat.

At Pall Corporation (a Danaher company), David led the APAC Talent Acquisition RPO team in direct sourcing across China, India, Japan, Korea, Australia, and Southeast Asia. To align with Danaher practice, he helped rollout change management in Talent Acquisition Processes & Systems and promoted Diversity & Inclusion policies.

David is Singaporean and holds an MBA from University of Southern California and MIS degree from University of Washington. He was born in Malaysia, and has lived in Singapore, Tokyo, Shanghai, and USA. He speaks fluent English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and basic Japanese.

Connect with David Chong:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidchongy

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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 I say this, I have been there. Every career journey has ups and downs. I’ve been there too and it’s frustrating. And with over 25 years in the recruitment industry, I see the same frustration in the eyes of so many qualified professionals.

On this solo episode of the FocusCore podcast, I’m sharing the top five steps I use with my career coaching clients to successfully find a job. 

In this episode I walk you through five simple steps that can help you land your next job:

1. Macro view - what’s your career vision?
2. Messaging - what is your WOW statement?
3. Searching for jobs - How to stand out from everyone else?
4. Preparing for interviews 
5. Pulling it all together 

So pull out your bento box, grab a pen and paper, and let's dive in!

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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, AI and Web3 technologies and want to know how they might apply to your business, recruitment or professional online networking, this will be a valuable discussion to sit in on.

In this episode you will hear:

• How Steve went from working in the recruitment industry to the Web3 space
• About Steve’s social network disruptor ZAG Network and how it is disrupting the social media landscape
• What data sovereignty is and why it is important
• How ZAG Network empowers users to monetize their own data
• The different ways Web3 technologies are being utilized in recruitment

Things mentioned in the episode:

NFT project PSYOP ZOMBIES: www.psyopzombies.com

ZAG Network: www.zag.network

About Steve:

 A Web3 native since 2017, Co-founder of the social network disruptor, ZAG NETWORK (www.zag.network) and a fun NFT project, PSYOP ZOMBIES (www.psyopzombies.com) linked to ZAG Network, a revolutionary SocialFi Network For Professionals. With a multifaceted background that spans leadership, career advising, coaching, vlogging, and authorship  

Having spent over two decades as a seasoned business leader in executive search and recruitment across the dynamic Asia Pacific region. With 8 years of working experience and living in Australia, 5 years in Japan, and 15 plus years in Singapore, Steve's understanding of diverse markets and cultures across Asia Pacific makes him stand out from the pack 

 As a co-founder and advisor on Web3 ventures since 2017, Steve has been actively engaged in technology and non-tech projects. His passion for the transformative potential of Web3 technology and the decentralized movement is evident, making him a true "Web3 Degen" Just like a mullet haircut, Steve is business in the front, party in the back! 

 Beyond his entrepreneurial endeavors, Steve is a natural and direct communicator. As an author, Steve has penned two highly regarded books: "Everything You Wish To Ask A Headhunter" and "ZAG's Expert Guide to Personal Branding & Job Seeking." These literary accomplishments further showcase his dedication to empowering individuals to navigate their professional paths with confidence and success. Above all, Steve is fueled by a profound belief in the innate entrepreneurial spirit within every human. To him, entrepreneurship isn't merely about starting companies but rather the instinct to create, shape destinies, and take control of one's life.  

ZAG Network launched 24 August 2023, the world eagerly awaits the impact of this Web3 SocialFi Network For Professionals. With a dynamic mix of high energy passion, innovation, and an unyielding commitment to personal and professional growth, Steve continues to shape the future while inspiring others to do the same.  

Connect with Steve:

ZAG Network: www.zag.network

Sign up for an account on ZAG Network and we are instantly connected!

LinkedIn :

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 been with tesa for over 25 years working in Germany, China, Moscow, Belgium, and now Japan.

Thomas offers valuable insights into his extensive career within a single company, shedding light on the intricacies of working in Japan and the conversation takes a deep dive into tesa’s sustainability strategy, explores how organisations can embrace environmental responsibility, how Japan compares on the sustainability index, and shares how sustainability is crucial for innovation.

Thomas Gassner Bio:

Thomas Gassner is the General Manager of tesa tape in Japan and Head of Automotive Asia Pacific. Thomas is an exceptional individual who has demonstrated remarkable expertise and leadership in sales, marketing, and general management. With a career spanning over 25 years at tesa, he made significant contributions to the company around the globe, including Germany, Belgium, china, Japan, and Russia. His relentless drive for excellence, coupled with a profound knowledge of the automotive industry and industrial market segments, has propelled him to spearhead teams and achieve outstanding results. Thomas holds a Master of Engineering from RWTH Aachen University.

Connect with Thomas:

Website: https://www.tesa.com/en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-gassner-72a6477/

About tesa

As a multinational company, tesa develops innovative adhesive tapes and self-adhesive system solutions for various industries, commercial customers, and end consumers. The age of technical adhesive tapes began 125 years ago – in Hamburg (Germany). Currently, there are already more than 7000 tesa adhesive solutions that help improve the work, products or lives of our customers. Today, the focus is on sustainability and energy-saving processes. tesa invests in the development of environmentally friendly products and solvent-free manufacture processes as well as in the use of renewable energy sources at its locations.

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’.

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne.

"Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of...

Hello and welcome to The FocusCore Podcast. My name is David Sweet.

On this podcast, we will meet interesting, inspirational and entertaining people who show why Japan is a unique and sometimes frustrating place to do business.

We will discuss

• How to hire, train, and retain talent,
• How to create values that motivate
• Review best practices that have worked and attempts that have not.

I'll 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 years in this great country. The focus is simple: To explore how to succeed in business in Japan.

So join me, David Sweet, on The FocusCore Podcast.

Subscribe now on Apple Podcast, Spotify or wherever you download podcasts.

Doin' the Uptown Lowdown," used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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, or if you are an employee wondering how you can influence your employer to make meaningful changes, this is the episode to listen to!

In this episode you will hear:

• How Japan compares to the rest of the world in terms of sustainability
• How business leaders can institute formal sustainable change within their companies
• What smaller sustainable actions employees can take in their workplace
• Where you can go to find out more about sustainability
• What Heather has learned about doing business in Japan

About Heather:

Heather has over 15 years of impactful experience in the Asia-Pacific financial services and sustainability sectors. Having worked in Tokyo and Hong Kong, she has a strong track record of significant contributions to business development, advisory, strategy, fundraising, and investor relations.

Heather joined Morrow Sodali Japan after playing a crucial role in launching and growing the Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCaSS) team at EY Japan from 2015 onwards. She excels in navigating Japanese companies towards ESG risk mitigation, driving sustainable initiatives, and harmonizing environmental responsibility with corporate growth.

Originally from the United States, Heather embarked on her career in venture capital in Silicon Valley, before moving to Japan in 2001. As a committed community leader, her contributions include board member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ), leading the ACCJ Sustainability Committee, and Executive Committee member of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ). 

Her philanthropic efforts include board membership for Shine On! Kids, a charity supporting children with long-term illnesses in Japan. Heather's dynamic career spans the media industry, including as a regular guest presenter on NHK's 'Cool Japan' program since 2007.

Heather Prosser has earned the CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing.

Connect with Heather:

Morrow Sodali Japan: https://morrowsodali.com/

Shine On! Kids: https://sokids.org/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/heather-prosser-350bba1a

Corporate email address: h.prosser@morrowsodali.com

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher...

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 2013 and have not looked back since.

Since then, Knights in White Lycra have expanded their fundraising efforts to support children in need in Japan and have raised over ¥114 million through various sporting activities including bike rides, walks around the Imperial Palace, golf days, Go-Go run challenge, and pub quiz nights.

In this episode you will hear:

• How Knights in White Lycra was born in Tokyo in 2012 in a karaoke bar
• Why they expanded from fundraising for 3/11 survivors to supporting children in care homes in Japan
• How getting fit and giving back has inspired Rob’s philanthropic purpose
• How Knights in White Lycra have pivoted during the Covid pandemic to continue fundraising for their causes when they couldn’t meet in person
• The cultural differences in fundraising in Japan and Western countries

Rob Williams Bio:

Originally from the UK, Rob came to Japan in 1999 to continue his career in financial planning. In 2004 he set up an independent financial planning practice in Tokyo with two partners which continues to this day. AP Advisers Ltd provides bespoke financial planning services to the expatriate community in Japan. www.ap-advisers.com

Rob is married with two sons, 15 and 11. He enjoys playing golf and watching soccer, but his main passion is cycling which was the spur to create the Knights in White Lycra charity (KIWL) cycling group in 2012, shortly after the 3.11 tragedy. www.kiwl.net

Initially set up to raise funds for survivors, KIWL has morphed into a fundraising group focusing on supporting marginalized children living in institutional care. Through their chosen charity, the funds they raise provides them with educational and self-development opportunities in the classroom and in the outdoors. The skillsets they acquire better equips them for adult life and transforming them into happy and successful young adults.

In recognition of his community contribution, Rob was awarded ‘Person of the Year’ by the British Chamber of Commerce in 2015. In 2017, he received the Japan British Society award from HIH Princess Akiko.

Connect with Rob Williams:

Website: Knights in White Lycra https://www.kiwl.net/

AP Advisers Limited wwmw.ap-advisers.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-williams-723532/?originalSubdomain=jp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getfitandgiveback/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uotJ2yKU1IY

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Mirai no Mori - https://mirai-no-mori.jp

500KM Cycle Ride 1- 4 June, 2023 sign up -

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 gained a lot of knowledge about being successful in Japan’s unique corporate culture. In the episode, Jan discusses some of this invaluable business knowledge as well as sharing his personal story of growing up in East Berlin before the Berlin Wall came down, and why he came to Japan.

In this episode you will hear:

• About how Jan ended up in Japan after growing up in East Berlin 
• About CLPT Japan KK and what it’s been like establishing a new company in Japan
• The importance of speaking Japanese in Japan as a foreign business leader
• How Japan differs from other countries when it comes to work culture
• Jan’s advice to global business leaders in Japan
• About Jan’s love of music and his current passion for playing the ukulele

About Jan Babatz:

Jan Babatz was born & raised in former East-Berlin (GDR) until the age of 15. He worked in a sales position in a company in Berlin after graduation, then participated in a one-year exchange and homestay program at the age of 24 in Tokyo. Jan studied business engineering near Berlin, including a 6-month internship in Tokyo and moved to Japan after university graduation in 2004.

From 2005 to 2007 Jan was Sales Manager for Walter Tools as an expat in Toyokawa/Aichi. He switched to a German machine tool company in 2008 and got a 1 year and 10 month training in the headquarters in Germany. In October 2009 Jan moved back to Japan and worked as GM of the Japanese subsidiary. Jan switched to Guhring Tools in October 2017 into the position of president and CEO of Guhring Japan. In November 2023 Jan moved to Ziemann-Holvrieka Germany in November 2023 to establish the Japanese entity “CLPT Japan KK.”

Connect with Jan Babatz:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jan-babatz-27425395 

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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 education in the United States. However, her dream was always to come back to work in Japan and so with that goal in sight, her extensive career in finance began which has led her from bookkeeper to working for two of Switzerland's biggest pharmaceuticals to starting her own business and now as the Partnerships Director of Korea and Japan for IMA.

Nina’s career path has not been linear but throughout, her passion for learning and continuous development in finance has brought her one step closer to Japan and the goal she set more than 25 years ago. As a member of the IMA, having developed the Swiss and European chapters, she’s now bringing the benefits of the IMA to Japan and aiding finance professionals to upskill, learn, develop and become the finance leaders of the future.

In this episode you will hear:

• The IMA’s predicted six megatrends for the finance sector
• Some of the challenges that financial professionals are facing and why upskilling is important
• The value of the IMA and how it can help finance professionals to future-proof themselves and their careers
• Why soft skills are just as important as hard skills and how the IMA supports this
• What courses and resources are available through the IMA including how to tell a story with strategic insights and data

Nina Michels-Kim Bio:

I help finance professionals all over the world to enhance their skills, provide them with ethics guidance and thought leadership, become valued leaders in their organizations, and improve the world step by step!

Alongside my own business, Starling GmbH, I am also the Director of Partnerships Japan and Korea for IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants). IMA is one of the largest and most respected worldwide associations focused exclusively on advancing the management accounting profession. Its global reach includes over 140,000+ members of financial professionals in business in over 150 countries.

About the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)

Established in 1919 (over 100 years ago), IMA (Institute of Management Accountants) is a global, non-profit professional association that administers the globally recognized U.S. CMA (Certified Management Accountant) certification program, which is celebrating its 50-year anniversary this year. IMA has a global network of about 140,000 members worldwide and more than 300 student and professional chapters. Its members are mostly accountants, financial professionals, and management accountants who work in business. IMA supports the CFO’s team by striving to be the leading resource for training, developing, certifying, connecting, and supporting them.

Connect with Nina Michels-Kim:

Website: https://www.imanet.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ninamichelskim/?originalSubdomain=ch

Twitter: @NinaMichelsKim

Email: nmichelskim@imanet.org

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Best Practices in...

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, and a YouTuber at Just a Rugby Dad in Japan.

In this episode David and Simon cover:

• Important career lessons learned from 20 years of working in Japan
• The Great Resignation - will it hit Japan?
• How Covid-19 and working from home have changed the recruitment experience
• Combining career and parenthood and the changing dynamics of Japanese workplaces
• A shift in management style in Japan - is it here to stay?

And it would not be a FocusCore podcast if there wasn’t some chat about sport!

Simon Jelfs Bio:

Simon is from the UK and has 20 years of accounting and finance recruitment as a specialized recruitment leader in Japan. As Managing Director, he provides bilingual accounting and finance professionals to client companies in Japan.

Connect with Simon Jelfs:

LinkedIn

Twitter

YouTube: Just a Ruby Dad in Japan

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Podcast Recommendations

High Performance Podcast

The Rest is History

Hidden Brain

FocusCore Podcast episode 2 with Corey McGowan

‘The Great Resignation’ - The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan Journal

Morris Dancing

Institute of Management Accountants

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Website

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’.

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne.

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher

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 with a mindset of respect, cultural sensitivity, and a willingness to adapt to local customs and practices. In this episode I discuss ten factors that I’ve found incredibly important to keep in mind for APAC and global business leaders looking to do business in Japan.

In this episode you will hear:

• About Japan’s unique culture and business practices
• How important long-term business relationships are in Japan
• The expectations placed on business leaders in Japan including strong work ethic, respect for hierarchy and seniority
• About the importance Japanese companies place on consensus decision-making

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’. 

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne. 

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50. https://music.cdavisshannon.com/album/fifty-50-2 Support independent musicians and artists.

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 insights into how  businesses can improve their recruitment pipeline and processes. This is an episode that you'll want to listen to for APAC companies looking to open businesses in Japan, and small companies in Japan looking to scale and grow their organization. 

In this episode you will hear:

• The importance of a positive interview experience for candidates
• How companies can use a well designed interview process to improve employer branding
• How a bigger applicant pipeline can help improve recruitment outcomes
• Tips for leaders on how they can help improve recruitment processes

Things mentioned in the episode:

FocusCore podcast episode on Topgrading

About Tyson Batino:

Tyson Batino is the CEO of Scaling Your Company. He 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. He was a co-founder and director at Japan Switch and One Coin English, Japan's 8th largest English school for adults, and a 2x resident mentor at 500 Global Japan, one of the top startup accelerators in the world.  With expertise in scaling companies and a passion for mentoring business leaders and founders, Tyson brings invaluable insights into improving your recruitment pipeline and processes.

Connect with Tyson Batino:

Scaling Your Company: https://scalingyourcompany.com/

Personal Site: https://tysonbatino.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tysonbatino/

Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/Tysonbatino

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tysontbatino

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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 population of Japan, you would be forgiven for thinking that diversity and inclusion in the Japanese workplace just don't apply. Yuta has built a global career in D&I and is working with companies and organizations in Japan and the UK to change the way they think about diversity and inclusion. 

In this episode:

• How Japan is at a pivotal point to address gender inequality 
• Local challenges when it comes to diversity in a homogenous country
• How people can develop a career in diversity and inclusion and get involved in their current workplaces 
• Why it just makes commercial sense to have diversity and inclusion policies 
• Yuta’s top advice for companies to attract and retain talent 

Yuta Hasumi Bio:

With experience in the Asia Pacific region and global human resources and talent management for overseas firms, as well as overall responsibility for promoting diversity and inclusion in Japan and the South Korean region, Yuta now operates with two bases, one in Japan and the other in the UK. He provides management consulting that makes the most of diversity, advising businesses and other organizations in planning and execution of lectures and training, coaching for management, promoting women’s participation in the workplace, and work style reforms. Yuta holds an MBA from Waseda Business School.

Connect with Yuta Hasumi:

Website: https://www.ikigaiauthentic.com/en/home 

Email: yuta.hasumi@ikigaiauthentic.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuta-hasumi/

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

FocusCore Webinars: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/webinars 

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’.

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne.

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more,...

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 add if you want to develop your career in management.

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

About David Sweet

​David Sweet is the Founder and CEO of FocusCore Japan, based in Tokyo. FocusCore provides a broad range of services from executive to talent management and leadership consulting. His particular focus is on Human Resources.

Prior to establishing FocusCore Group, David was a Director with the Tokyo consultancy Wall Street Associates, leading operations, training, and recruitment in multiple sectors. He also worked for 10 years in the U.S. Treasury Department in labor relations and organizational development.

He is the author of six books, including "Sweet Sales", "Sweet Success", and "Recruit!". He is also a Certified Executive Coach. David earned a MA in Communications from Regis University and a Ph.D. in Leadership Development.

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50. Support independent musicians and artists.

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 with us some of his specialist knowledge of employer branding, talent attraction and recruitment content, and how Japanese companies can utilize these tools to find and hire the best candidates.

In this episode you will hear:

• What employer branding is
• About the current employer branding landscape in Japan
• Brad’s tips for using social media to enhance employer branding
• The importance of being genuine and transparent in your content
• How employer branding can help companies with diversity and inclusion goals

About Motionworks:

Motionworks is an employer branding and talent attraction consulting company that supports companies in Japan to attract the best talent. They started up in 2019 with the mission to shift away from traditional forms of recruitment and focus on content (mostly video, podcasts and blogs) to help companies gain an edge in the candidate-centric market in Japan. Motionworks works with a range of companies for video content creation, strategic employer branding consulting and talent attraction. 

About Brad:

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri and born and raised there. Brad attended college in Missouri for about 2 years, then was contacted by a US Navy recruiter to join the navy so he dropped out of college, joined the US Navy and got sent to Japan. That was in 1990. Brad has been here ever since and has had many jobs that finally led him to his current role as Managing Director of Motionworks. 

Connect with Motionworks:

Website:  https://motionworks.co.jp/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSxpEibw5TmRp3U8cFzcuQg

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’. 

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne. 

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50. https://music.cdavisshannon.com/album/fifty-50-2 Support independent...

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.

In this episode, you will hear:

• The challenges the tech industry has been experiencing in Japan
• Why the decreasing value of the Yen is great for the local manufacturing sector
• The struggle to attract quality candidates in Japan
• Does Chat GPT mean recruiters' jobs are at risk?
• What are the new roles likely to come up thanks to AI?

Simon Jelfs Bio:

Simon is from the UK and has 20 years of accounting and finance recruitment as a specialised recruitment leader in Japan since he started in 2000. As Managing Director at FocusCore Japan, he provides bilingual accounting and finance professionals to client companies in Japan and oversees daily operations.

In his spare time, he’s a coach for junior rugby teams and can be found documenting his love of rugby on his YouTube channel Just a Rugby Dad in Japan.

Connect with Simon Jelfs:

LinkedIn

Twitter

YouTube: Just a Ruby Dad in Japan

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Episode 21 - Will the Great Resignation hit Japan? A conversation with Simon Jelfs

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Website

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’.

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne.

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50. Support independent musicians and artists.

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 renewed interest in working and living in Japan.

My guest on the podcast today is Sam Barker, a UK-based marketing professional, writer, and former Japan resident. Sam recently shared an article he wrote about landing your business in Japan - an expert guide to success and it couldn’t more timely to chat about his research and his insights into successfully working in Japan.

In this episode you will hear:

• The importance of strong language skills in Japan
• Mindset - understanding the Japanese mindset and expectations
• Why thinking that you can successfully copy and paste your business model from APAC and succeed in Japan is a recipe for failure
• Know when to push the boundaries to make a difference...and when not to
• Diversity and what does that look like in Japan
• The changing dynamics of the Japanese population and what this means for the future

Sam Barker Bio:

Sam L Barker is a marketing professional with years of experience working in software and technology. He is also a freelance writer focusing on the areas of Japanese culture, technology, music, the internet, and business.

His work has appeared in numerous publications including Private Suite Magazine, Mac O’Clock, ListenCorp, Exponents and Ae2 Online. He also writes in a marketing capacity and has produced numerous blog posts, reports, presentations, guides, and features for businesses.

Connect with Sam:

Website: Far Side Virtual

LinkedIn: Sam Barker

Twitter: @Mxhdroom9

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

‘Landing your business in Japan: An expert guide to success’ article by Sam Barker

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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 talent acquisition landscape in Japan. 

In this episode you will hear:

• About our FOCUS search methodology for APAC leaders seeking top tier talent in the Japanese market
• How more companies are wanting employees to go back to working in the office, and how that might conflict with employees preferences for hybrid work models 
• About an increased focus on diversity and inclusion in Japan
• Why employer branding will be increasingly important in 2024
• More of David’s predictions for 2024!

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

"Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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 columnist, and author of the Japanese book Eigo no Shigoto-jutsu, published by Shogakukan. For over a decade Helen has been helping busy business professionals, especially women, to do brilliant work without sacrificing their personal lives. Enjoy this episode and learn how to make more impact at work with less effort.

In this episode you will hear:

• How Helen overcame her fear of public speaking
• Helen’s experiences of burnout and early warning signs you can look out for
• How understanding your hormone cycle can help your workplace performance
• About the Less Effort More Impact movement and how to join the community
• About Helen’s Women’s Success Essentials program

Things mentioned in the episode:

The Sasuga! Podcast episode on Love Languages:

https://sasugacommunications.com/131

About Helen Iwata:

Originally from the UK, Helen has lived and worked in Japan for 3 decades. During her 10-year career with McKinsey & Company in Tokyo, as manager of client communications, she trained and coached high-achieving consultants and clients in communication and leadership skills.

In May 2013, Helen established her own business and is now the go-to expert for multiple multinationals to design and lead their training and coaching programs. She has delivered presentations and workshops in Asia, Europe, and the U.S.

Helen served as faculty for the Tokyo University Executive Management Program for 6 years and won the 2017 Waseda University Teaching Award for her Strategic Thinking and Communication MBA course.

Helen is also a TEDx speaker and coach, Nikkei Style columnist, and author of the Japanese book Eigo no Shigoto-jutsu, published by Shogakukan. She is the creator and host of The Sasuga! Podcast and founder of The #LessEffortMoreImpact Movement for Women in Business.

Connect with Helen Iwata:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/heleniwata

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heleniwata

Website: sasugacommunications.com/

Less Effort More Impact community:

https://sasugacommunications.mykajabi.com/event

Women’s Success Essentials: 

https://sasugacommunications.mykajabi.com/wse

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website:

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 communication, reduces conflicts, and promotes inclusion. 

In this episode you will hear:

• How Lemon Boost approaches organizational transformation
• What Verbal Aikido is and how to employ it at work
• How to avoid taking on too much at work
• Some common misconceptions around change management
• Building a resilient mindset and a resilient organization

About Lemon Boost:

Lemon-Boost is a boutique consulting firm based in Tokyo. Their tailored immersive solutions cater to the unique development needs of Japanese teams engaging with Foreign Customers. They empower teams through specialized Dojo practice for enhanced communication, reduced conflicts, and promoted inclusion. Lemon Boost also leverages data insights to optimize training investment and develop efficient engagement strategies.

About Marie Solange-Vottero:

Born of French and Cameroonian heritage, Marie has cultivated a rich and diverse life experience spanning over 25 years across Africa, Europe, and Asia.

She possesses a distinctive expertise in change management, offering support for strategic initiatives such as reorganization and digital transformations within Finance, HR, and Customer Service domains. Her experience extends across both private and public sectors, ensuring comprehensive insight and adept handling of diverse organizational needs.

Marie has also studied psychology and neurosciences to better address resistances and support teams through change. In Japan, Marie is focused on building Strategies for Better Team Collaboration and empowering Japanese teams to better interact with foreigners (Outbound). 

Being both a woman, a foreigner and a founder, Marie is committed to her community and actively involved in several associations, from leading mentoring activities for women in business to preventing bullying at school.

About Sandrine Monette:

Sandrine Monette is a Belgian native with over two decades of experience driving strategic initiatives that transform international Life Sciences and Technologies companies across the EU, UK, and US markets. She holds dual master's degrees in Biochemical Engineering and Business Administration. 

Sandrine combines technical expertise with business proficiency. Her leadership and communication skills enable her to effectively lead multidisciplinary teams across manufacturing, IT, communication, and HR sectors. 

Sandrine has worked in male-dominated environments. She is committed to gender diversity and empowering women to thrive in leadership roles. She also serves on the board of the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, showing her dedication to positive change in business and society.

She co-founded Lemon-Boost with Marie-Solange Vottero. 

Connect with Marie & Sandrine:

Website: https://lemon-boost.org

Marie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariesolangevotteromelounou/

Sandrine’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrinemonette/

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn:

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 looking to hire in Japan or for APAC professionals working in Japan.

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Website

David Sweet Bio

​David Sweet is the Founder and CEO of FocusCore Japan, based in Tokyo. FocusCore provides a broad range of services from executive to talent management and leadership consulting. His particular focus is in Human Resources.

Prior to establishing FocusCore Group, David was a Director with the Tokyo consultancy Wall Street Associates, leading operations, training, and recruitment in multiple sectors. He also worked for 10 years in the U.S. Treasury Department in labor relations and organizational development.

He is the author of six books, including "Sweet Sales", "Sweet Success", and "Recruit!". He is also a Certified Executive Coach. David earned a MA in Communications from Regis University and a PhD in Leadership Development.

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’.

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne.

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50. Support independent musicians and artists.

Hello and welcome to the FocusCore Podcast with your host David Sweet. In this episode, David speaks with Hideo Goto, Country General Manager of Henkel Beauty Care Japan and Korea.

Hideo has a long career history in beauty and personal care spanning over 20+ years and has been in senior management roles at Henkel Beauty Care since 2017 where he has accelerated business growth by strengthening brand portfolios through innovation and building high-performing teams. By focusing on a strong organizational culture and innovation, Hideo has led Henkel to be a leader in the consumer and professional haircare industry in Japan. 

In this episode we discuss:

• Hideo’s career journey that has led him to Henkel Beauty Care
• The growth of Henkel, in particular, the haircare business in Japan and their path journey to becoming a powerhouse of hair
• Key challenges for growing Henkel and how to sustain growth over the next 10 years
• Innovation including digital innovation and product innovation
• The company culture of Henkel and how it attracts employees and how Henkel’s strong culture values differentiate them from their competitors
• How leveraging collaboration from within the business to create solutions is key
• Sustainability and how Henkel is adapting to reach the 2030 UN sustainability targets and the importance of sustainability embedded in a company’s values to attract employee candidates
• The impact of Covid-19 on Henkel’s beauty care business and how haircare is thriving due to the pandemic

Hideo Goto Bio:

Hideo Goto is Country General Manager of Henkel Beauty Care Japan and Korea, a position he was promoted to in 2021 having joined Henkel Beauty Care in 2017 as GM of the Professional Division. In 2019, Hideo was promoted as Country GM of Henkel Beauty Care Japan and led both the professional and consumer businesses. In 2020, he successfully turned around consumer business and, in 2021, accelerated the growth and achieved the historically highest market share. 

Hideo has more than 20 years of experience in health and beauty industry, and a strong track record of driving results.  Prior to Henkel, he started his career at Johnson & Johnson in 1996 in sales and marketing.  In 2005, he joined L’Oreal and spent 11 years there, where he turned around several businesses and scaled the growth.  He held various leadership positions throughout his tenure including GM of Active Cosmetics Division in Japan, GM of Consumer Product Division in Taiwan, and GM of Professional Product Division in Japan.  

Hideo earned an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management in the U.S. in 2003 and a BBA from Meiji University in 1996.

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Henkel Japan Career Page

Connect with FocusCore:

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focuscore/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Subscribe on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you download podcasts.

Doin' the Uptown Lowdown," used by...

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 Zealand, studied a Sports Business Management degree and an MBA in the USA, and found himself back in Japan wondering where to next?

Hiroki joined TransPerfect, a global language service and technology solutions provider in 2010 and has built a successful career in this international company. He is currently Japan’s Director of Business Development.

In this episode you will hear:

• Hiroki’s advice on building a career you love and taking chances
• What it was like to be the only male in a female-only office in Japan when he first joined
• The challenge of finding good salespeople
• Localising products and services to the Japanese market
• The importance of networking in Japan

Connect with Hiroki Kosugi:

Website: https://www.transperfect.com/ja/home

LinkedIn TransPerfect: https://www.linkedin.com/company/transperfect-japan

LinkedIn Hiroki Kosugi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiroki-kosugi-61b91091/

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Website

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’.

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne.

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50. Support independent musicians and artists.

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. We discuss the current trends in the market, especially in terms of stabilizing and recovering after COVID, and we learn about how JLL specifically encourages staff back to the office after working from home.

In this episode you will hear:

• Common myths about the real estate industry
• About the current trend of turning offices into social hubs to encourage home-working staff back to the office
• Why businesses may want to have flexible working spaces like co-working spaces rather than traditional fixed office spaces
• About how Tokyo’s commercial real estate market is stabilizing after COVID
• How JLL is working towards creating a more sustainable environment in Tokyo’s real estate market 

About Joris Berkhout:

Joris brings 10 years of real estate experience, including 5 years at Mitsui Fudosan, Japan’s largest developer/landlord. With a background and qualification as an architect he provides holistic support from layout analysis and masterplan development to negotiation strategy and transaction execution.

Joris speaks Japanese and has a Master’s Degree in Architecture from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Awarded Young Leader of the Year 2017 Japan by CoreNet Global.

About Felicien Dumas:

Felicien joined JLL in 2023. He was previously a sales trader at a firm founded by ex Goldman Sachs traders. Before that he was a professional soccer player in the US. He is fluent in English, French and Japanese.

His track record includes advising multinational firms on their real estate requirements, including relocations, renewals and exit solutions.

Connect with Joris & Felicien:

JLL Website:  https://www.joneslanglasalle.co.jp/

Joris LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/berkhoutjoris/

Joris email: Joris.Berkhout@jll.com

Felicien LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/f%C3%A9licien-dumas/

Felicien email: Felicien.Dumas@jll.com

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’. 

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch

Naomi Takase is a Kiwi living in Japan who has built an 18-year (and counting!) career in recruitment having worked both agency and corporate sides. She’s currently the Talent Acquisition Director at LVMH Japan and shares her top advice for those wanting to work in the luxury goods industry or have a listen even if you just want to know a little bit more about talent acquisition for a major global organization in Japan. 

Naomi shares how she came to live and work in Japan which started with a phone call from FocusCore podcast host, David Sweet, for a job interview (you have to listen to find out the full story), and how she has built her impressive career as a Kiwi living in the land of the Rising Sun. 

In this episode you will hear:

• How to market your company to attract great talent 
• Employer branding and employer reputation and why these are important for recruitment 
• Why she prefers to be paperless in interviews
• Her frustration when candidates undersell themselves, especially women returning to work after caring for children 
• The value of executive search recruiters and how she uses them to tap into hidden talent 
• Why Naomi wants to have lunch with fashion powerhouse, Stella McCartney 
• How reading ‘Good to Great’ by Jim Collins has been instrumental in her career and personal decisions 

Naomi Takase Bio:

Born and raised in New Zealand, Naomi is a Kiwi at heart but Japan is where she now calls "home". She has been recruiting in Japan for 18 years with experience in both the agency side and corporate talent acquisition functions. At LVMH Japan, Naomi strategically sources for key positions and welcomes the opportunity to speak to executives who are open to learning more about the LVMH Group for future opportunities. Naomi is also happy to connect potential candidates to some of LVMH Maison, so feel free to send her an in-mail and /or connection request on LinkedIn. 

Connect with Naomi Takase:

Website: LVMH Japan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-takase/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=jp 

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

“Good to Great” By Jim Collins

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn:

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 and shares a simple five-step strategy to hire the A-player candidate.

Introducing you to Topgrading, a recruitment methodology proven effective by some of the best companies in the world including General Electric and Barclays. 

In this episode you will hear:

• How to engage your HR and executives to hire A-Players

• How to document and create scorecards

• Learn the easy, time-saving technique for screening candidates 

• Why are reference checks so important

• The simple process and the questions to ask  

These five steps are the bare bones of creating a recruitment process for your organization that our clients say attracts and retains the top talent.

Utilizing topgrading as a method to hire talent is the best way to sort through B and C talent and find the A-grade candidate that you want to join your organization and will ultimately save you time, money, energy, and most importantly, save you from making a hiring mistake.  

If you would like samples of a scorecard, please feel free to email me at david.sweet@focuscoregroup.com.

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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 add if you want to develop your career in management.

David share’s his top three guidelines to help you manage upwards’ and accelerate your career.

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

David Sweet Bio

​David Sweet is the Founder and CEO of FocusCore Japan, based in Tokyo. FocusCore provides a broad range of services from executive to talent management and leadership consulting. His particular focus is in Human Resources.

Prior to establishing FocusCore Group, David was a Director with the Tokyo consultancy Wall Street Associates, leading operations, training, and recruitment in multiple sectors. He also worked for 10 years in the U.S. Treasury Department in labor relations and organizational development.

He is the author of six books, including "Sweet Sales", "Sweet Success", and "Recruit!". He is also a Certified Executive Coach. David earned a MA in Communications from Regis University and a PhD in Leadership Development.

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50. https://music.cdavisshannon.com/album/fifty-50-2 . Support independent musicians and artists.

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 Japan in 2011. He's a father of two, a keen runner, a writer, and an ukulele player. Listen to the episode to learn more about how David manages to be so proactive and motivated in business and in life, and gain some invaluable insight into the Japanese labor market and recruitment landscape. 

In this episode you will hear:

• About David’s love of running marathons and his plans to run the Barcelona marathon
• How David manages to stay so proactive and motivated in business and life in general
• How international business leaders view the Japanese market
• David’s advice to APAC leaders looking to improve recruitment performance in Japan
• About the ageless leadership skills that stand the test of time

About Simon Jelfs:

​Simon is from the UK and has over 20 years accounting and finance recruitment experience in Tokyo.  He is the Managing Director of Focus Core which focuses on providing executive search in Japan.

About David Sweet:

David Sweet is the founder and CEO of FocusCore Group.  For the past 25 years, he has helped companies hire the best executive talent in Tokyo.  He is also a certified executive coach and  author of Sweet Success, Sweet Sales, Recruit! Becoming the Top-Biller, as well as having been interviewed for the book, “Facebook & LinkedIn 対応履歴書いらずのソーシャルメディア転職術” for his expertise in using Social Networking for recruitment in Japan. He also is a published poet, including Gus (illustrated by Jennifer Shinkai),  Split Infinity Forward, and Pop Rocks. He holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Development and a M.A. in Communications from Regis University in Denver, Colorado. 

Connect with Simon Jelfs:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonjelfs

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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 tennis coaching and recruitment have in common?

In this episode you will hear:

• The importance of having the right mindset
• Why the C-Suite in Japan isn’t people in their 20s and 30s and what does this mean for Japan’s growth
• The value of networking to grow your career and simple ways to do it
• The common misconceptions about being a recruiter including Hisato’s own!
• The importance of soft skills and how they are becoming more valued
• Hisato has been working with some of the top-level executives in Japan and he’s observed a few key things they do to succeed, which he’s sharing with host, David Sweet.

Hisato Bio:

Hisato is a new dad and an executive search consultant at FocusCore Japan. With experience working in the United States and Japan, he is a trusted advisor to clients for his persistent tenacity and creative solutions to challenging hires in Japan. He is also an avid tennis player!

Connect with Hisato Wakaizumi:

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/consultants/hisato-wakaizumi?source=google.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hisato-wakaizumi-38479513b/

Email: hisato@focuscoregroup.com

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Hidden Brain Podcast

Bear dancing and coaching with Corey McGowan episode

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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'Connell Law. She is the first foreign female to set up her own law practice in Tokyo and won Tokyo Foreign Lawyer of the Year Award in 2022, Boutique Law Firm of the Year Award in 2023, and is the recipient of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2020. One of Catherine’s missions in life is to change the boardrooms of traditional Japan from the inside, sharing her lived experience through board coaching programs to demystify and open pathways for people to access and attain roles on Japanese corporate boards.

In this episode you will hear:

• How Catherine went from being a tour guide in New Zealand to studying law and working as a foreign lawyer in Japan
• What motivated Catherine to set up Catherine O’Connell Law, her own law firm in Tokyo
• About the lack of diversity in terms of board governance in Japan
• What Japanese companies can do now to diversify their boards
• What women leaders can do to open boardroom doors for themselves and others

Things mentioned in the episode:

Statistical Information about female board members in Japan: https://www.nikkei.co.jp/nikkeiinfo/en/global_services/nikkei-bp/female-board-member-survey-which-japanese-company-has-the-highest-percentage-of-female-board-members.html

About Catherine O’Connell:

Catherine O’Connell is Principal & Founder of her boutique commercial law firm based in Tokyo, Catherine O’Connell Law. She is the first foreign female to set up her own law practice in Tokyo. She won Boutique Law Firm of the Year Award 2023 and Foreign Lawyer of the Year Award 2022 and is the recipient of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2020.

Significantly, Catherine has been appointed in June 2023 as an Independent Audit & Supervisory Board Member of TOYOTA Motor Corporation. In June 2022 she was appointed as Outside Audit & Supervisory Board member of FUJITSU Limited. Through both of these appointments she has become the first non-Japanese female in Japanese corporate history to serve in this role on any Japanese Board. She is also Statutory Auditor on ASX-listed Japan subsidiary of CSL Behring.

Catherine presides as Vice-Chair of the Australian & New Zealand Chamber of Commerce of Japan, is co-Chair of the Legal Services & IP Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan and is immediate Past President of NPO, Women in Law Japan (2021-2023).

Prior to launching her law practice in 2018, Catherine was Head of Legal and APAC Regional Legal Counsel for Molex Japan LLC. She held senior In-House Legal Counsel positions Panasonic, Olympus and Mitsubishi Motors, and has extensive private practice experience at Hogan Lovells (Tokyo and London) and Anderson Lloyd (New Zealand).

Catherine hosts the award-winning “Lawyer on Air” Podcast sharing inspirational stories about women working in the law in Japan and she co-hosts the “Jandals in Japan” podcast about successful New Zealand business in Japan. 

Connect with Catherine O’Connell:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/

Website:

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 inclusive company culture. In Japan, hiring the right HR director is absolutely critical for successful businesses, not least because they need to understand the local landscape due to a unique market with its own cultural norms, its own values, and its own unique labor laws. 

But what else do you need to consider when hiring HR leaders in Japan? David Sweet shares his top must-haves when hiring an HR director in Japan.

David covers:

• Knowledge and deep understanding of Japanese Labour laws 
• Ability to foster positive stakeholder relations 
• Experience in recruitment and retaining talent 
• Established networks 

If you need help with your recruitment needs in Japan, please get in touch with FocusCore Japan and we’ll be happy to assist. We specialize strongly in HR directors and other C- Suite recruitments, specifically around country managers, CFOs, supply chain directors, and marketing directors.

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’. 

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne. 

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50. https://music.cdavisshannon.com/album/fifty-50-2 Support independent musicians and artists.

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 Western companies often put Japan in the too-hard basket when looking to expand their markets in Asia but more often than not, it's a failure to understand the power structure of Japanese organizations or they try to change the system.

This episode is a guide for those outside of Japan thinking of moving to work in Japan and for country managers and expats who are coming to Japan to take up a position in a Japanese company that will help set you up to succeed.

In this episode you will hear:

• What is the power base of a Japanese company and how it differentiates from Western organizations
• Why job titles in Japan are not what they seem
• Consideration of the systems analysis if you are coming to lead or manage a Japanese company
• Why and who to build relationships with

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

The Enigma of Japanese Power by Karel van Wolferen.

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

David Sweet Bio

​David Sweet is the Founder and CEO of FocusCore Japan, based in Tokyo. FocusCore provides a broad range of services from executive to talent management and leadership consulting. His particular focus is in Human Resources.

Prior to establishing FocusCore Group, David was a Director with the Tokyo consultancy Wall Street Associates, leading operations, training, and recruitment in multiple sectors. He also worked for 10 years in the U.S. Treasury Department in labor relations and organizational development.

He is author of 6 books, including "Sweet Sales", "Sweet Success", and "Recruit!". He is also a Certified Executive Coach. David earned a MA in Communications from Regis University and a PhD in Leadership Development.

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

This week on the podcast we are doing something different. I wanted to share with you an interview I did with Andrew Hankinson from the first podcast that I ever recorded. 

Developing operations in Japan to be efficient and profitable can be a challenge when you run six top brands, over 30 retail shops, and a factory of the German company, Zwilling J.A. Henckels. For over 30 years, Andrew has been a true leader in Japan, a sales guru, and a business leader. He is undoubtedly one of the most exceptional business people I've had the honor to know. 

In this episode you will hear:

• How Andrew worked his way back to the Land of the Rising Sun after studying in Japan in high school
• The importance of hiring people who really know how to sell
• Why it’s so important to really study resumes, and interview questions Andrew likes to ask when recruiting
• What quality good recruiters need to have and Andrew’s own recruitment ‘hack’
• Why Andrew would choose lunch with his grandparents over Columbus and Aristotle
• The book Andrew recommends for every business professional

About Andrew: 

Andrew Hankinson is Senior Managing Director at ZWILLING J.A. HENCKELS Japan Ltd. Andrew has 27 years of professional experience in Business Development, Sales Training, and P/L Management. He has 17 years of managerial-level leadership skills as Director of Sales & Marketing, General Manager, and Managing Director. Andrew has a proven track record of surpassing target expectations, motivating both team-based management styles and start-up ventures, and managing budgets / forecasting. He has excellent bilingual (Japanese – English) communication skills honed through 20 plus years of sales / business presentations, negotiations, and public speaking, to Fortune 500 firms, industry conventions, and team building. Andrew has also had managerial experience in business alliance development, service/product rationalization, corporate/event planning, and Japan new market entry.

Connect with Andrew: 

Website: zwilling.jp

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andrew-hankinson-09b89

Podcast: https://www.nowandzen.jp/

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

The First 90 Days book by Michael D Watkins

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focuscore/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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 is finance business partnering?
• What are the important benefits of business partnering for finance professionals?
• What are the essential skills a finance professional needs to improve and grow beyond the numbers on a spreadsheet
• Why Business Partnering is in demand in Japan
• Learning valuable lessons and skills from mentors and the impact mentors have on your career

Jonathan Cant Bio:

A leading member of the FocusCore team, Jonathan is a UK native who has been in Japan for just under 19 years. With around 15 years of leadership experience, he brings maturity and just the right amount of grey hair to the team. A father of two young boys, he spends most of his free time in the park or playing with Lego. He is also a fan of Newcastle United FC and enjoys photography and cooking.

Connect with Jonathan:

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/consultants/jonathan-cant?source=google.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathancant/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonathancant?lang=en-GB

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Episode 12 - The challenges of managing local and regional stakeholders in Japan with Jonathan Cant

LinkedIn poll survey

The Journey from Accountant to Business Partner in Japan article

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50. https://music.cdavisshannon.com/album/fifty-50-2

Support independent musicians and artists.

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 leader in Japan looking to innovate in a traditionally risk averse business culture, listen to this episode to learn how to encourage a fearlessly innovative culture in your company.

In this episode you will hear:

• Advice for APAC leaders working in Japan
• How to be innovative in a traditionally risk averse country
• Strategies Hideo employs to attract talent in a challenging market
• Some of the most important lessons Hideo has learned from his decades of successful and innovative business leadership

About Hideo Goto:

Hideo Goto has been the President and Representative Director of Schick Japan since August 2022. Hideo has more than 20 years of experience in the health and beauty industry, and a strong track record of driving results.  

He started his career at Johnson & Johnson in 1996 in sales and marketing.  In 2005, he joined L’Oreal and spent 11 years there, where he turned around several businesses and scaled the growth.  He held various leadership positions throughout his tenure including GM of Active Cosmetics Division in Japan, GM of Consumer Product Division in Taiwan, and GM of Professional Product Division in Japan. Hideo Goto was promoted to Country General Manager of Henkel Beauty Care Japan and Korea in 2021 having joined Henkel Beauty Care in 2017 as GM of the Professional Division.

Hideo earned an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management in the U.S. in 2003 and a BBA from Meiji University in 1996

Connect with Hideo Goto:

Schick Japan website: https://schick.jp/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hideo-goto-8854b4ba/

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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 landscape in Japan and build successful, long-term partnerships with Japanese companies, it's essential to approach business in Japan with a mindset of respect, cultural sensitivity, and a willingness to adapt to local customs and practices. In this episode I discuss ten factors that I’ve found incredibly important to keep in mind for APAC and global business leaders looking to do business in Japan.

In this episode you will hear:

• About Japan’s unique culture and business practices
• How important long-term business relationships are in Japan
• The expectations placed on business leaders in Japan including strong work ethic, respect for hierarchy and seniority
• About the importance Japanese companies place on consensus decision-making

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’. 

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne. 

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50. https://music.cdavisshannon.com/album/fifty-50-2 Support independent musicians and artists.

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 highly respected within the logistics industry and business in general in Japan. In this conversation we learn some of Scott’s strategies and advice for managing global operations in Japan, and multinationally.

In this episode you will hear:

• Some of the unique advantages to working in global logistics for different companies all over the world
• Scott’s advice on how to get started in sales and be effective
• The challenges involved in managing a logistics company in Japan
• How DSV Japan are achieving their sustainability goals
• How leaders can create stronger future organizations

About 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. Currently, he serves as the Managing Director and President of DSV Solutions in Japan. Scott’s professional journey has been marked by a unique blend of strategic sales and operational expertise in global supply-chain management and logistics. As a bi-lingual, multicultural professional, Scott brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in managing global operations.

Although contract logistics has been Scott’s primary professional focus, he has extensive experience in freight forwarding and global customer relationship management. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with peers around the world to tackle complex supply-chain challenges, leveraging his global connections and insights to drive successful outcomes.

Scott’s career is defined by a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a keen focus on the bottom line. He has consistently demonstrated his ability to design innovative supply-chain products and services, leading by example to ensure successful implementations. Scott is also deeply committed to coaching and encouraging his business teams to excel, helping them achieve results beyond their expectations. Scott’s peers consider him well-connected and highly respected not only within the logistics industry but also among multinational management professionals worldwide.

Connect with Scott Smalley:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scott-smalley-0186a

DSV website: https://www.dsv.com/en/countries/asia/japan

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out

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 the digital technology space and how retail is changing in Japan, drawing from his extensive experience working in the country as well as his international experience working across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

In this episode you will hear:

• What the retail landscape looks like globally and how is technology changing the retail shopping experience in Japan
• Why Japan is lagging in retail technology compared to Europe and the role Covid has played
• Why the fax machine is still being used in Japan and will it ever be retired?
• How Japanese customers are driving change in the retail environment
• The challenges of bridging the cultural gap in Japan when working for a foreign company and building a strong team

About Pascal Gerbert-Gaillard:

Pascal is the Manager of APAC AT SES-imagotag, the world leader in smart digital labels and Retail IoT solutions for physical retail.

He consults also for the retail Industry and is currently advisor for bakery group Gontran Cherrier.

Prior to joining SES-imagotag, Pascal was Asia Director for Bio c’ Bon, one of the largest European organic retail chains. Based in Japan, he was in charge of the development of the local operation in partnership with Japan's largest retailer, AEON group, opening 27 stores within four years in Japan and becoming the leading player on the market.

Before Bio c’ Bon, Pascal was based in Shanghai where he co-founded and developed UPYA, a boutique commodity trading group dealing and investing in hard and soft commodities between Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Previously he was in Japan where he launched and managed the Asian entity of DIAM International, the worldwide leader of POP displays for the luxury industry.

He started his career in the industrial sector, holding several positions within AREVA and Arjowiggins group, with a focus on M&A and strategic development in Asia.

Pascal holds three master degrees from Ecole polytechnique, Ecole des Mines de Paris and Sciences Po in France. He is fluent in Japanese, Chinese, English, and French.

He is President of Ecole polytechnique Alumni Asia chapter, Trade Advisor for the French Government, and a Director of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan.

Connect with Pascal Gerbert-Gaillard:

Website: https://www.ses-imagotag.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascalgerbertgaillard/

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Cory McGowan is an American by birth who has made the mountains of Minakami, Japan his forever home with his family. He is a coach, husband, father, and a bear dancer. In this week’s episode, FocusCore Podcast host, David Sweet chats with Cory about his coaching business, Adventure Partner, which he launched in November 2020, and how Covid and past career trauma has led him to this new career path.

If you have ever wondered about coaching and what it can do for you and for your career, you wouldn’t be alone.  Cory shares his experience of being a coach, what it involves, and the benefits. They also discuss coaching benefits for organizations, why organizations shouldn’t shy away from using coaching as a development opportunity, and how it can elevate not just people but organizations to reach their potential. 

In this episode we discuss:

• The difference between training and coaching 
• How Corey transitioned from working in the corporate world to running his own business, Adventure Partners, and why he doesn’t see himself as an entrepreneur 
• Why a coach also needs their own coach
• Taking the jump with his family from Japanese city life to the Japanese mountains and living in Minakami
• Community development in Minakami, setting up the Relocation Concierge Programme for Minakami and his vision to make a positive impact in his adopted town for his family 
• Japan’s social issue of rural depopulation and how he contributes to addressing this problem
• Cory’s first-hand experience of bear dancing, how it led him to discover bears are an endangered species in Japan, and how he is active in their conservation 
• The routines and rituals that keep him focussed and are non-negotiable for his well-being

About Cory McGowan:

Coach, Husband, Father, Bear Dancer. After decades of searching, Cory found his true home in the mountains of Japan.

Professionally trained transformational coach and experienced adventurer. He uses both to support leaders and other humans around the world to express their fullest potential and co-create the lives they want for themselves. 

He supports his hometown, Minakami, Gunma Prefecture as the first foreign relocation concierge and is actively creating a vision for community development with the hopes of being a leader in solving the problem of rural depopulation in Japan. 

Connect with Cory McGowan:

Website: https://www.adventure-partner.net/ 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/coryadventurepartner/?hl=en 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-mcgowan-328b2b5/?originalSubdomain=jp 

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Kumamori

Minakami Relocation Concierge

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :

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, partnerships, hospitality, destination management and leadership. Ashley has a wealth of knowledge to share with us about being a business leader globally and in Japan specifically. This discussion is a master class in how to thrive as a new business leader navigating the unique benefits and challenges of the Japanese market.

In this episode you will hear:

• How the Japanese market differs to other international markets and why it has been a good fit for Ashley
• Advice for business leaders looking to expand their reach in Japan
• The importance of having a strong employee acquisition strategy
• How flexibility and nimbleness as a leader helps weather unforeseen challenges, like COVID
• The importance of creating an environment where open and honest communication can thrive

About Ashley Harvey:

Ashley Harvey is a C-Suite leader, with a 25-year international career which brings the benefits of a breadth of knowledge, diverse experience and interdisciplinary thinking to an ever increasingly complicated business landscape.

Building from a sales background, Ashley’s career grew to build a depth of experience in marketing, branding, partnerships, hospitality, destination management and leadership.

He successfully built & led marketing strategies, tactics and teams in Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan, as well as in the UK.

Past roles and clients include VisitBritain, Go Central Japan, Brand USA, Tourism Switzerland, a giga project in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Tourism Authority, NYC & Partners, Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Shangri-La Hotels, Hilton, Dusit Thani Group, Andaru Niseko, and, Marriott. 

His MBA (2005) comes from the University of Leicester, UK. In 2022 he completed the Mini MBA Marketing from Marketing Week.

Connect with Ashley Harvey:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyjohnharvey/

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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 webinar
• How to beat the competition in a competitive job market
• Important career lessons Hisato has learned in his recruitment career journey

Hisato Wakaizumi Bio:

Hisato is a new dad and was an executive search consultant at FocusCore Japan. With experience working in the United States and Japan, he is a trusted advisor to clients for his persistent tenacity and creative solutions to challenging hires in Japan. He is also an avid tennis player and has recently moved to do in-house recruitment at Mazars

Where to find Hisato Wakaizumi:

Website:

LinkedIn:

Email: hisato@focuscoregroup.com

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

FocusCore Japan past webinars

Episode 14 with Hisato Wakaizumi

Where to find David Sweet:

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Website

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’.

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne.

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50. Support independent musicians and artists.

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 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 I say this, I have been there. Every career journey has ups and downs. I’ve been there too and it’s frustrating. And with over 25 years in the recruitment industry, I see the same frustration in the eyes of so many qualified professionals.

On this solo episode of the FocusCore podcast, I’m sharing the top five steps I use with my career coaching clients to successfully find a job. 

In this episode I walk you through five simple steps that can help you land your next job:

1. Macro view - what’s your career vision?
2. Messaging - what is your WOW statement?
3. Searching for jobs - How to stand out from everyone else?
4. Preparing for interviews 
5. Pulling it all together 

So pull out your bento box, grab a pen and paper, and let's dive in!

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’. 

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne. 

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50. https://music.cdavisshannon.com/album/fifty-50-2 Support independent musicians and artists.

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 who is a good TA for the company and what exactly they should be looking for. Listen to the episode to learn more about hiring the right Talent Acquisition Professional for your company.

In this episode you will hear:

• How to define what you're searching for in a TA for your specific company
• About the importance of knowing what aspects of your company are attractive to potential TAs
• David’s tips for how he approaches hiring in Japan
• The importance of recruiter social media profile and presence, especially for LinkedIn

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Scroll down the show page, select leave a rating, and tap ‘Write a review’. 

The FocusCore Podcast is hosted by David Sweet and produced by Podlaunch with Jayne. 

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50. https://music.cdavisshannon.com/album/fifty-50-2 Support independent musicians and artists.

We hope everyone had a wonderful Golden Week. We’ve taken a little break from podcasting but host, David Sweet is back with a brand new guest on the show this week. William Nealy Jr. started his career journey in Japan as a teacher on the JET programme and turned his early education teaching experience into a successful career in senior management in Learning and Development where he has worked for some of the world’s most well-known brands including Adidas, Nissan, and Cartier in Japan and America.    

In this episode you will hear:

• How teaching in Japan started William on his career journey
• How playing tennis and sport develops a growth mindset and how that benefits working in a business 
• What are company values and why are they so important - it needs to start from the top
• What pitfalls can companies avoid 
• How companies can do better for their staff when it comes to developing their careers
• How to provide learning and development for staff when you have a limited budget 
• Importing international organizational values to Japan versus creating company values in Japan 

William Nealy Jr. Bio:

I work inside a business to align people development initiatives with the overall business strategy. In this position, it has been my privilege and honor to work with individuals around the globe. I've worked in the USA, Spain, and Japan, the latter for nearly 18 years. During my time in Japan, I fell in love with the people and the culture, and developed a deep understanding and respect for Japanese workplace practices.

My background includes working closely with senior managers to identify opportunities for improvement and managing change at the local and global level. I'm accustomed to creating and managing talent development programs, coaching high-potential talent, and facilitating training programs. I love the rush and satisfaction of helping my co-workers around the world achieve their goals. 

Connect with William Nealy Jr.:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamnealy/?originalSubdomain=jp 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/williamtokyo/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/williamtokyo?lang=en 

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Harvard Business Review

LinkedIn Learning 

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 finance professionals?
• What are the essential skills a finance professional needs to improve and grow beyond the numbers on a spreadsheet?
• Why Business Partnering is in demand in Japan

Jonathan Cant Bio:

A leading member of the FocusCore team, Jonathan is a UK native who has been in Japan for just under 19 years. With around 15 years of leadership experience, he brings maturity and just the right amount of grey hair to the team. A father of two young boys, he spends most of his free time in the park or playing with Lego. He is also a fan of Newcastle United FC and enjoys photography and cooking.

Connect with Jonathan:

Website

LinkedIn

Twitter

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Episode 12 - The challenges of managing local and regional stakeholders in Japan with Jonathan Cant

LinkedIn poll survey

The Journey from Accountant to Business Partner in Japan article

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Website

Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co and check out his new album, FIFTY​/​50.

Support independent musicians and artists.

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. It was the first guest episode of 2024 and has become the most popular episode of the year so far! Revisit this discussion on listening to the market with host David Sweet and guest Ashley Harvey.

Ashley is a C-Suite leader, with a 25-year international career beginning in sales and expanding out into marketing, branding, partnerships, hospitality, destination management and leadership. Ashley has a wealth of knowledge to share with us about being a business leader globally and in Japan specifically. This discussion is a master class in how to thrive as a new business leader navigating the unique benefits and challenges of the Japanese market.

In this episode you will hear:

• How the Japanese market differs to other international markets and why it has been a good fit for Ashley
• Advice for business leaders looking to expand their reach in Japan
• The importance of having a strong employee acquisition strategy
• How flexibility and nimbleness as a leader helps weather unforeseen challenges, like COVID
• The importance of creating an environment where open and honest communication can thrive

About Ashley Harvey:

Ashley Harvey is a C-Suite leader, with a 25-year international career which brings the benefits of a breadth of knowledge, diverse experience and interdisciplinary thinking to an ever increasingly complicated business landscape.

Building from a sales background, Ashley’s career grew to build a depth of experience in marketing, branding, partnerships, hospitality, destination management and leadership.

He successfully built & led marketing strategies, tactics and teams in Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan, as well as in the UK.

Past roles and clients include VisitBritain, Go Central Japan, Brand USA, Tourism Switzerland, a giga project in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Tourism Authority, NYC & Partners, Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Shangri-La Hotels, Hilton, Dusit Thani Group, Andaru Niseko, and, Marriott. 

His MBA (2005) comes from the University of Leicester, UK. In 2022 he completed the Mini MBA Marketing from Marketing Week.

Connect with Ashley Harvey:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyjohnharvey/

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.

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. Together they explore the profound impact of AI on their sector.

While the fear of AI replacing human jobs looms, the question remains: Can ChatGPT ever replicate human relationships completely? Especially in Japan, a culture deeply rooted in building connections, will AI be embraced with open arms, or will traditional work styles prevail?

In this conversation, we cover:

• How we should prepare for AI disruption
• Valuable insights from the realm of Star Trek
• Their predictions for the future of recruitment with AI
• Why cultivating analog skills is needed
• The imperative need to understand AI and harness its potential for futureproofing careers

Join us as we navigate the intricate landscape where AI and human interactions converge, finding a balance between efficiency and human connections in the ever-evolving world of recruitment.

Jason De Luca Bio:

Jason de Luca has over 20 years of experience living in Japan. He earned BA units from Waseda University and an MA degree from Waseda University Graduate School. He worked as a translator for a large Japanese bank and then for several years in the IT staffing industry in both an established firm before then leading the revenue growth of a successful start-up.

He now helps clients to achieve higher revenues, better profitability, less stress, less overtime, and more transparent, easier-to-understand business processes as the Managing Director of Smart Partners KK, a recruitment consultancy. They specialise in Japanese small and mid-sized businesses and large multinational firms. He’s also a children’s book author and board game maker.

Connect with Jason De Luca:

Website: http://www.smartpartners.co.jp

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/smart-partners-kk/

linkedin.com/in/smartpartners

Links of things mentioned in this episode:

Mikey The Lonely Bigfoot

The Knight Who Loved Dragons

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/

Are you enjoying the FocusCore Podcast? Please take a few minutes

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/Representative Director of Jaguar Land Rover Japan. In the episode Magnus shares with us some of the innovations and challenges currently being experienced by the automotive industry in Japan, and globally. He also shares with us some insights gleaned from his decades of leadership experience.

In this episode you will hear:

• About the similarities and differences between Japanese and Swedish leadership styles
• About exciting innovations within the automotive industry
• Some of the big challenges facing automotive companies today
• About recruitment strategies being utilized by Jaguar Land Rover Japan
• How Jaguar Land Rover Japan is pursuing diversity as a company
• Magnus’ insights into being a business leader in Japan

About Magnus:

Magnus Hansson has been the CEO/Representative Director of Jaguar Land Rover Japan since 2013. Born in Sweden, Hansson began his career with Saab in 2000. Before arriving in Japan, he worked in Sweden, Canada and Hong Kong. Magnus is an Internationally schooled and experienced Automotive Executive with excellent strategic, analytical, organizational, and creative abilities. He has proven and leading skills in general management, planning, product, marketing, aftersales and sales operations at both global & national levels.

Connect with Magnus:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/magnus-hansson-aab5b71

Connect with David Sweet:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidsweet/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/focuscorejp 

Facebook: :https://www.facebook.com/focuscoreasia

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscorejp/ 

Website: https://www.japan.focuscoregroup.com/ 

“Doin’ the Uptown Lowdown,” used by permission of Christopher Davis-Shannon. To find out more, check out www.thetinman.co. Support independent musicians and artists.