Live Work Play Japan Podcast
By Charles Moritz
Go to www.liveworkplayjapan.com/podcast to see the show notes.
Live Work Play Japan PodcastJul 02, 2019
Graphic Design Freelancer in Tokyo with Jennifer Piatkowski
Going freelance can be a very scary leap, but if you do it the possibility of doing work you enjoy and getting paid well for that work can go up drastically.
For this podcast I sat down with Jennifer Piatkowski to talk about her recent move into freelance design after working as a graphic designer for years. She has some fantastic advice for taking the leap out of a stifling job that isn't paying you what your worth nor giving you the time to pursue other things and into something that allows you to live life on your own terms.
10x Your Startup in Japan with Jordan Fisher of Zehitomo
Building a startup as a foreigner in Japan challenges you to be maximally effective and always look for the 10x return.
Japan is a paradoxical place, where technology is very advanced in some areas, but completely behind the times in others. This is why there is so much room for startups to massively disrupt billion dollar (trillion yen) markets here. Jordan Fisher is one such entrepreneur, looking to disrupt the local services industry in Japan with his startup Zehitomo:
In this podcast, we’ll talk about:
- Challenging assumptions about Japan from foreign perspectives
- Getting the right team behind you so you can be maximally effective
- Company culture and not having “language allergies” when working in mutli-cultural teams
- Early on focusing on the most valuable “10x opportunities” and shelving trendy online marketing tools that don’t bring in as strong a return
- Founder advice and Japanese as a requirement for building a company here.
You can find out more about Zehitomo on their website, and get in touch with Jordan on LinkedIn or by meeting him at the many events he speaks at in Tokyo.
Self Love and Overcoming Your Barriers with Rin Ishikawa
If you've ever struggled with your image of yourself, or not enjoying your life in Japan, this episode is for you.
So many of our issues come from our own self-talk and how we view ourselves. This week I sat down with Rin Ishikawa, a coach who started her own coaching practice called "Jiaiii" (self-love in Japanese) to help people to take care of themselves mentally as well as physically. We talk about:
- Why Rin started coaching and her difficult past as a returnee in Japan.
- The mindset shifts Rin helps her "tribe" go through so that they can see themselves positively, sometimes after years of self-loathing and self-sabotage.
- Where some of our really painful and destructive thoughts come from and how to change your inner dialogue to enjoy and find success in life.
You can find Rin on Facebook, on Instagram @jiaiii_lifecoach and you can find her website here.
Get a Better Paid Teaching Job in Japan
If you're not happy with your English teaching, there are a lot more things you can do about it than you might think.
However, it needs to be you taking action. No magic high-paying teaching job is going to drop in your lap, and nobody owes you a good job.
On this podcast I'll talk about:
- Making more money as an English teacher and what options that opens up.
- Making "finding a job" your job. Treat it like it's work you are doing and you'll suddenly have so many opportunities you won't know what to do with them.
- Adjusting your resume for every job you apply for.
- Getting a thick skin and realising that if you didn't get the job, it's probably because you could have done better at the interview or represented yourself better on your resume.
Why English Teachers in Japan Only Make 250k a Month
¥250,000 is the standard salary for an English teacher in Japan.
It’s not a lot of money, even less than even trainee teachers make in the UK, but in Japan this hasn’t changed in decades and recently has even started to trend down. Why is this still the standard? It’s because we allow it to be by accepting these jobs.
On this podcast I'll talk about:
- One of the most powerful mindset changes I have done: always take responsibility for my choices and the consequences of those choices
- You don’t need to get stuck at ¥250k, because that too is a choice
- We often don't think about the long term consequences of short term impact decisions.
- How to be happy and make choices that benefit your career in Japan
- Write down what qualifications, experience and skills top paying jobs are looking for, and then start obtaining those proficiencies
- Complaining gets you nowhere in Japan
Make a new choice and take control of your career in Japan. You are not the standard, so believe in yourself enough to demand more.
Getting into Consulting in Japan with Lynn Sun
Lynn Sun is a consultant in Tokyo and can give you inside knowledge into this dynamic and fast moving work here.
In this podcast we sat down and talked about:
- Passing the N1 after coming to Japan.
- Working as a CIR in local government near Tokyo.
- Getting into consulting jobs in Japan; what should you look for, and what are some red flags?
- What is consulting work in Japan really like and what kind of person would enjoy this kind of job?
- How to get ahead in consulting jobs even if you're getting bad projects.
Vorkers - a great resource for reviews on companies from employees
Glassdoor - another review site to find out about a company's reputation.
Building a Coworking Space in Tokyo with Hee Gun Eom
I've got Hee Gun Eom on the podcast to talk about building a coworking space in Tokyo!
In this podcast (among other things) we talked about:
- Growing up a "third culture" kid in Japan and attending Tokyo American School
- Coming back from studying in the US to help the family business
- Helping young people in Japan by teaching entrepreneurial programs to give them alternatives to 就活 (shukatsu - the Japanese job hunting system)
- Getting funding from the Japanese government to help start the coworking space
- Staying open to collaboration and creating a community of makers and creatives.
Find out more about Nishiogi Place here.
Game Designer Turned Fashion Designer - Thomas Grové
I met Thomas when we were both taking Seth Godin’s altMBA. He's a videogame and fashion designer based in Osaka, and he has a lot to share about business, marketing and design.
How Do You Become a Real Teacher in Japan
Getting those kinds of jobs has some requirements, and there are some ways that you can get there faster than if you did what I did and just came here straight out of university to teach at any English conversation school that would take me.
So let’s talk about how you get there.
Starting a Successful YouTube Channel with Joseph Everett
Staying Fit, Healthy and Connected in Tokyo with Leo Fuchigami
Blockchain and Recruitment in Japan with Misha Yurchenko
Actually Achieving Your Goals in Japan
Find a Problem Worth Solving with Robert Millar
Starting a Million Dollar English Coaching Business
Getting a Great Apartment in Japan
The Entrepreneur Visa in Japan is a MESS
Why Some English Teachers in Japan Feel Like Frauds
How To Hustle As a Freelancer in Tokyo with Diana Tsuruda
Working More Effectively in Japanese Organisations and Making an Impact with Tove Kinooka
The Challenges Faced by Non-Profits in Japan with Declan Somers
The Warm Hearts Coffee Club helps give the growers a great deal, and also provides tens of thousands of children with school meals. Find out more at warmheartscoffeeclub.com
BONUS Drinking Game: Take a drink every time Charlie says: "Wow!"
Making a Life Around Your Passion for Japan with Tristan Junker
We will talk about:
Being inspired by Japanese culture and the Japan Day in Dusseldorf.
Doing an exchange program in Saitama and studying Japanese to improve his Japanese before coming to Japan to live.
Starting Kaikoku and bringing Japan to the world, and the world to Japan.
Some advice to network for entrepreneurs in Japan.
English Teacher to Freelance Photographer to Business Owner with Lukasz Palka
We will talk about how you don't need a Japanese partner to start a business in Japan, you should hire for attitude, not aptitude, and choose business partners that cover your weaknesses - and much more!
Making a Living Travelling Around Japan with Elizabeth Mueller
We will talk about being inspired to live in Japan and not just do whatever it takes to stay here. We'll talk about designing your work and your business around the kind of life you want to lead. Show notes at liveworkplayjapan.com/podcast
Tech and Startup Culture in Japan with Yan Fan
Building Your Dream Job, A Video Game Bar in Japan with Alex Fraioli
Getting Top Paying Jobs at Universities in Japan with Diego Medrano
What You Don't Know About Finding Jobs in Japan with Peter Lackner
Building a 6-Figure Online Business Teaching English in Japan with Arthur Zetes
Being an Entrepreneur in Japan in 2018
What Will You Do To Be Successful in Japan?
We look back on the past few years in Japan and talk about how to be successful here. Martin and Charlie sat down to talk about what is changing in Japan, and what foreigners in Japan can do to be successful.
Use Meetup.com to expand your network and get job opportunities in Japan
Internship Japan - Experience Japanese Work Culture and Gain Valuable Skills