Guest Speaker
Business Seminar
For Osaka Innovation Hub: Expanding startup businesses in Singapore
Sep 2018
20 startup entrepreneurs and students from Osaka Innovation Hub visited WASABI Creation as part of their one week study tour in Singapore. Tong (Founder, CEO), together with Yuta Morita (Intern, SMU MBA student) conducted a seminar for the group on how they can expand their businesses from Japan to Singapore. They covered topics such as incorporation in Singapore, Singapore's demographic, consumer behaviour, influencer marketing, popup store marketing, etc. The participants were very interested in these topics and asked many questions such as "What are the common difficulties and errors Japanese companies have when doing business in Singapore." Tong was glad to have shared his experiences and expertise in these areas.
Japanese Lessons
For foreign domestic workers & caretakers
Sep 2018
WASABI Creation was requested by a nursing training school to conduct Japanese lessons to its students comprising of foreign domestic workers and caretakers. The students are attending the school to step up their skills in nursing care for the elderly. As Japan is seriously facing the hit of aging population, and lack of manpower in providing care to the elderly, they have opened up working opportunities in Japan to foreign caretakers.
In view of this, these foreign domestic workers are trying out learning Japanese to equip themselves with the language skill that will enable them to work in Japan in the future.
Guest Speaker
Seminar to Ryokoku University: How Singapore's policies have shaped a multiracial and international society.
2 Sep 2018
A group of 40 students from Ryokoku University, Japan visited WASABI Creation as part of their educational tour in Vietnam and Singapore. WASABI Creation founder, Tong conducted a seminar on Singapore policies that have shaped the country's multiracialism, and built an international society.
More and more Japanese companies realise the need to venture overseas market as its domestic market continue to string due to aging population and depopulation, however there is a lack of talent within Japan who has the experience, skills, and know-how to bring business across boarders. We hope the seminar will be able to share with the students some ideas and tips on how to be a global talent.
Guest Speaker
Seminars to Business Schools in Delhi, India
Aug 2018
WASABI Creation was invited by our partner, Intraversity in Delhi, to conduct talks to students of various business and management colleges in India. Over the week, we visited and met students from Jaipuria School of Business, JK Business School, Institute of Technology And Sciences, and Accurate Institute of Management & Technology. We shared with the students about our business, market trends in Japan and Singapore, and answered the students' questions on entrepreneurship.
WASABI Creation is also in talks with the schools to work with our partner in bringing students to Singapore for educational tour and internship.
Guest Speaker
"How SMU MBA Students can prepare themselves in working with the Japanese?"
6th Jul 2018
The Founder of WASABI Creation, Tong was invited by SMU MBA Class to speak at "Japanese Business Night". Tong shared about his experiences when he was working as a fresh graduate in Japan, and talked about Japanese business culture that is unique and special to non-Japanese people.
Tong also talked about basic Japanese business etiquette, such as exchanging business cards, and seating positions for Japanese business meetings. The MBA students shown great interest with many questions.
The event ended with a party serving Sushi for everyone.
Entrepreneurship Training Camp 2nd edition
"Partnership with SAI International College Bubhneshwar, India"
June 2018
WASABI Creation hosted 8 Indian students from SAI International College Bubhneshwar over 4 days for an intensive Entrepreneurship Training Camp at WASABI Creation's office. The students worked in groups of 2 on various topics such as coworking space business, India market entry, Japanese F&B market research, as well as overseas travel trends for India.
An extensive research in in these were done by the students, who also came up with creative proposals to implement new business into the fast growing market. Many presentations and discussions were held with the students to finalise the proposal.
At the end of the program, each student received a certificate of participation for their enthusiasm during the program.
WASABI Consulting
"What can Japanese students do to become international professionals?"
16th Mar 2018
The Founder of WASABI Creation, Tong was contacted by a group of students from Tokyo University, who are interested to learn about doing business internationally, as they planned their self-funded trip to Malaysia and Singapore. A sharing session was conducted over web conference, where Tong answered questions from the students, shared his own experiences, and gave advises to the students what they can do to groom themselves into international professionals.
Here are the reviews and comments from the students.
WASABI Insight vol.10
Business in Japan~
"Japanese Business Culture & Manners"
1st Mar 2018
The Founder of WASABI Creation, Tong held a seminar sharing his experiences and insights on doing business in Japan, in particular on the topic of "Japanese Business Culture & Manners".
Tong shared from his own personal experience overs the years while he has been working in Japan, and doing business with Japanese companies. As he grew up and went through the education system in Singapore, knowing the language didn't seem to have prepared him enough to work in Japan as a fresh graduate. Tong talked about the episodes he had encountered all these years, and cover some of the basics about "Japanese Business Culture & Manner".
Topics:
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Japanese business culture 101, how are the Japanese thinking?
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Exchanging business cards
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Visiting & hosting a Japanese company
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Useful Japanese expressions for business
More information: Business in Japan~ "Japanese Business Culture & Manners"
Guest Speaker
The Japan Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, Singapore (CLAIR, Singapore)
Feb 2018
The Founder of WASABI Creation, Tong was invited by The Japan Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, Singapore (CLAIR, Singapore) to share about WASABI Creation's business and its expertise in helping Japanese companies go global
Tong shared about his past, present, and future projects on how WASABI Creation is bridging Japan, Singapore, and the rest of Asia in terms on Business, Culture, and Tourism. In particular, Tong talked about his observation of how many Japanese companies are facing difficulty in presenting their products to the local markets overseas, and what could be so the solutions to better communicating with local consumers and making online connections for building relationships.
About CLAIR, Singapore
WASABI 企业专栏~
一览日本企业家和创业者在新加坡的那些年，那些事
Produced by WASABI Creation
From Shanghai Expo Osaka Pavilion to
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studio,
What will be MURAYAMA's next move in Singapore?
By Lim Shi Hui, Undergraduate, NUS School of Business
Sekai-lab是向世界提供网页应用软件开发定制服务的公司。例如平台的开发是通过“众包（crowdsourcing）”的方式把软件开发的自由签约者和企业连接起来。而Sekai-lab是为了促进企业与企业之间的联系而进行开发的。自由签约者的话，在开发的时候经常会遇到困难，没有办法完成大的项目。所以Sekai-lab为了能够更好的完成大的项目，致力于把全世界的网站开发，应用程序开发的企业和有需求的顾客更好的联系起来。
现在Sekai-lab在日本，新加坡，中国上海都设有分公司。这些分公司主要目的是拓展业务，现在正在进行美国分公司的设立。作为开发中心，现在主要是日本，中国成都，越南和孟加拉国，菲律宾的开发中心也即将成立。开发人员总共有400多人。
关于在新加坡的业务，5月份正式成立，现在只有田村经理一个人负责新加坡的业务。新加坡公司的主要目标是拓展在新加坡以及周边各国的需要应用程序和系统开发的客户，把这些客户和企业联系起来。原本Sekai-lab就是新加坡公司，日本其实是分公司。因为Sekai-lab想要拓展海外业务，想做更加国际化的商品和服务，他们把公司本部选在了新加坡。但是现在公司的主要业务还是在日本，因为在越南开发中心的工作人员会日语的比较多，在日本更便于业务上的联系。按照业务量来看，其次是中国上海，然后是新加坡，今后美国市场也是一个重要的发展对象。
从业务特点上来看，在新加坡电子商务，企业用的办公程序方面的业务比较多。在日本会有更多广告方面的业务。在新加坡的业务中，负责人田村表示在单独平台开发方面目前还没有其他企业与他们竞争，然而从事开发的公司还是有很多的。例如，像Sekai-lab有自己的开发品台，进行各个方面的开发工作。在中国，越南和孟加拉国都在进行不同领域的产品开发。在每个不同领域就会有很多别的公司竞争，像是印度和越南的很多公司。Sekai-lab在众多公司当中脱颖而出的原因主要在于他的母公司Monster-lab是一家拥有十多年经验的公司。而在新加坡有十年以上开发经验的开发公司基本上没有，这就成为了Sekai-lab的优势。Sekai-lab在业务上可以进行日语，英语以及其他语种的多语言交流，为客户提供了更快捷的服务。更重要的是，Sekai-lab不仅可以在语言上与客户无距离，更加可以按照客户预算上的需要为他们提供解决方案。
过在现在从客户的反馈来看，在越南和孟加拉国开发中心的产品的质量没有办法适应更高的需求，所以Sekai-lab会派遣日本的项目经理去管理，他们会严格管理产品的质量，客户会更加放心的与他们合作。现在在越南，孟加拉国和中国的开发中心都采取了日本经理派遣的方式，由他们来管理当地的开发人员。由于采用当地的开发人员都可以用日语或者交流，提高了工作沟通上的效率。
新加坡公司负责人田村觉得，现在在新加坡感觉到困难的是没有广阔的关系网。这样在他们想拓展客户的时候带来了不便。在日本，因为Sekai-lab的名声，很多客户都慕名而来，然而在新加坡由于Sekai-lab还处于不为人所知的阶段，客户的数量增长缓慢。现在主要是通过一些活动来拓展关系网，这也成为了Sekai-lab新加坡业务的主要一环。现在公司的网站正在制作当中，公司的网上宣传活动也会成为今后事业的重点。
Sekai-lab新加坡把新加坡的业务拓展作为短期目标，然而他们的长期目标是不仅仅局限于新加坡，印度尼西亚，马来西亚这些周边国家的地方化也是他们的主要目标。例如日本的客户想要在东南亚开展业务，通过Sekai-lab在东南亚的公司和业务，让他们更加了解当地的需求，更快速的融入当地的市场。
Sekai-lab在各个地方都有分公司，现在正在成立各种新的业务。在东南亚新业务成立的过程中，会出现缺少IT工程师的情况，Sekai-lab有400多名雇佣开发人员，在开发平台中开发人员有一万多人，希望为社会源源不断地输送人才。
田村自我介绍
大阪大学毕业。在学期间去过加拿大和比利时留学，在那时就有将来想要在世界各地发展的想法。毕业之后在日本乐天电子商务部门工作，因此就产生了想通过互联网对社会做一些改变的想法。之后就来到了新加坡的Recruit公司，由于人才培养很感兴趣就从事了这方面的工作。但之后发现，自己还是喜欢IT，Sekai-lab可以在世界各地为全世界提供服务，所以就选择了这里，觉得这是一个非常有意思的工作。
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