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:
-
Japanese business culture 101, how are the Japanese thinking?
-
Exchanging business cards
-
Visiting & hosting a Japanese company
-
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 Enterprise~
a peep into Japanese Entrepreneurs & Business ventures in Singapore
Produced by WASABI Creation
"Bringing Mt. Fuji closer to Singapore"
Premium Water by Ms Satsuki Tomono
By Lim Shi Hui, Undergraduate, NUS School of Business
Being able to drink the highest-quality natural spring water in the world drawn from Mount Fuji? FLC inc. brings you just that with their Premium Water line.
FLC inc. is a water dispenser provider that seeks out the best water sources across Japan, valued for their taste and quality since the ancient times. Satsuki Tomono, one of the founding members of Premium Water, Director of the Singapore office, stressed that the company prioritises the taste, water sources, nutritional value and quality of Premium Water by conducting regular and critical checks for water quality, container hygiene and the presence of radioactivity. Premium Water has absolutely zero artificial additives added.
Besides providing water of superior quality, FLC inc. pursue the highest standards in hygiene, quality and customer convenience through the use of disposable, non-reusable containers. These dispensers are designed to be aesthetically pleasing, child-safe, and even energy-saving.
In fact, the quality of the water and dispensers of Premium Water are validated through FLC inc. winning the iTQi Superior Taste Award and the Monde Selection Gold Quality Award for 3 years running.
However, FLC inc. is far from resting on its laurels. In response to customers' needs, they operate customer service centers to better provide fast, flexible service. By providing customers with a personalized online portal where they can access features such as delivery notices, order tracking and the ability to make changes to their account, FLC inc. aims to provide even greater ease of use and convenience for their customers. In home country Japan, FLC inc. has a 400 strong face-to-face sales team that constantly hones its customer service skills through friendly rivalry and improves their products through feedback.
Currently, FLC inc. have various programs underway, such as offering their customers and their families the experience of growing rice. They are also helping to market the local produce of those areas to their network of customers, such actions being in line with their CSR values of helping to prevent deindustrialization in the rural areas they operate in. Director Tomono personally believes that it is important to remain humble, value other people and never forget to be grateful towards others, and such values are evident in the way the company is run, both in Japan and its overseas operations.
If you would like WASABI Enterprise to cover the story of your company, send us a mail at hi@wasabicreation.com
Today, FLC inc. aims to increase their sales of dispensor units by the summer of 2015. In order to increase distribution and for sales to hit the target in Singapore, they are hiring locally and expediting agreements with distribution partners to secure their presence across the island. FLC inc. also hopes to recruit talents that can operate globally to expand their business all over ASEAN. Director Tomono admits that the presence of Premium Water in Singapore is still small, but she is aiming for Premium Water to expand and conquer a share of the market pie in the whole of ASEAN, bringing the best of Japan to the entire world.