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INTERVIEW II: Foreign Businessmen in Japan



LINC Media, Inc. President and CEO Terrie Lloyd has founded 20 companies. We spoke with him about the magic formula for foreigners looking to start their own business in Japan.

- Mr. Lloyd, you have started 15 companies here in Japan and 5 more throughout Asia. Would you mind giving us a simple account of your background up until this point?

In 1983, I took advantage of the working holiday system that began between Japan and Australia to come here. Soon after arriving I launched my first company, LINC Japan, Inc. This was a company that produced translations and advertisements, and business was good. In 1987 China began producing cheap personal computers (PCs), and I first imported these. This became the springboard for me to import IBM compatible PCs and begin selling them. This was before foreign PC makers had entered the Japanese market. This business also went well, and in the 1990s I brought over engineers from India and established a genuine PC sales and maintenance service company called LINC Computer, Inc.

 

- Following that, you also embarked on a new venture with media?

In 1994 I became involved in the media business for the first time when I published the inaugural issue of a magazine called ''Computing Japan". This was a monthly magazine that introduced Japan's computers and its high-tech market in English, and it matured to have 80,000 subscribers and be sold in 10 countries. At the time, LINC Computer was also growing steadily with 120 employees and sales of 2 billion yen. In the following year, an American company called EDS located in Texas was looking for a partner in order to expand the company market, and it bought out LINC Computer. I participated as EDS's Internet business project leader.

 

- So LINC Media was started in 1996?

Yes. LINC Media served as an incubator company that comprised a variety of businesses such as media including the Internet, software development outsourcing/system integration and consulting. LINC Media's main business is website production and we are most known for daijob.com, our business of recruiting for foreign companies. It was started in 1997, a time when the online recruiting business was just dawning, in the past several year I've moved away from this area, but I take pride in the fact that we were pioneers in the field. In 1999 I began publication of J@pan Inc, an English magazine introducing Japan's e-business to domestic and international investors.

 

- What was your original motivation for coming to Japan?

Well, it's sort of a bizarre reason, so I wonder if I should talk about it. At the time I was working at an IT-related factory, but I was very busy and wanted to travel somewhere. At first I thought I wanted to go to India, but hearing that a friend who had gone to visit had got sick with a bad stomachache dissuaded me. While I was reconsidering I went to have a Japanese meal at the house of a friend who had got back from a working holiday in Japan. When I ate those tsukemono (Japanese pickled vegetables), I thought "I'm going to Japan!"

 

- The tsukemono were that good?

Well, actually it was kimuchi (Korean pickled cabbage)! Yes, it was my mistake. A couple of years ago this story was shared when I appeared on an NHK television program, and the next day I received tons of mail from viewers playfully making fun of me. But I do like Korea too!

 

- Can you provide essential advice for foreigners looking to start businesses in Japan?

First of all, you must have passion for whatever new business market you are targeting. Without this, you won't be able to last until the business finds its path.

"Sales" is the most important factor in succeeding in a country other than your own. But "passion" is crucial. If the person selling the product or service truly believes in it, this is felt by the customer.

 

- To conclude, could you give readers of this magazine some advice from your own experience?

If you have proficiency in the Japanese language, you should first enter a Japanese corporation to acquire skills regarding the ways of business. If you are there for 3-5 years, you can also create a network of contacts and after that you can think about what you want to do. It is important to discover this, as don't think it is good to say you will do just anything. Find a workplace that suits you and gain experience there. If you are interested in marketing, work hard for five years at a Japanese company and though the salary may be low it will be an excellent way to learn. I think that in the beginning you should think of yourself not as "working" but as "studying".

from Japan Career Vol.03

 

Exercise 2. Complete the table with information from the interviews.

  Mr. Negi Terrie Lloyd
1. The country of origin:    
2. Motivation for coming to Japan:    
3. Why foreigners are welcome in Japan:    
4. Evident benefits:    
5. Possible problems:    
6. Advice for foreigners:    

 

GRAMMAR


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