Business Startup and Survival in Tough Times

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Unconventional Success Stories from Japan

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Since the pandemic began (has it really been almost 3 years?!) companies around the world have dealt with unprecedented change. As we all know, Japan is no exception. In the recent FEW Japan surveys, our members expressed keen interest in hearing about – and learning from – stories about business strategy and negotiating effectively. So, our Programs team has asked 2 panelists with unique insights on how to strategize and negotiate in the most challenging of times. 

Our solopreneur panelist Lisa Hunsberger is a creative business marketing consultant who founded YaadPikni. Our small business panelist, Lauren Shannon, is GM of Japan food tour impresario Arigato Japan. 

Together, we’ll hear their stories, and you’ll have ample time for Q&A. 

Be sure to sign up soon as slots are filling up fast! 

Takeaways

• How to start a company in Japan
• How to find your niche
• Tips for successful negotiations
• How to survive during hard times like the pandemic

Speakers

Lauren Shannon

Lauren comes from a background of entrepreneurial business development in the content writing, travel, technology, food/beverage and hospitality industries. She is a partner and General Manager of Arigato Japan Travel, a culinary tourism company in Japan. From 2014-2016, Lauren was the content and community director for Odigo Japan, a travel planning/ itinerary building and sharing website and iOS application. She previously launched her own creative agency “True Taste Tokyo – Stories from Japan.” The agency was focused on social media, and content marketing for small creative travel and other businesses based in Japan, especially those run by women. Lauren is a Pennsylvania native but has lived in Japan for over 25 years. She is an avid traveler, reader, writer and creator of projects; her Arigato Japan partners nicknamed her the Arigato Japan CoMT “chief of many things” 

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Lisa M. Hunsberger

Lisa M. Hunsberger is a full-time lecturer at a university in Fukuoka Prefecture. She has an MA in linguistics and has been teaching in the field of language and linguistics for over 15 years. Lisa has taught at The University of the West Indies and The University of Technology in Jamaica, at a high school on the outskirts of Paris, and at every level in Japan from kindergarten to university and professionals to retirees. Thanks to her creative designs and unique use of presentation software in her classes, workshops, and conference presentations, Lisa has become known in English teaching circles for her engaging and eye-catching presentations. She has since combined this skill with her love of public speaking and video editing to create educational videos on the Jamaican language on YouTube.

Thanks to the encouragement of family, friends, and colleagues, Lisa turned her pastime into a business in December 2020 by registering it in Japan. Its name, YaadPikni, is comprised of ‘Yaad’ —a name Jamaicans affectionately call the island of Jamaica— and ‘Pikni’ —meaning ‘child’. Lisa offers presentation design, video editing, and private one-on-one lessons through her business, and she has worked with clients in various fields in Asia, Europe, and North America. Occasionally, she also offers free basic workshops for persons looking to improve their presentation design skills.

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