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What is Zappos?

Akira Tsuchiya
Akira Tsuchiya

 

 

What is Zappos?




The other day I wrote about the miracle of ZAPPOS.

Last week, I met with the author of this book, Shinobu Ishizuka (Dyna-search, Los Angeles), who was visiting Japan by chance.




I learned a lot about Zappos and its CEO, Tony Shaye.

Company building, corporate philosophy, training, the founding of the company, penetration of the philosophy, etc.




What will stay in my mind?




Tony says, "Zappos is not just an online shoe retailer.




What is the real business of the company? I think that if you pursue this question, you will probably end up like Tony.

Zappos is a 'service company' and nothing else.




We just happen to sell shoes on the Internet as a business, but we are basically a service company.




When a business owner has a corporate philosophy that is driven down to the essence, the industry becomes irrelevant.




What do we want to contribute to the world?

With what do we want to be recognized by society?

What will make people sad when the company disappears?




The same applies to companies and people's lives.




If a company's philosophy, ideas, and business model are only superficial, it will soon be destroyed.

There are many such companies.




If a company does not have a philosophy that makes people happy, it is a social evil.




People spend most of their lives in companies.

This kind of environment changes a person's life.

This is because human beings are animals that are strongly influenced by their environment.




What kind of ideas?

With what feelings?

What kind of thoughts?

What skills?




It all depends on the people who form the company.




Therefore, a company is a juridical person, and it has a personality, as people call it.




What kind of corporate personality?




This is the time,




The life of the person who joins the company depends on it.

The person who joins the company also needs to see it through.




For their own sake.




ps.

Thank you very much, Mr. Ishizuka. Thank you for your business trip.

Are you already in Los Angeles?

I look forward to seeing you again in Los Angeles or Japan.







Ascentia Holdings Corporation

Akira Tsuchiya

Assentia Holdings, Inc.

Akira Tsuchiya

 

 
Akira Tsuchiya

Akira Tsuchiya

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Our background In 1991, we started the business that was not yet found in Japan, or even in the world. That business was to become an agency who provides franchise store-development service. We came up with the idea to persuade companies to join a franchise as their new business; our target was not individuals, but the small and medium-sized enterprises who already established with their businesses. With that as a start, we managed to expand over 30 franchise brands including various restaurant brands i.e. Bakery Restaurant St.Marc(650 uint in Japan, BBQ “Gyu-kaku”(850 unit in Japan), Katsudon “Katsuya”(350 unit in Japan), Sushi delivery “Gin-no Sara”(730 unit in Japan), and from other hospitality business categories i.e. Second-hand automobile dealer “Gulliver”(450 unit in Japan), Second-hand golf club dealer “Golf Partner”(350 unit in Japan), Women’s fitness club “Curves” (2,000 unit in Japan as a master franchisor of the American brand), by selling new businesses to small to medium-sized enterprises in Japan. Number of the stores we successfully opened are over 8000 ! During this time, in 1996, Akira has established a company, Prime Link Co.Ltd., to start a business that we become franchisee ourselves to grow the business. In 2001, Prime Link Co, Ltd., became the very first franchise business company that is listed on the stock market(Nasdaq Japan). In 2006, Akira left Prime Link and started our company, Assentia Holdings, Inc. In 2010, Akira has established Assentia Holdings PTE. Ltd. in Singapore, and started the business to connect Japan and the world. During the last 5 years, our client’s franchise stores have spread in 19 countries（180 unit) in the world. Japanese food business and Japanese-style service are catching a great deal of attention from the world. Our work is spreading out from Asia to Oceania, Middle Eastern, Europe and North, Central and South America. Published a business book "Gain F&B franchise business opportunities in Asia"