CEO blog(en) | Akira Tsuchiya(en) (10)

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Akira Tsuchiya(en)

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"

Management that has no shortage of talented employees.

Jan 20, 2021 3:09:44 PM

The merit of continuing to conduct the previously mentioned social gatherings with partners (Refer to 04 A social gathering with partners) was -- to attract and hire new talent. Compared to the time (1995 to 2006) when I was managing the Prime–Link restaurants, attacricting & finding employees is getting more difficult now. I often hear the difficulties of recruiting & hiring new talent, not many people attend recruiting information sessions, candidates often cancel interviews, not only is hiring Japanese difficult, but hiring foreigners is challenging and difficult as well. Although people say these things “people are not coming to recruitment information sessions” and “people don’t come for interviews”, but, in a labor-intensive business, such as the restaurant business, the target of recruitment is already within the company.