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Entrepreneur
2 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
From Osaka to America: The Unconventional Journey of This Japanese Entrepreneur
When business leader Hideaki Nishioka left his stable corporate job in Japan to pursue entrepreneurship in the United States, his decision was met with confusion and resistance from his family and colleagues. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur Asia Pacific, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. The decision to strike out and try something new is rarely an easy one, especially when it also involves defying convention and the risk of disappointing those closest to you. The start of any journey is often accompanied by a good deal of stress and uncertainty, but when a singular vision is paired with a bit of good fortune, exciting things are rarely far behind. When business leader Hideaki Nishioka left his stable corporate job in Japan to pursue entrepreneurship in the United States, his decision was met with confusion and resistance from his family and colleagues. Born and raised in Osaka, he had spent his entire life up until that point in elite academic institutions and prestigious roles at global firms like Itochu Corporation. Yet, deep down, he knew he was meant for something more than just climbing the corporate ladder. Instead of following the path expected of him, Nishioka took a bold leap into the unpredictable world of entrepreneurship. His journey took him from Tokyo to Vancouver, factories in Italy to an MBA program in California, and ultimately to the heart of the American restaurant industry. Today, he is the CEO of Tokyo Shokudo Holdings, a company on a mission to redefine Japanese dining in the U.S., making high-quality, authentic Japanese cuisine more accessible to everyday consumers. But Hideaki Nishioka's story isn't just about building a restaurant empire—it's about challenging conventions, embracing risk, and proving that success often lies down the roads less traveled. Nishioka dared to step outside tradition, blending Eastern discipline with Western entrepreneurial spirit to create something truly remarkable. A Road Less Traveled: Making of an International Trailblazer Nishioka was born in Osaka, Japan, and grew up with his big sister, a smart and industrious girl he adored. He would follow her around and read her school textbooks, and the two formed a friendly rivalry which inspired Nishioka to strive for academic excellence and exceed expectations. He attended Rakunan Junior High and High School, a prestigious institution in Kyoto built on a UNESCO World Heritage Site, To-ji Temple, before studying at Keio University in Tokyo, one of Japan's top business schools, focusing on financial engineering. But while tradition was the name of the game at his schools, with the vast majority of students pursuing careers in engineering and medicine, Nishioka had big dreams and took a gap year to study business in Vancouver, Canada. In Canada, he broadened his horizons by taking business management courses and developed a deep appreciation of how business is done internationally. With the understanding of Western business philosophies that this experience gave him, he went on to intern at multiple global firms, including Morgan Stanley, McKinsey, and PwC. "I learned that there is a critical difference between operating a company and managing employees between Japan and the U.S.," Nishioka revealed. "My passion is to unite the management techniques of these two countries and tailor them to the situation." With the fire of entrepreneurship lit, Nishioka turned down a promising job offer from Goldman Sachs in favor of Itochu Corporation, one of Japan's largest trading firms, attracted by its diversity and the chance to fully engage in international business as a manager. The entire global team at Itochu were much more experienced than Nishioka, but he built a strong rapport with them by always being respectful and suggesting clear, well-thought out ideas to gain their trust in him, which eventually led to his remarkable achievements at the organization. The Leap to Entrepreneurship and U.S. Expansion Even a dream job can be outgrown, and this was Nishioka's experience with Itochu. His time there was extremely valuable, and he maintains strong relationships with his former team and managers, but Nishioka was ready to challenge himself away from Itochu and continue exploring the world outside Japan. Determined to expand his business acumen beyond corporate life, Hideaki enrolled at UCLA Anderson School of Management, specializing in entrepreneurship and investment management. His venture capital experience at K Fund Capital Management in Los Angeles during his MBA helped Nishioka co-found 3D Architech, a metal 3D printing company, and secure venture capital funding after prestigious accelerator programs like Mass Challenge and CleanTech Open. After realizing that the majority of the time at startups is spent securing funding, Nishioka refocused his efforts on aligning himself with a cash-flow-driven business where he could apply his management skills. Good fortune struck, and Nishioka was introduced to the founder of Tokyo Shokudo Group, which operates several promising Japanese restaurant brands based in Texas and was looking to find its niche and establish itself as a force in the American dining scene. This pivotal moment reinforced a key insight: long-term success isn't just about innovation—it's about choosing the right business model with the right members that aligns with your skills, goals, and market realities. Building Tokyo Shokudo: A Vision for Japanese Dining in America "One thing I noticed after I came to the U.S. was that all the people who went to Japan told me that the food in Japan was much better than the Japanese food in the U.S.," Nishioka recalls. "The opportunity I see is the 'better' and 'affordable' Japanese food. At Tokyo Shokudo, we offer home-style, authentic Japanese food without going to Japan." Nishioka realized that many people in the United States ate at restaurants categorized as Japanese, but without developing an appreciation for what makes the food and the culture so unique. After conversations with the founder of Tokyo Shokudo Group, who wanted someone to help him refine and hone his vision of making Japanese cuisine accessible to the masses, Nishioka stepped in as CEO to take the business to the next level. Tokyo Shokudo Group has since grown to eight locations (soon to be 11 in 2025) across California, Texas, and Illinois in the United States, with plans to reach 50 locations by 2030. Nishioka's growth strategy is focused on franchising, data-driven and customer-oriented site selection, and menu optimization that focuses on affordability and operational efficiency without sacrificing quality. By offering a balance between authenticity and scalability, Hideaki and his team have positioned Tokyo Shokudo as the go-to brand for quality Japanese dining in the U.S. Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs Hideaki Nishioka's unique experiences across Japan and America, strong drive to exceed expectations, and willingness to take on new and unexpected challenges have informed his successful approach to entrepreneurship, which emphasizes bold decision-making, adaptability, and the importance of cultural fusion in business success. Even as he continues to build Tokyo Shokudo into a globally recognized brand, he remains as committed to his pursuit of excellence as he was as a young man. Ultimately, his message to other entrepreneurs is to take risks and challenge what others might expect, just as he did by leaving a corporate job to live out his entrepreneurial passion. "If you follow the standard, you will be in the standard," Nishioka concludes. "If you want to be an outlier, you must carve your own path."
Entrepreneur
06-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Why Failure is Your Best Mentor: Unconventional Wisdom from this Entrepreneur
According to 2024-2025 data, approximately 21.5 percent of businesses fail in their first year, climbing to nearly 50 percent by year five. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur Asia Pacific, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Business success stories flood bookstore shelves, but tech entrepreneur and angel investor Furkat Kasimov argues that failure, not triumph, provides the most valuable lessons. His recently published book "Don't Do This: A Guide to Business Survival" flips conventional wisdom upside down by examining nearly 150 real-world business failures. Startling statistics show that up to 90 percent of startups ultimately fail. Kasimov's perspective offers a refreshing alternative to typical business advice. The book arrives at a critical moment when economic uncertainties and technological disruptions test even the most promising ventures. Learning from the Disasters of Others Kasimov opens his book with a powerful quote from Alibaba founder Jack Ma: "If you want to be successful, learn from other people's mistakes, do not learn from the successful stories." This philosophy anchors the entire work, challenging readers to examine failure as their most influential teacher. Rather than trying to duplicate success stories, often omitting the messy reality of building businesses, he urges entrepreneurs to study what went wrong for others. The straightforward guide dissects financial disasters, leadership failures, and marketing catastrophes that demolish solid business plans. Written for entrepreneurs who barely have time to eat lunch, let alone wade through 300 pages of business theory, the book provides practical solutions to common pitfalls. Kasimov's background at where he rose to VP of Digital Marketing before co-founding gives him firsthand experience with success and failure. The Cold, Hard Numbers The statistics backing Kasimov's focus on failure prevention are sobering. According to 2024-2025 data, approximately 21.5 percent of businesses fail in their first year, climbing to nearly 50 percent by year five. Why do so many businesses fail? Research shows that 82 percent of failed small businesses experienced cash flow problems, while 42 percent discovered no market demand for their products or services. Nearly a quarter (23 percent) of small businesses fail because they lack the right team. These failure patterns repeat across industries and decades, making Kasimov's preventative wisdom particularly valuable. His book tackles these exact issues, providing concrete steps for avoiding these common traps. A Game Plan for When Things Go Sideways "Knowing what can go wrong is not enough. You need a game plan for when things go sideways," Kasimov says. This practicality distinguishes his work from theoretical business guides. For example, when addressing cash flow management, cited as a primary reason for 82 percent of business failures, he doesn't just highlight the problem. Still, he offers concrete steps like implementing robust cash flow management tools and maintaining six-month financial forecasts. His guidance on technological adaptation proves particularly relevant as businesses navigate rapid changes. On the topic of artificial intelligence, he notes that "AI is creating opportunities while making certain traditional business approaches obsolete." The book includes specific examples of businesses that failed to adapt alongside those that successfully integrated new technologies. With projections showing the Business Process as a Service market reaching $98.3 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 10.60 percent, technology adoption represents both an opportunity and potential pitfall for businesses through this decade. Kasimov's advice on employee development illustrates his practical orientation: "Create professional development programs. Offer training, mentorship, and clear career growth opportunities." This multi-faceted solution addresses the 23 percent of businesses that fail due to inadequate teams. What Fails Teaches Faster Than What Succeeds The power of "Don't Do This: A Guide to Business Survival" lies in its reversal of traditional business guidance. While most business literature celebrates exceptional success stories that few can replicate, Kasimov's work illuminates the common, preventable mistakes that sink promising ventures. His brutally honest collection of business failures serves as a confidant in book form for entrepreneurs navigating uncertainty. For business owners waking at 3 a.m. in a panic about yesterday's decisions, Kasimov's message resonates: entrepreneurs do not need to make mistakes themselves when others have already made them. In a business world where failure remains the most likely outcome, this unconventional wisdom might be the difference between becoming another statistic and beating the odds.
