057: What It’s Like to Launch a Business Communication and Women’s Success Coaching Company in Japan w/ Helen Iwata

On this episode of Small Business Japan, I talk with Helen Iwata about how after years of experience she took the entrepreneurial leap to launch Sasuga Communications, her award-winning business communication and women’s success coaching company in Tokyo.  

Helen Iwata is an award-winning business communication and women’s success coach. Originally from the UK, she’s lived and worked in Japan for 3 decades. Following her 10-year career with McKinsey & Company in Tokyo, she established her own business in 2013. 

Helen coaches her corporate clients and online students to communicate confidently, use their time and energy efficiently, and get the results they want in their business and life without burnout. She’s the host of the Sasuga! Podcast, a TEDx speaker, Nikkei online columnist, and author of Eigo no Shigoto-jutsu, published by Shogakukan. 

Helen’s role expanded to training and coaching McKinsey & Co consultants and clients in communication skills, leadership, and teamwork throughout Asia and beyond. 

In 2013, she left McKinsey and the next day established her own business, Sasuga Communications, which she registered as a kabushiki kaisha (a Japanese limited company) in 2016. 

Later she created a self-study online presentation skills course and offered webinars and workshops that anyone can join. 

From translator, to business communication skills coach and a women’s success coach. Workshops and one-on-one training with corporate clients has traditionally been the main piece of her business.  

Decide on what your product or offer is and focus on that one first. After you’ve grown your audience then you can move into other areas of expanding.  

Getting involved with other entrepreneurs is important, possibly seeking out a mentor.  

Get clear on what the value is that you can bring and to whom you can bring it.  

70% is perfection and 100% is failure. 

Entrepreneurs need to make sure that you are getting enough rest to reenergize.  

Resources 

Website: sasugacommunications.com 

Podcast: sasugacommunications.com/blog 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sasugacommunications 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/heleniwata 

YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCvff1X71JgyQ5paI1sV1wew 

Sasuga! VIP Women’s Coaching: https://sasugacommunications.com/vip 

Sasuga! Online Retreat: https://sasugacommunications.com/onlineretreat 

Recommendations 

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear