Our co-founder and CEO, Ray Sato, was featured on the Scaling Japan Podcast, hosted by Tyson Batino, CEO of Scaling Your Company and Smart Start Japan, which helps businesses incorporate in Japan. Ray discussed his experiences scaling recruitment at Uber Eats and shared his insights into how we support tech companies facing staffing challenges in Japan.
Ray offers a unique perspective on scaling businesses in Japan. With over a decade of experience in tech recruiting, Ray joined Uber Eats in Japan in 2018, when the company had only ten employees. His mission? To scale the team as quickly as possible. In just two years, the team grew to over 100 people.
In a recent interview on the Scaling Japan Podcast, Ray shared his experiences and insights on this rapid growth.
Navigating the Ever-Changing Startup Landscape
Ray describes the different phases of growth that Uber Eats experienced.
Phase 1 (<20 employees): In the early days, the company culture felt like a small family, with everyone having ownership and a strong sense of connection. Ray particularly enjoys this phase, where he believes he has the most ownership and influence in the company's decisions.
Phase 2 (20-50 employees): Ray notes that this phase tests a company's global mindset and its understanding of the Japanese market. Many companies get stuck at this stage due to a disconnect in expectations and realities.
Phase 3 (50-200 employees): This is a period of hypergrowth, where the company transitions into a more structured organization with proper HR processes and benefits.
Phase 4 (200+ employees): At this point, the company becomes a large organization with dedicated recruiting teams and well-defined processes. Ray admits that he prefers the earlier stages of growth where he has more influence and can contribute more directly to building processes.
How Ray Tackled the Challenges of Blitzscaling
Ray's journey at Uber Eats wasn't without its challenges. One of the biggest hurdles was the mindset shift required to transition from working in large, established companies to a fast-paced, high-growth startup environment.
At Uber Eats, Ray had to quickly adapt to taking ownership of decisions, dealing with ambiguity, and embracing change. He also had to learn how to operate in an environment where growth was prioritized over process, which led to unique challenges such as late invoice payments.
Ray Sato’s Special Sauce for Scaling
When asked about his "special sauce" for surviving scaling, Ray emphasizes the importance of:
Experience: With a decade of experience in tech recruiting in Japan, Ray's deep understanding of the industry and the local market gives him a significant edge.
Bilingual Skills: Ray's ability to communicate fluently in both English and Japanese is crucial for building trust with clients and candidates, especially as companies scale and need to hire more Japanese-speaking employees.
Adaptability: In the ever-changing startup world, the only constant is change. Ray believes that the ability to deal with change, experiment, and learn from mistakes is essential for success.
Hard Work: Ray attributes his success to a strong work ethic and a willingness to put in the long hours often required in a startup environment.
Key Takeaways
Ray's insights offer valuable lessons for companies looking to scale in Japan:
Embrace "Good Enough": In a fast-paced startup environment, perfection is the enemy of progress. Ray advocates for an 80% completion mindset, prioritizing action and iteration over analysis.
Prioritize Action: Ray believes that taking action and learning from the results is more important than overthinking and planning. "When in doubt, just go scout," he advises, emphasizing the importance of continuous engagement and learning.
Focus on Culture: Building a strong company culture is essential for attracting and retaining top talent, especially when competing with larger, more established companies.
Ray's experiences at Uber Eats and his insights on the Scaling Japan Podcast provide a valuable roadmap for companies navigating the complexities of growth in the Japanese market. To hear the full conversation and gain even more valuable insights, be sure to listen to the entire podcast episode on the Scaling Japan Podcast.
Need help to scale in Japan?
If you're tackling the challenges of scaling a tech company and need expert recruitment support, don't hesitate to reach out to Grow.
Visit our website or contact us directly to discover how we can help you build your dream team and achieve your growth objectives.
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