【Member Interview】
Requirements for future managements

February 8, 2020
STAR TO ASIA CO.,LTD

Teppei Fujiwara, Chairman of STAR TO ASIA CO.,LTD
Sherry, Manager of STAR TO ASIA Shanghai CO.,LTD (joined August 2016)

 
 
About two and a half years have passed since the establishment of STAR TO ASIA Shanghai in September 2017. The Chinese business, which started with three people, has now ten people including local hiring in Shanghai and further development is worth paying attention to. Sherry, in her third year in the company, is leading the business. In her first year as a new graduate, she raised her hand to the new business in China and has been creating services and the organization from scratch.
 
Today, we interview her with Mr. Fujiwara, the representative of STAR TO ASIA, along with the episode when the Shanghai branch was established.
 
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―The decisive factor for joining STAR TO ASIA was the growth opportunity
  where the company let me do anything if I want.
 
Fujiwara: You joined as a new graduate. At that time, I wasn't directly involved in the selection of you, but you certainly applied for 10 companies and received unofficial offers from all of them. Among them, why did you choose STAR TO ASIA, and what was the decisive factor?
 
Sherry: There were two major judgment axes at that time.
One was that I wanted to work in a marketing field that I was interested in.
The other is whether there's an opportunity for growth.。
 
Fujiwara: Why did you think STAR TO ASIA provides an opportunity for growth?
 
Sherry: During the interview and selection process, I felt the company's attitude and thought that they would let their employees do many things if they want to.
 
Fujiwara: It's been about three and a half years since you joined, right?
 
Sherry: Well, when I joined the company, there were still about 30 people. Although various departments and systems were organized, there were still unclear divisions of roles.
My boss was Mr. Kanemoto (currently Vice President), and I said to him that I wanted to do anything in areas with no person in charge or any new business.
I really wanted to do everything by myself!
 
Fujiwara: I remember that when you raised your hand to the Chinese business, you also said that you wanted to experience the call center business as there was a vacant position.
 
Sherry: That's right (laughs). I was full of desire to learn and grow.
 
Fujiwara: Generally speaking, what I actually feel in STAR TO ASIA is that there are quite a few people who desire to have a solid division of roles.
For example, I think it's natural that the division of roles is unclear during the start-up period of a new business.
Then it's about either you do it yourself or leave it to someone else. But if you really want to grow, you'll find your own role before talking about the division of roles.
 
I think those who want to grow should have the opportunity to do a lot of things.
Especially, I think that not limiting own abilities will be the quality of those who take leadership or take charge of management.
 

―What made me take charge of management was that I came to think,
  "If they can do that, I can do the same."
 
Fujiwara: By the way, you said that you wanted to be a manager from the beginning.
How did you come to think that way?
 
Sherry: To be honest, there was no such thing as a trigger.
Just looking at other managers and presidents, I came to think, "If they can do it, I can do the same."
It's been about half a year since I joined the company that I've been able to say something like that.
 
Fujiwara: Are there any concrete actions you have taken by yourself for the goal of becoming a manager?
 
Sherry: First of all, I was driving myself by telling my dreams around.
Next, when I found an opportunity, I didn't hesitate to raise my hand.
 
Fujiwara: That became clear when you raised your hand in the Chinese business.
Sherry: The recruitment of Chinese business members started about half a year since I joined the company.
So, half a year later (one year after joining), I was sent to Shanghai.
 
Fujiwara: There were some other employees who raised their hands, but I chose you because you had been taking action and produced results everywhere.
The Chinese business needed to start from scratch. So, it's important that the members have taken overwhelming action and achieved results.
 
As for the energy to take action, you were in the top three of the new graduates I've seen so far.
And you were eager to get your own job without setting your limit. You had also produced actual results.
You tried to seize the opportunity for your growth one after another. I highly evaluated your ability to take action, break through, and produce results.
So, I wouldn't normally choose new graduates, but at that time, the management members unanimously chose Sherry.
 
Fujiwara: When I once held a training session, I asked how much energy are they using if everyone has a limit of 10. Everyone said 6 or 7, but only you said "12".
But you really acted that much.
 
Everyone says to want to grow, but many people are actually passive.
In order to push the limits of your abilities, you have to do an overwhelming amount that exceeds your current abilities, do at an overwhelming speed, or try new things that you haven't done yet.
I think how you create an environment where you have to do it by 
yourself is important.
 
 
―The fate of the company changes depending on what decisions I make. I really perceived the significance.
 
Fujiwara: What happened when you raised your hand and went to Shanghai?
 
Sherry: I started from very scratch and I didn't know anything, so I gathered information thoroughly.
In the first six months, I always visited 5 or 6 companies a day, or as much as I could.
Once I did a certain amount, I gradually came to understand important information and things.
I could find the direction and necessary action.
 
The hardest time was when one member out of three quit the Shanghai business.
The other person was a director who wasn't always in Shanghai. I was working alone in an empty office every day, and no one knew if I was working at the company properly.
Even when I was in the bathroom, the company's activity stopped for five minutes. I realized the big responsibility on me.
 
My actions would affect the future of the company, and the fate of the company changes depending on what decisions I make. I really perceived the significance.
 
Fujiwara: In an environment where you have to make your own decisions, what do you think about the continuity?
 
Sherry: It was hard when I had no achievements.
However, as I gradually produced results, I gained confidence.
Still, I have concerns about the correctness of the direction and expression of my own.
But that anxiety shouldn't be communicated to the below members, so I try to persuade myself that I've made better decisions over and over again.
 
Fujiwara: When I founded STAR TO ASIA Taiwan, I didn't know whether the direct marketing support was correct or successful. As I made achievements and new values, I could finally see that it was correct.
 
We've been educated with the correct answer like 1 + 1 = 2 in our school days, but there is no correct answer in the world of business and management. The result of 1 + 1 can be 10 or even 100. So, it's important to think about what kind of world you want to realize and how you want to be. Otherwise, I think you can't do business.
 

―About future goals
 
Fujiwara: What are your goals for Shanghai and yourself?
Sherry: I have two, the same as STAR TO ASIA's BeSTAR (general term for philosophy and action guidelines) that I really sympathize with.
One is "customer contribution". I definitely want to continue this. The other is to "develop human resources who can play an active role anywhere."
For the time being, I'll proceed with these two policies.
 
Fujiwara: You said before that you would "go beyond START ASIA (Taiwan)".
I'm also working at START ASIA, trying to "go beyond Findstar GROUP".
If you try going beyond START ASIA, I'll do my best not to be overtaken as a representative of the Group.
 
Sherry: I think there's still room in the Chinese market where we can provide various services. I want to increase other businesses and services as START ASIA Shanghai.
Besides, I'm also eager to create new group companies and partner companies, and even have my own company someday.
 
Fujiwara: As a result, the entire STAR TO ASIA Group will grow steadily, then the child company may surpass the parent. company.
I think that the top of the company is the position where you can grow utmost.
So, at first within STAR TO ASIA Group, I want to create a lot of opportunities for everyone to be involved in new businesses, such as arranging positions where they can make their own decisions, and producing group company representatives.
 



STAR TO ASIA CO.,LTD
Address: 13F., No.36, Sec. 3, Bade Rd., Songshan Dist., Taipei City 105608, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
URL：http://www.startoasia.com/index.php