Welcome our global distributor -Afterword

I finished writing a series of six articles titled “Welcome Our Global Distributor” and planned to start a new series about overseas business trips. However, since I received more reader feedback than I expected, I decided to write one more article to address it.
I am grateful that so many people read my articles. This has given me the opportunity to learn about the challenges they face in their workplaces and they try to find solutions in their own way.
I have also received encouraging words from acquaintances whom I worked with in the past, mentioned in these articles. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to them and share some of their stories.

“Do you have an affection for the product, Minami-san?”

In the third article, I shared a story about how I struggled with my work while supporting a Swedish company. I confided my concerns to the sales manager of a different Swedish company.
I received various responses from readers regarding the advice I was given at that time:
“Do you have an affection for the product, Minami-san?”

Manager at a major Japanese chemical manufacturing company:

Sales Representative at a major staffing agency:

Section manager at a Japanese major trading company

The above-mentioned manager and the section manager provided me with tremendous support in procuring materials for the Swedish company I previously worked with.
At that time, they were dazzling global giants from the perspective of one small European venture. I’m very proud that my articles will be able to contribute in order to encourage their team members and showcase Sonora’s unique strengths, which transcend company size.
I am currently discussing diversifying work styles with the aforementioned temporary staffing sales rep. At European venture companies, I felt like I was part of a team working toward a common goal, regardless of contract type. Because the other parties treated me equally, we were able to share and pursue our goals, even if the project was short-term.
By contrast, Japanese companies tend to distinguish strongly between permanent and non-permanent employees. Employees with fixed-term contracts may feel anxious about whether their contracts will be renewed or lose motivation when they see an end in sight. I believe the accepting company’s corporate culture, which fosters this mindset, is also a contributing factor.
On the other hand, although full-time employees are stable, they may lose their enthusiasm and simply go through the motions of their daily tasks. This may be unavoidable for companies that have reached a certain level of maturity.
What is the goal, and does everyone want to work toward it? What is the purpose, and does everyone share that vision? Are you a true leader who can inspire all members to follow?

“Minami-san’s affection for Sonora Technology and her writing skill”

Sometimes, people only realize certain things after receiving objective feedback from others.
Throughout the series, I received comments like these:

I had developed an affection for Sonora without realizing it. I think it only became evident through the act of “continuing to write articles.”
Or maybe I was able to keep writing because of my strong affection for Sonora. Who knows?
I also received many questions like the following.

Yes, I once aspired to be a novelist, but I gave up.
For many years, I believed that business and literature were incompatible.
It was Sonora’s founder and president who shattered my fixed notion.

In the fifth article, I expressed my view that founders possess the followings:

• Their amazing foresight.
• Their competence to take action and make decisions earlier than anybody else.
• Their straightforward leadership without any hesitation.

The idea of combining literature and business—two seemingly incompatible fields—would never have been conceived without the founder’s aesthetic sensibility.
I would like to thank all of our readers who shared their thoughts with us. I would also like to thank Sonora’s founder and president for encouraging me to freely express my opinion on this site.

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