Chief Change Officer Podcast - Episode #291: Ryota Tanozaki: Escape the Trap, Redesign the Map

Host: Vince Chan
Guest: Ryota Tanozaki, President and CEO of Tavist
Release Date: April 11, 2025

1. Introduction and Background

Vince Chen opens the episode by sharing his deep-rooted connection to Japan, tracing back to his childhood trip to Osaka, Nagoya, and Tokyo at age nine. His academic journey includes an MBA from Yale and a significant study trip to Japan during his first year at Chicago Booth, where he explored Japan's business culture by visiting prominent companies like Shiseido, Toyota, NTT, Docomo, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Vince’s professional involvement with Actech Japan, an international conference on the future of education technology, further solidified his admiration for Japan's craftsmanship and the harmonious blend of tradition with modernization.

Notable Quote:

"As a business professional, I'm always amazed by Japan's culture of craftsmanship and its blend of tradition with modernization and as a traveler, I can't get enough of the Japanese hospitality."
— Vince Chen [02:01]

2. Ryota Tanozaki's Career Journey

Ryota Tanozaki recounts his professional trajectory, beginning with his role at Tantori, a beer and waste manufacturer, where he focused on sales and marketing. Seeking to broaden his expertise, Ryota transitioned into management consulting, dedicating twelve years to honing his strategy-building and execution skills across various firms. This extensive consulting experience led him to pursue an Executive MBA in Singapore at Chicago Booth.

Post-MBA, Ryota took up a role managing the e-commerce business at Trans Cosmos, a subsidiary of Blackstone Technology Operations (BTO). His tenure there was brief—approximately ten months—before he was headhunted by Facebook Japan to serve as the Head of Client Solution Management. In this high-impact role, Ryota collaborated with the country manager to develop and execute strategic initiatives, effectively acting as the CEO of Facebook Japan.

In 2019, Ryota joined Tavist (originally part of a joint venture with SoftBank) as President and CEO. Under his leadership, Tavist navigated the tumultuous periods of the COVID-19 pandemic and the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, which severely impacted the travel industry.

Notable Quote:

"I want to hear my career and after that maybe you will ask and some of the details for transition timing."
— Ryota Tanozaki [05:12]

3. Challenges and Resilience

Vince delves into the concept of career transitions and the psychological impact of such changes at different life stages. Highlighting the immense volume of online content related to career changes, Vince posits that modern professionals should embrace and proactively manage their career evolutions. He frames Ryota's career shifts as a positive response to a "constructive insecurity," fueling growth and adaptability rather than being a reactionary "midlife crisis."

Notable Quote:

"Perseverance is quite important. ...you have to always consider people. Because unless people are engaged with strategy and motivated to execute strategy, company cannot move forward."
— Ryota Tanozaki [18:22]

Despite facing setbacks—such as the misalignment of his role at Trans Cosmos and the operational upheaval at Tavist due to external factors like the pandemic—Ryota emphasizes the importance of perseverance. He believes that enduring tough times is crucial for leaders aiming to build impactful companies and drive positive societal changes.

4. Leadership and Team Management

Ryota discusses his approach to fostering resilience and maintaining team motivation within Tavist. He outlines a three-pronged strategy:

1. Sharing Mission and Vision: Ryota ensures that the team is deeply connected to Tavist's mission of providing technology to small and medium-sized hotels and ryokans. This intrinsic motivation compensates for the company's inability to match the compensation packages of tech giants like Facebook or Google.

   Notable Quote:

   "Our mission is to provide technology for small and medium sized hotels to thrive. ... They embrace that mission into their heart and blood. They are motivated to work for Tavist."
   — Ryota Tanozaki [24:01]

2. Clear Strategy Communication: He emphasizes the importance of articulating a clear and focused strategy that differentiates Tavist from competitors. Understanding the true problems clients face allows the team to stay aligned and committed to the company's goals.

   Notable Quote:

   "We have to provide a strategy, share strategy with stakeholders ... why we can win, why we can realize our mission."
   — Ryota Tanozaki [26:15]

3. Leading by Example: Ryota champions leadership by example, often engaging directly with partners and clients to demonstrate the company's commitment and strategic approach. This hands-on leadership fosters trust and encourages the team to adopt and execute similar strategies.

   Notable Quote:

   "I quite often visit local cities to meet some of the potential clients ... they could be convinced more."
   — Ryota Tanozaki [27:36]

5. Teaching and Continuous Learning

Beyond his executive role, Ryota contributes to academia by teaching Marketing and Strategy at Globalist University. His students, hailing from established Japanese corporations, benefit from his real-world experience in strategic leadership and team building. Ryota believes in realizing the potential of people through both corporate leadership and educational endeavors.

Notable Quote:

"Leading by example is quite important. But you cannot do everything. You have to create a great team. So training, gating and nurturing them is also quite important."
— Ryota Tanozaki [29:53]

6. Books and Resources

Ryota shares two influential books that have shaped his professional philosophy:

1. "Innovate: Glimmer" by Clay Lisa: This book transformed Ryota's understanding of how small and medium-sized enterprises can compete with large corporations by focusing on innovative strategies. The concept of how smaller entities can disrupt established markets resonated with Tavist's mission.

   Notable Quote:

   "Even products focused on small and medium sized customers can win over the great products or great companies with large corporations. It is quite counterintuitive but that's happening."
   — Ryota Tanozaki [30:59]

2. "High Growth Handbook" by Elad Gil: A comprehensive guide on building and running startups, this handbook provided Ryota with actionable insights into corporate operations. Inspired by its teachings, Ryota developed a personal note detailing his strengths and weaknesses, which he shared with his team to foster transparency and self-awareness.

   Notable Quote:

   "I learned a lot from this book. So especially one of the things that I exactly did based on this book was to write down the note about how to read Ryota."
   — Ryota Tanozaki [33:27]

7. Conclusion

The episode concludes with Vince and Ryota reflecting on the importance of leadership, resilience, and continuous learning. Vince shares his admiration for authors like Clayton Christensen and emphasizes the value of reflective practices such as handwriting thoughts to enhance clarity and problem-solving.

Notable Quote:

"Leaders are like coaches, right? They're always helping others to learn and grow."
— Vince Chen [30:59]

Ryota expresses his appreciation for the conversation, hinting at future in-person meetings to further their discussions outside the virtual realm.

Key Takeaways:

• Career Transformation: Embrace and proactively manage career changes as opportunities for growth rather than setbacks.

• Perseverance: Critical for overcoming challenges and driving a company towards success, especially during turbulent times.

• Leadership: Effective leaders foster resilience by clearly communicating mission and vision, strategizing meticulously, and leading by example.

• Continuous Learning: Engaging in teaching and staying informed through influential literature can significantly impact leadership and business strategies.

• Team Motivation: Intrinsic motivation, coupled with a clear strategic pathway, ensures team alignment and sustained commitment.

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This summary captures the essence of Episode #291, highlighting Ryota Tanozaki's insightful journey, leadership philosophy, and the strategies that have driven his success in navigating complex business landscapes.