The single most common question I get asked are variations of "How do you start a business as a foreigner in Japan?"  or "What's it like to start a startup as a foreigner in Japan?"

It's always been a hard question to answer simply because it is such a big one, that it can be hard to know where to start. Well, today we are going to start to answer that question, and over the next month or two, we are really going to dig into it.

Jordan Fisher is CEO and co-founder of Zehitomo, which is an online marketplace for off-line services.

This is not an easy space. There are many such sites in Japan, but Jordan explains why the fact that he and his co-founder are both foreigners has given them a competitive advantage not just in the marketplace, but in recruiting and marketing as well.

Unsurprisingly, there are a few things that are much harder for foreign startup founders than for Japanese founders, and we talk about those as well.

It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

Show Notes
Why charging commission is a losing strategy
One surprisingly popular kind of offline services
Why its hard to start a startup as a foreigner in Japan
What it's like raising money as a foreigner in Japan
Ho to use your gaijin-ness to your business advantage
Why some Japanese have a hard time in foreign startups
How to differentiate your startup in Japan
Why the fear of failure is still holding Japan back