#7 Salesperson-Turned-Travel Tech CEO, Ryota Tanozaki: How I Build an E-commerce Company in Japan

How Did Japanese Shochu Salespersons Rise to Lead the Tech Revolution for 90,000+ Japanese Hotel Operators? Starting as a salesperson at Suntory , Tokyo-based Ryota Tanozaki has transformed his career over 20 years. Previous: Strategy Consultant at BearingPoint , Product Manager at Hakuhodo Consulting, Director at Frontier Management , General Manager at Transcosmos , Head of Instagram, and Head of Vertical Industry at Facebook. Currently, Ryota holds the position of President and CEO at Tabist , formerly known as OYO Japan, which is headquartered in India and was a joint venture with SoftBank Japan. He also teaches part-time at Globis University . Attached is the press release from SoftBank announcing the rebranding of OYO Japan to Tabist, with Ryota appointed as the CEO and President of the company's operations in the country. How we met: Ryota and I were Executive MBA classmates at Chicago Booth from 2013 and 2015. Episode Breakdown: 3:28 — Ryota's Odyssey: Journeying from Beverage Sales to Social Media and Cutting-Edge Travel Tech 6:30 — Pivotal Moments: How a Consulting Gig in Rural Japan Revolutionized Ryota’s Career Path 8:49 — A Strategic Pivot: Choosing an MBA at Chicago Booth After 15 Years in the Consulting Arena 14:30 — Navigating the Unforeseen: Adapting Ryota’s Career Strategy Amidst Challenges 16:07 — Crisis as a Catalyst: Steering Tabist Through a Rebrand as Japanese Tourism Faces COVID Challenges 20:12 — Tackling Top Challenges: Pushing Tabist to New Heights Amidst Adversity 25:32 — Leading by Example: Insights from Teaching at Globis University 27:09 — Inspiration Unpacked: The Two Books That Fuel Ryota’s Innovative Spirit Connect with Us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Ryota Tanozaki ______________________ -- Chief Change Officer -- Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself. Open a World of Deep Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives, Visionary Underdogs, Transformation Gurus & Bold Hearts. 6 Million+ All-Time Downloads. Reaching 80+ Countries Daily. Global Top 3% Podcast. Top 10 US Business. Top 1 US Careers. >>> 100,000+ subscribers are outgrowing. Act Today.<<< --Chief Change Officer-- Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself. Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligence for Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep,