Tech Japan Founder, Who Moved To India One Year Ago, Shares Life Lessons He Learnt

Naotaka Nishiyama, the founder of Tech Japan, recently shared insights from his transformative journey of relocating to India. Taking to LinkedIn, Mr Nishiyama shared that he landed in Bengaluru last year in March with nothing but a suitcase and an idea. Over the past year, this decision shaped his perspective on entrepreneurship, culture and personal growth in ways he never anticipated. "Something inside me has definitely shifted this year," he wrote, adding that he learnt to "create value within change" - a mindset that has now become a part of him. 

"Exactly one year ago, I landed in India with just a suitcase - and a dream. On March 25, 2024, I left Tokyo International Airport in Japan. In the early hours of March 26, I landed in Bangalore. As I stepped out of the airport pulling my suitcase, I found myself standing in a completely new world," Mr Nishiyama wrote in his post. 

The CEO further said that as a Japanese startup founder living in India, he quickly realised he was a rarity. "There aren't many Japanese people in India to begin with, and most of those living here are corporate expats from the automotive, electronics, or banking industries," he said. 

"When I meet someone for the first time, I'm often asked, Toyota? Suzuki? I smile and reply, no, I run a company called Talendy. Then comes that look of What's that?" he shared.

Mr Nishiyama said over the past year he has gained invaluable insights that have transformed both his business approach and personal mindset. He then highlighted three core lessons. 

"Something inside me has definitely shifted this year. Instead of 'challenging myself within stability,' I've learned to 'create value within change.' And that mindset has now become a part of me," he said. 

Mr Nishiyama concluded his post saying, "Of course, I'm still learning... But the people I've met in India - especially the incredible energy and ambition of the younger generation - keep me moving forward with the belief that we can create the future together."

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Since being shared, Mr Nishiyama's post has accumulated more than 400 comments and over 7,000 reactions. 

Reacting to his post, one user wrote, "You are 100% right, India is diverse which create complexity and unpredictability. So life is not monotonous at any time. Every day is new day, and you ( anyone) can start your new life at any day." 

"Very well summarized, 'perfect is the enemy of progress' and 'things rarely goes as planned' 'improvisation skills', I think many of these phrases are unheard of in Japan, but in India we are used to these things and in spite of it, we come out successful. I think, we both have a lot to learn from each other, and that," commented another. 

"Kudos to you to try and embrace a country like India with so many imperfections unlike to Japan. Great learning my friend, All the best to your startup as well," said a third user.