Tomohiko Shigano<\/strong><\/p>\n Spent his student days fully dedicated to baseball[cite: 530]. He began his professional career at Accenture [cite: 530], followed by a period working as an independent freelance consultant [cite: 530], and later served as a lead partner for the manufacturing and retail sectors at a major global consulting firm[cite: 530]. Driven by a strong desire to share the joy of achievement with others, he established ZEIN Inc. in 2017 with the goal of creating a company where “everyone achieves together, shares the rewards together, and finds happiness together”[cite: 530].<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Yes[cite: 532]. Since my university days, I had a vague ambition that “I want to start a business and become a president someday”[cite: 532]. Looking back, I think it was highly influenced by the fact that I had served as the team captain throughout my baseball years from elementary school all the way through university[cite: 532]. Simply put, I really loved the version of myself when I was leading a team as a captain[cite: 532].<\/p>\n Absolutely[cite: 533]. Designing practice menus, strategizing for tournaments, and sometimes resolving interpersonal conflicts within the team\u2014I feel that many of those experiences directly translate to running a business today[cite: 533]. Having gone through those leadership roles, I naturally developed a mindset that “if I am going to belong to an organization and work, I want to manage the company as the president”[cite: 533]. To acquire the necessary professional strengths and business skills first, I joined Accenture[cite: 533]. Although I was completely astounded by the incredibly high level of awareness, skills, and capabilities of the people around me, it served as an excellent and healthy stimulus for my own growth[cite: 533].<\/p>\n I was there for four and a half years[cite: 534]. After that, I packed a bag and went on a solo backpacking trip around the world for about a year and a half[cite: 534]. It was a budget trip funded entirely by my retirement payout, but it turned out to be an incredibly meaningful and valuable chapter of my life[cite: 534]. The final stop of my journey was Argentina[cite: 534]. Since my bank balance was almost completely depleted, I began looking for jobs online from over there as a freelance consultant, and luckily, my next project was already locked in before I even set foot back in Japan[cite: 534].<\/p>\n I operated as a freelance consultant for about two years[cite: 536]. Since my ultimate goal was to build a company, this two-year period was also a deliberate “comrade-hunting” phase to find the right people to launch a business with[cite: 536].<\/p>\n Yes, because I believed there was no real point in launching a company completely by myself[cite: 537]. The more members you have working together, the larger the scale of the impact you can create, and above all, I wanted to work while sharing the joy of achievement with a team[cite: 537]. However, finding the right people during that freelance phase didn’t go as smoothly as I hoped[cite: 537]. Since I was around 27 or 28 at the time, most of the talented people around me were reaching the manager level\u2014essentially entering the prime, high-momentum years of their corporate careers\u2014so it was incredibly difficult to convince them to jump ship[cite: 537].<\/p>\n Realizing that it might actually be faster to step into an existing small company and work my way up to become the president, I transitioned and joined an independent IT consulting firm of about 30 to 40 people[cite: 537].<\/p>\n Yes[cite: 538]. It so happened that the president of that company was also an alumnus of Accenture[cite: 538]. After working hard there for about three years, I was positioned to become the successor to the president[cite: 538]. However, just as that plan was moving forward, the company was acquired by a major foreign consulting firm[cite: 538]. I couldn’t just walk away at that critical juncture, so I transitioned into the acquiring global firm and ended up managing a massive, 150-person scale project over there[cite: 538].<\/p>\n Once that major project safely reached its completion, I finally moved forward with 20 trusted comrades who shared my vision, left the firm, and established ZEIN\u682a\u5f0f\u4f1a\u793e[cite: 538].<\/p>\n In the very beginning, I was completely swamped and running around in circles because I had to handle actual sales and ongoing consulting delivery parallel to my duties running the company as CEO[cite: 539]. It was incredibly hectic, but it felt immensely fulfilling[cite: 539]. The core team of 20 people we started with has now expanded to a scale of about 100 members[cite: 539]. Being able to tackle a highly diverse range of complex challenges with so many brilliant minds gives me a completely different, deeply rewarding sense of fulfillment compared to our earliest days[cite: 539].<\/p>\n Yes, that is a huge differentiator[cite: 541]. Because many of our core members handled massive core infrastructure system implementations in our previous careers, we naturally possessed deep connections with consultants who have incredibly strong engineering backgrounds[cite: 541]. Out of our 20 founding members, about one-third are hybrid professionals who act as both engineers and consultants[cite: 541]. Therefore, being capable of handling full-scale in-house development is definitely one of our defining strengths[cite: 541].<\/p>\n In terms of our recruitment strategy, we are actively looking for talent from consulting firm backgrounds, but we also highly welcome individuals who have business planning or project promotion experience at enterprise companies and want to challenge themselves in consulting, as well as engineers looking to pivot into consulting[cite: 542]. In short, we look for people who can bridge “consulting x business planning” or “consulting x engineering”[cite: 542]. For mid-career hires entering at the manager class, we frequently entrust them with the role of project leader immediately upon joining[cite: 542]. For new graduates or chuto hires with lighter experience, we don’t drop them into project leadership right away; instead, we carefully nurture and guide them along a clear career path so they can confidently step into that position down the line[cite: 542].<\/p>\n Compared to the past, the number of full-time resident projects has decreased significantly, and they currently account for about 30% of our total portfolio[cite: 543]. While we primarily do business with major enterprises, many of our clients have widely adopted remote work policies, meaning that in some cases, there are barely any employees physically present in their offices to begin with[cite: 543]. As a side note, during the pandemic, we had a project where everything from the initial kick-off to final delivery was handled entirely online with cameras turned off, meaning we successfully completed the entire engagement without ever seeing the clients’ faces even once[cite: 543].<\/p>\n Working in an online-centric environment makes me realize that communication capabilities and the power to accurately grasp a client’s core challenges are being tested more severely than ever before[cite: 543]. While chat tools are abundant and we can establish a decent level of mutual understanding through written text, there is still a massive amount of rich, nuanced information that can only be obtained through real, face-to-face interaction[cite: 543]. “Reading between the lines to accurately capture the customer’s true desires and challenges, and perfectly meeting their expectations.” That is a baseline requirement for any professional consultant, but I feel it has become vastly more critical now than it ever was in the past[cite: 543].<\/p>\n Up until very recently, we operated under a unified “one-pool” system that included our managers[cite: 544]. However, as our organization expanded, we began dividing our teams into an industry-cut structure and a service-cut structure starting this fiscal year[cite: 544]. While I believe our overall organizational building is still very much a work in progress, consultants, by nature, tend to possess strong egos, a healthy competitive drive, and a style where they find deep personal value in stretching their specific strengths[cite: 544]. Therefore, by dividing the organization and giving everyone a clearly defined specialized domain, we can help each member establish their own unique “core weapon,” which I believe will ultimately lead to a much stronger collective organization[cite: 544].<\/p>\n We are seeing an explicit surge in projects related to DX solutions aimed at business process improvement and operational efficiency, as well as GRC engagements\u2014particularly cyber security[cite: 545]. To respond effectively to these needs, our firm constantly evaluates and integrates several emerging technologies into our service portfolio, allowing us to maintain an objective, third-party perspective to select and provide the absolute best-matching solution tailored to each customer’s specific needs[cite: 545].<\/p>\n Speaking strictly from my personal perspective, consulting is ultimately a job where you operate as a supportive, backstage player to help the main client shine[cite: 547]. Therefore, if my employees ever look back on their career journeys and think, “I want to step into the spotlight as the main character and build a brand-new business from scratch,” I want ZEIN to be the kind of company that can fully back them up and turn that dream into reality[cite: 547]. To show them that it can be done, I chose to take the lead myself by stepping into a completely separate franchise business model\u2014the operations of Pilates studios[cite: 547]. It was already a massive brand with about 700 locations in the United States, but we established the 2nd store in Japan (the very 1st franchise location) and are currently running three successful studios[cite: 547].<\/p>\n No, we hire specialized store managers and staff to handle the day-to-day operations of each studio, and the high-level business administration and management are handled entirely by me alone[cite: 547]. However, right after the Pilates venture, we launched a cafe specializing in kebabs, and that entire project was fully conceptualized, planned, and stood up by a passionate team of about five of our regular employees[cite: 547]. Because the communication distance between me and the staff is incredibly close and we have built a vibrant culture where anyone can say what they think, that entire project emerged naturally out of casual, everyday office conversations[cite: 547]. We spent about a year and a half mapping out a highly detailed, meticulous business plan targeting multi-location expansion, but due to severe difficulties getting the very first store onto a stable trajectory, we ultimately made the decision to withdraw and close it down in less than a year[cite: 547].<\/p>\n While it didn’t end up succeeding as a commercially profitable business, I strongly believe that the immense hardship of launching a business from scratch and the raw difficulty of generating consistent revenue remain as a priceless, enduring asset in the form of pure experiential knowledge for our team[cite: 548]. Even though our consultants are highly adept at conceptualizing businesses and translating them into solid business plans on paper, executing the granular, physical steps\u2014such as hiring staff, manufacturing goods, attracting foot traffic, and delivering face-to-face customer service\u2014revealed certain naive blind spots where both I and the team lacked sufficient sharpness[cite: 548]. However, this is definitely not the end of the road. We will continue to cultivate an environment where our team can act as top-tier consultants while concurrently launching and managing actual new businesses, remaining a company that never stops taking on bold challenges[cite: 548].<\/p>\n I have never explicitly studied corporate management through formal academic means[cite: 549]. I operate on the belief that the absolute core of running a company is simply leveraging and applying the vast array of problem-solving skills and practical experiences I have cultivated throughout my years as a consultant[cite: 549].<\/p>\n The essence of consulting is actually remarkably simple: deeply grasp the client’s core challenges and desires, analyze the situation thoroughly, and provide the absolute best solution to resolve it[cite: 549]. I believe corporate management follows the exact same logic[cite: 549]. Fundamental management questions like “How do we secure a larger volume of high-quality projects?” or “How do we keep our employees highly motivated and engaged?” reveal their answers naturally when you face the company and the staff simply and directly[cite: 549]. Keeping that exact philosophy firmly at the top of my mind is, I believe, the most vital aspect of managing a business[cite: 549].<\/p>\n There are two distinct profiles we are actively looking for[cite: 550]. The first is an individual who can commit 100% to our clients as a professional consultant, running parallel with them to deliver results that shatter their expectations[cite: 550]. The second is someone who possesses a genuine interest in scaling up our rapidly growing firm, taking full ownership of expanding our internal organization, business operations, and service capabilities[cite: 550].<\/p>\n The name ZEIN embeds the profound meaning of “\u5168\u54e1\u3067” (with everyone)[cite: 550]. In this line of work, there is a strict limit to what a lone wolf can accomplish on their own[cite: 550]. That is why I want to work with talent who can collaborate as a cohesive team and commit whole-heartedly to the growth of both our clients and ZEIN as a collective[cite: 550]. Together as one team, achieving the milestones, sharing the rewards, and finding true happiness. We intend to continue building that exact kind of company with every single one of our members[cite: 550].<\/p>\n“I loved the version of myself when I was a captain.” This thought was the starting point of everything<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stg.mirai-works.co.jp\/consulnext\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/company_zein_01.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\u2500\u2500Did you always have the idea of starting your own business?<\/h3>\n
\u2500\u2500Did your experience as a captain play a significant role in your entrepreneurship?<\/h3>\n
\u2500\u2500How many years did you stay at Accenture?<\/h3>\n
Co-founding the firm with 20 trusted comrades after working as an independent freelancer and at a global consulting firm<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stg.mirai-works.co.jp\/consulnext\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/company_zein_02.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\u2500\u2500How long did you work as an independent freelancer?<\/h3>\n
\u2500\u2500So instead of starting entirely on your own, you prioritized gathering your core team first.<\/h3>\n
\u2500\u2500So you joined that firm after your independent freelance period.<\/h3>\n
\u2500\u2500What was the situation like when you first launched the company?<\/h3>\n
Facing client challenges simply and directly<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stg.mirai-works.co.jp\/consulnext\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/company_zein_03.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\u2500\u2500Is your ability to go head-to-head with major consulting firms largely due to your capacity to handle end-to-end delivery, including in-house systems development?<\/h3>\n
\u2500\u2500Does your working style involve being stationed entirely on-site at your clients’ offices?<\/h3>\n
\u2500\u2500How is your internal organization structured?<\/h3>\n
\u2500\u2500What types of projects are currently seeing the highest demand?<\/h3>\n
A culture that actively encourages taking on bold challenges<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stg.mirai-works.co.jp\/consulnext\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/company_zein_04.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\u2500\u2500I understand you are also venturing into new businesses completely separate from your core consulting services.<\/h3>\n
\u2500\u2500Are other consultants from your firm also running those studios?<\/h3>\n
\u2500\u2500President Shigano, how did you master the art of corporate management yourself?<\/h3>\n
\u2500\u2500Finally, what kind of people do you want to work with in the future?<\/h3>\n
ZEIN Inc. Corporate Information<\/h2>\n
\n\n
\n Name<\/td>\n ZEIN Inc. [cite: 552]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Location<\/td>\n 2F +SHIFT MITA, 5-3-2 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0014 [cite: 553]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Contact<\/td>\n TEL: 03-6280-4548 (Main) [cite: 553]
FAX: 03-6280-4549 [cite: 553]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n Establishment<\/td>\n November 2017 [cite: 554]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Capital<\/td>\n 41.5 million yen [cite: 554]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Representative Director<\/td>\n Tomohiko Shigano [cite: 554]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Number of Employees<\/td>\n 101 (As of April 2024) [cite: 555]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Group Companies<\/td>\n Carryz Inc. (100% Subsidiary) [cite: 555]
https:\/\/carryz.jp<\/a> [cite: 555]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n Business Overview<\/td>\n Management Strategy Consulting [cite: 555]
Business Consulting [cite: 555]
IT Consulting [cite: 555]<\/p>\n