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How a Hawaii-Born Founder Built 5 Businesses in Japan: Tyson Batino on Growth, Grit & Going Local
Tyson Batino has spent 21 years in Japan, built five companies, and helped 30+ clients grow ranging from language schools to SaaS. In this episode, he breaks down Japan’s “longevity over hype” market, why translation ≠ localization, and how he scaled schools to multi-location chains (and even used meme ads to crush CAC). We also dig into Smart Start Japan, his one-stop shop for incorporation, visas, bank accounts, and more.
We get tactical: channel selection (Google Search/Maps, websites, cold email), pricing, converting with Japanese buyers, and building teams when you can’t afford senior hires yet plus how Tyson exports his know-how into AI workflows so juniors can execute at a higher level. He also shares a candid take on recent talk about stricter business manager visa capital requirements and why now may be the best window for founders considering Japan.
If you’re eyeing Japan or just want a masterclass on disciplined growth, this is your playbook.
⌛ Timestamps:
00:38 Show & guest introduction
02:18 From English teacher to founder: Tyson's career progression
07:35 Starting the English school: the origin story
10:45 Launching the Japanese language school
18:36 Product demo
21:43 Case studies of successful clients
26:06 Challenges facing foreign companies entering Japan market
33:47 New venture: Smart Start Japan
39:51 His plan to scale Smart Start Japan
41:28 Staying ahead: strategy & moat
43:33 New rules regarding business manager visa in Japan
50:51 Business challenges: team, ops, focus
58:00 AI Market: pay once, use for life marketplace
01:00:58 How to find the right co-founder(s) for a new business
01:03:48 Where to follow Tyson, Smart Start Japan & scaling your company
01:04:23 Episode outro and next episode preview
Follow Tyson & SmartStart Japan & Scaling Your Company:
Tyson's Twitter/X: https://x.com/Tysonbatino
Tyson's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tysonbatino/
SmartStart Japan's website: https://smartstartjapan.com/
Scaling Your Company's website: https://scalingyourcompany.com/
Our social media:
Crypto card guide: cryptocardguide.com
Twitter/X: x.com/ColorsofWeb3pod
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/colors-of-web3-entrepreneurship
If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!
View all episodes
By Lam TrinhTyson Batino has spent 21 years in Japan, built five companies, and helped 30+ clients grow ranging from language schools to SaaS. In this episode, he breaks down Japan’s “longevity over hype” market, why translation ≠ localization, and how he scaled schools to multi-location chains (and even used meme ads to crush CAC). We also dig into Smart Start Japan, his one-stop shop for incorporation, visas, bank accounts, and more.
We get tactical: channel selection (Google Search/Maps, websites, cold email), pricing, converting with Japanese buyers, and building teams when you can’t afford senior hires yet plus how Tyson exports his know-how into AI workflows so juniors can execute at a higher level. He also shares a candid take on recent talk about stricter business manager visa capital requirements and why now may be the best window for founders considering Japan.
If you’re eyeing Japan or just want a masterclass on disciplined growth, this is your playbook.
⌛ Timestamps:
00:38 Show & guest introduction
02:18 From English teacher to founder: Tyson's career progression
07:35 Starting the English school: the origin story
10:45 Launching the Japanese language school
18:36 Product demo
21:43 Case studies of successful clients
26:06 Challenges facing foreign companies entering Japan market
33:47 New venture: Smart Start Japan
39:51 His plan to scale Smart Start Japan
41:28 Staying ahead: strategy & moat
43:33 New rules regarding business manager visa in Japan
50:51 Business challenges: team, ops, focus
58:00 AI Market: pay once, use for life marketplace
01:00:58 How to find the right co-founder(s) for a new business
01:03:48 Where to follow Tyson, Smart Start Japan & scaling your company
01:04:23 Episode outro and next episode preview
Follow Tyson & SmartStart Japan & Scaling Your Company:
Tyson's Twitter/X: https://x.com/Tysonbatino
Tyson's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tysonbatino/
SmartStart Japan's website: https://smartstartjapan.com/
Scaling Your Company's website: https://scalingyourcompany.com/
Our social media:
Crypto card guide: cryptocardguide.com
Twitter/X: x.com/ColorsofWeb3pod
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/colors-of-web3-entrepreneurship
If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming episodes with industry experts and innovators in the Web3 and Entrepreneurship spaces. Thank you for listening!