After a career in hospitality and advertising, Robert co-founded Custom Media, an award-winning, integrated digital marketing and strategic communications agency in Tokyo in 2008. He regularly advises global brands on their market entry and expansion strategies for Japan. He has a passion for high-quality creative work and delivering strategic marketing solutions with a results-driven approach. Robert has an MBA from McGill University and a certificate in Digital Transformation Platform Strategies from MIT Sloan. He has launched several successful media and content platforms, the most recent being GoConnect (https://goconnect.jp/), an award-winning, digital marketplace platform that features interesting content, great offers and experiences for foreigners living or visiting Japan. He is one of four judges at the annual Japan Market Expansion Competition (https://jmec.gr.jp/) and a deputy chair of Animal Refuge Kansai (https://www.arkbark.net/) an NPO established in 1999 dedicated to the rescue of unwanted, abused, and homeless animals with an aim to rehabilitate them and to find them permanent loving new homes. Topics covered in today's episode include: -the power of using Chambers of Commerce, societies, and volunteer organizations to build a strong and meaningful network in Japan -Robert’s experience founding the first exclusively bilingual content firm in Japan -expectations for the coming travel boom in Japan -travel tips and resources for the savvy and frugal Robert's Links: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertheldt/ Company: https://goconnect.jp/ Travel: -https://www.sportsjourney.jp/ -https://www.jnto.go.jp/ -https://www.japan.travel/en/ NPOs: -https://www.arkbark.net/ -https://rei-npo.org/en/ -https://sokids.org/ -https://mirai-no-mori.jp/ -https://youmewenpo.org/ -https://www.kiwl.net/ -https://tokyo-yamathon.com/ Chambers and societies: -https://www.accj.or.jp/ -https://www.anzccj.jp/ -https://bccjapan.com/ -https://www.cccj.or.jp/ -https://ebc-jp.com/ -https://www.ijcc.jp/ -https://www.saccj.com/ -https://ajstokyo.org/en-home/ -https://www.japanbritishsociety.or.jp/en/ -http://janz.jp/en/ Want to support the podcast? Check the podcast's ko-fi page to help keep me well-caffeinated enough to keep making content: https://ko-fi.com/businesssuccessjapan Be sure to follow or subscribe for more Japanese language and cultural insights. And if you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review so that other people can find it as well. And of course, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes, please email me at [email protected]. I'd love to hear from you! Leave me a voice message here: https://anchor.fm/businesssuccessjapan/message --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/businesssuccessjapan/message