“Things are rarely going as planned here …”: What broke the Japanese CEO in India, and why remained

Notaka Nishia was not chasing comfort. On March 25, 2024, he took a trip from Tokyo to Bangaluru without anything but a bag and an idea.

By the time when he entered the pre-dawn uproot at India’s technological capital on March 26, he was founder of building a new thing-on an unfamiliar land.

A year later, Nishiyama, founder and CEO of Talendy, Japan, is reflected in what it means to go down to the chaos, ambition of India and the inability to predict – and survival. What he discovered was not only about work. It was about rebuilding instincts, learning from crowds, and giving up perfection.

“Exactly one year ago, it fell in India with a bag only – and a dream,” Nishiyama is written on LinkedIn.

He left Tokyo on March 25 and arrived in Bangalore on March 26, 2024. “When I got out of the airport, I pulled my bag, I found myself standing in a completely new world.”

As a Japanese founder to start operating in India, Nishiyama says he is still surprised by the appearance – from the Indians and Japanese. “There are not many Japanese in India, and most of those living here are expatriates from companies, electronic industries or banking industries,” he said.

Initial meetings are often faced with assumptions. “Toyota?” “Suzuki?” People ask. He answers with a smile, “No, I run a company called Talendy.” The following, usually, is curiosity – or encouragement.

“Every time someone said,” This is interesting! “Or” Why India? “, My confidence has grown and committed to a little stronger.”

Over the year, India has become a mentor. It highlights three basic lessons:

“Perfection is the enemy of progress.”
People here find ways to continue moving forward, regardless of the complexity of things.

“Things are rarely as planned here – and this is good.”
He learned improvisation and acceptance of the inability to predict.

“Working for common goals with people of different religions, languages ​​and cultures has greatly expanded my view of the world.”

“Something inside me definitely turned this year,” he wrote. “Instead of” a psychological challenge within stability “, I learned” to create value within change. “

Close with humility. “Of course, I am still learning … but the people I met in India – especially the amazing energy and ambition of the younger generation – make me advance in the belief that we can create the future together.”