01 — GO-TO-MARKET
GTM, Sales
& Purchasing
Clarify markets, customers, channels, pricing and sourcing terms. Support market entry, channel development and purchasing with a clear view of landed costs and economics.
Explore this serviceJAPAN × UNITED STATES
Build your Japan–U.S.growth engine.Beyond strategy.
For companies entering and growing in Japan and the U.S.From sales and purchasing to cross-border e-commerce, operating systems and partner development. We turn plans into working operations—pilot small, measure ROI, and scale what works.
STRATEGY → EXECUTION → MEASURABLE RESULTS
Explore your options U.S. COMPANY ESTABLISHED2004
MARKETS WE CONNECTJAPAN × U.S.
WORKING LANGUAGESJapanese / English
BASED INMichigan, U.S.
01 / YOUR CHALLENGE
What would you like
to move forward?
For companies entering and growing in Japan and the United States. We bridge more than language and business practices: we connect channels, unit economics and day-to-day operations through hands-on execution.
02 / OUR EXPERTISE
Four disciplines.
One practical approach.
From market-entry planning to operational improvement. We bring the right disciplines together around your goals, and work alongside you through execution.
GTM, Sales
02 — CROSS-BORDER E-COMMERCE
Cross-Border
E-Commerce
Support listings, inventory, shipping, returns and SKU-level economics for the relevant market, products and seller eligibility. Channels and execution scope are confirmed individually.
Explore this service03 — IT & OPERATING SYSTEMS
IT & Operating
Systems
Fit-for-purpose tools, clear workflows, connected data and automated reporting. Reduce repetitive work and build operations that can scale.
Explore this service04 — PARTNERSHIPS & VALUE CREATION
Investment & JV — Business Support
PE Portfolio Improvement
Business partner development, commercial research and JV operating outlines. Support sales and operations at PE portfolio companies, not investment recommendations or securities solicitation.
Explore this serviceNON-LICENSED SCOPE
We do not provide legal or tax services, investment advice, or fundraising solicitation. Where required, we coordinate with qualified attorneys, accountants, tax advisors and other licensed professionals.
03 / HOW WE WORK
Start focused.
Prove it. Then scale.
Not a bigger plan, but a more dependable path to execution. Align on goals and economics, run a focused pilot, and standardize the approach that works.
01 / DISCOVER
Get clear on what progress means.
Align on objectives, constraints, KPIs and available data. Establish how the team will recognize meaningful progress before execution begins.
WHAT WE CLARIFY
Business goals and priorities
Budget, team and timing constraints
Decision-making KPIs and data sources
Outputs and checks differ by stage. Timing, scope, fees and communications are agreed for each engagement; outcomes and timeframes are not guaranteed.
View example outcomes01 / Discover04 / WHY SOZU
Beyond the presentation.
Into the day-to-day.
Different languages and business practices make precise execution essential. Our focus is to connect the work on the ground and turn plans into measurable progress.
Execution first
Launch timing, operating procedures, KPIs and unit economics guide the work—not presentation slides alone.
Bilingual. Bicultural.
Bridge negotiation styles, business practices and regulatory considerations across Japan and the U.S.
Pilot before expansion
Test ROI within a focused scope, then scale the methods that prove useful.
Practical networks
Connect suppliers, channels and specialists to support sourcing, distribution and day-to-day operations.
05 / BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Useful perspectives.
Before the first conversation.
View the market-entry checklistFive questions to ask
before entering a market.
Customers, channels, economics, requirements and the conditions for a useful pilot.
Read the guideUnderstand the economics
of each product first.
Look beyond the purchase price and make product-level decisions with clearer cost assumptions.
Read the guideOrganize the workflow
before you scale it.
Turn individual know-how into operations that can be shared, reviewed and handed over.
Read the guideThese planning guides develop the themes of our services. They are not case-specific advice or guarantees of results.
06 / ABOUT SOZU
Message from the Representative
Strategy only has value when it is implemented. Rooted in both Japanese and U.S. operations, we design and run an end-to-end system—from sourcing to sales, from workflows and IT to partner development—to turn plans into measurable outcomes. Where language, practices, and regulations diverge, precision in day-to-day execution matters most. That is why we speak in processes and numbers, not just in slides.
Our approach is straightforward. We first align on goals, constraints, and KPIs, then use unit economics (from landed cost to margin) to identify a viable path. Next, we conduct a focused 60–90 day pilot, review results weekly, and refine quickly. Only what proves out is then standardized and automated for scale. We move with speed while meeting compliance and governance from the start.
Our strengths include bilingual, bicultural negotiation, a vetted network of suppliers, channels, and specialists, and a strong bias for practical implementation that makes operations truly run. Instead of over-engineering, we start with minimum-viable systems that fit the objective, then ensure repeatability with SOPs and dashboards. The outcome is not only revenue and margin improvement, but also stability in operating KPIs such as inventory turns, returns, and customer support.
What we promise is to stay until it works, and ultimately to help our clients become self-sufficient. We build a Japan–U.S. growth engine not as a theoretical plan, but as a working system on the ground. Let’s start small, prove it with a pilot, and then scale what works.
Norio SuzukiCEO & Representative Director
Representative profile
Born in Japan in 1973, I studied a wide range of business disciplines at Aoyama Gakuin University, including strategic management, marketing, accounting, finance, human resource management, organizational theory, and business law. Even during my university years, I focused on developing practical skills with a clear vision of starting my own business in the future.
After graduating from Aoyama Gakuin University, I gained experience in the apparel industry and real estate sales before founding my first business in Tokyo in 2000, launching a wholesale and retail venture. This allowed me to acquire extensive hands-on experience in areas such as procurement, sales, and promotional activities.
In 2004, I established Sozu Productions, Inc. in California, USA, with the mission of serving as a “bridge” between Japan and the United States. Since then, I have built a comprehensive support system spanning sales and purchasing, cross-border e-commerce, IT infrastructure development, venture support, and partnership building.
Having since naturalized as a U.S. citizen, I am now based in Michigan, where I continue to expand collaborations with partners and companies in both Japan and the United States, further driving the growth of our business.
The representative’s message is reproduced verbatim from the existing website. Engagement scope, timing, fees and communications are agreed individually.
QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
Can we start a conversation before the plan is fully defined?
Share the target market, current business and the challenge you are trying to solve. The discovery process is designed to clarify goals, constraints and questions before defining the scope.
Do you work in Japanese and English?
Yes. We work in Japanese and English, with attention to the differences in negotiation, business practices and day-to-day operations.
Do you provide investment, legal or tax advice?
No. We do not provide legal or tax services, investment advice or fundraising solicitation. We support commercial and operational work, coordinating with qualified professionals when licensed judgment is needed.
What should we prepare before speaking?
Prepare what you know about your company and offer, target market, current challenges, goals, timing and team constraints. The market-entry checklist can help organize the starting point.
07 / CAREERS
Build Japan–U.S.
business with us.
From a practical plan to work on the ground. Explore the three roles, working arrangements and requirements described on our existing careers page.
01 / GTM, Sales & Purchasing
Consultant / Associate
Market, channel and pricing design, with research and outreach support across suppliers and sales partners.
Role details 02 / Ops / DataIT & Operating Systems
Support operations through workflows, data quality, tool connections and repeatable procedures.
Role details 03 / PartnershipsBusiness Development
Develop partner options, organize commercial evidence and coordinate practical project execution.
Role detailsLET’S BUILD WHAT’S NEXT
Let’s make the
next step practical.
An early idea or an operating business. Tell us where you are and what needs to move forward. We will use your objectives and constraints to shape a practical conversation.
✓Conversations in Japanese and English✓A scope shaped around your business needs
Send your inquiry through our dedicated contact form.
CONTACT / NEXT STEP
Tell us what
you are working on.
Use our contact form for business or recruitment inquiries. We work in Japanese and English.
Open the inquiry form