Influencing Travel: Building Brand and Purpose

The Fixer: Event Planning and Management

I think my guest on this episode demonstrates the power of the JET connection and experience - getting into a career that allows him to travel the world and learn - specifically about the way business practices are done globally. Ryan Hata works in the event planning and project management space at Columbia Business School. As always, we don’t just talk about what he does as part of his job, but also expand into topics related to his work, like global business practices, and what innovation looks like in China and India. Note: This will the final episode for 2025. After JET will be taking a break. Thanks to everyone who has been supporting and listening to the podcast.

Education for Life: Adult Education and Literacy

On JET, teaching can really immerse you in the local community - and many have also found their future career in education as a result. For my guest, it has lead to many opportunities- travel around the world and a way to do positive impacts on people’s lives. - Quebec City Reading Council has a website at http://www.qcrc.org/ - they also accept volunteer tutors. - Find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/quebeccityreadingcouncil Music for this episode is 'Pursuit of Life' by Kirk Osamayo, sourced from Free Music Archive under license type (CC BY).

Sky Dive: About Confidence and Chances

Our post-JET lives can be interesting and varied, thanks to the many opportunities available and networks that we form. That's the theme of this episode but along the way, we meander in our discussion, talking about the good and bad of AI, innovation and how taking chances can lead to great things.

Revisting Tohoku: Present and Future

On this special anniversary episode of the Tohoku disaster, special guest William McMichael talks about the current state of Fukushima and Tohoku, 14 years on. Though challenges remain, the outlook is far from bleak, with the people of Tohoku determined to forge a future of sustainability - and hope. Footnotes - Hope Tourism: https://www.hopetourism.jp/en/ - if you want to contribute to Tohoku's rebuilding, consider this special tour and hear the stories beyond the news cycle.

Influencing Travel: Building Brand and Purpose

Japan is a rich source for social-media-worthy pics - the history, culture, landscape, architecture, food and more. Unsurprisingly, some JETs have turned to building an online-based career. Few have been as successful as my guest who runs @yamatrips, a well-known Instagram account that showcases the road less travelled in Japan. If you've ever wondered how social media can be used in business, then you're in luck, as Tony Xia gives us his insights into online brand building - with a purpose. Footnotes - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yamatrips/ - Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@yamatrips - Tony's article in JETStreams "Insights from a Japan Influencer": https://jetprogramme.org/en/jetstreams/summer2024/#elm-8