Entrepreneur Association of Tokyo
Featured Member - Goetz Parnitzke

Interview - June 2006

Goetz Parnitzke - German Style Japan
President & Founder

German Style Japan was founded in January 2006. We specialize in selling high-quality German confectionary products as well as typical German high end lifestyle and design products featuring many internationally known brands.

There are more than 150 different products available on www.germanstyle.jp. German Style also offers a product-sourcing-service for products not listed on the online shop.

1. When did you start your first business? What was it? What lessons did you take away from that experience?
When I came to Japan with my previous company, its set up in Japan had the character of a start-up-company, so I was able to experience the development of the company up close.
It was like a small baby, you had to take care for from the 1st day. For a company to survive in Japan means to be more hands on than in Europe. In terms of customer and service-orientation Japan is way ahead of Europe. Communicating this service-mentality to Europe was sometimes a challenging experience.

2. What are some of the challenges you have faced in starting your business and how did you overcome them?
For me one of the greatest challenges was to become well known and recognized by potential customers while working with a limited budget. Particularly when it comes to selling food in Japan, it´s very hard to compete. Here you just have a chance to survive by offering a mixture of extraordinary and well-known products. But you always have to maintain first-class-service. On the other hand I often experience a target conflict between offering excellent service and keeping the budget.

3. How did you form your business? (Yugen Kaisha, Kabushiki   Kaisha, etc.) How long did the start-up process take?
Yugen Kaisha. I have a friend working in this business-field, so the entire start-up-process took about 5-6 weeks.

4. Where do you see your business in 5 years?
I´d like to grow the German Style catalogue-business. I learned that although the Internet-business is increasing. People still enjoy flipping through a physical catalogue.
German Style Japan should be a viable partner in terms of German lifestyle and design to many customers throughout Japan.

5. Do you see yourself as an entrepreneur? Why?
Yes, I do. I guess, I'm always thinking and talking about my business,my desire to achieve certain goals and to overcome problems. These are characteristics for being an entrepeneur.

6. What is your definition of an entrepreneur?
One of the better definitions I´ve heard is: "someone who perceives an opportunity and creates an organization to pursue it."

7. What piece of advice would you give to a person wanting to start his or her own business in Japan?
"If you can make it here, you can make it everywhere.“ Japan offers a fantastic environment for entrepreneurs, but be sure to meet the high standards and keep an eye on your financial plans

8. Can you recommend any resources such as books, websites, or support centers for entrepreneurs in Japan?
I received great advice and information from the German Chamber of Commerce and JETRO.

9. Who are your mentors in business?
All the people I communicate with in business.
But I gain the most from the advice from my wife Ulrike, who supports me whenever possible and gives me motivation when I´m running out of energy.

10. What makes you happy?
Being in the company of good friends and family, discovering foreign countries and cultures, trying do do something, I thought was impossible for me to do.