Resources: Playbooks
and Expert Insights
Welcome to the Gradient Consulting Resources page, your access point to my frameworks and insights I use to accelerate revenue growth for AI startups across Japan, Korea, and APAC.
The Survival Guide for Japanese Leaders at US Startups
10 Essential Principles to Thrive in a Fast-Paced, Cross-Cultural Environment.
Why This Guide is Critical for You
You're brilliant, but the rules of the game have changed. US startups don't operate on harmony, consensus, or clear swim lanes. If you come from a structured Japanese company, you face immediate challenges:
Ambiguity is Chaos: Things feel chaotic and disorganized, forcing you to struggle to take initiative because you're waiting for clarity and consensus that never comes.
Paralysis by Perfection: Your commitment to quality means you spend too much time aligning and preparing, causing you to be seen as "slow" or "bureaucratic" by HQ, eroding your credibility.
Invisible Value (Humility): Your excellent work is overlooked because your cultural humility is misunderstood. Your contributions risk being forgotten or misattributed.
Your Battle-Tested Playbook: The 10 Principles
This guide, built from a decade of coaching Japanese leaders in US hyper-growth environments, gives you the immediate mindset and behavioral shifts you need.
Why Listen to Me (Mike Kim)? I am a unique, dual-culture veteran who can bridge this gap. I've walked the path you're on, from San Francisco to where I now live in Tokyo.
“When I first met Mike while at Deloitte Consulting in 2010, I was at Palantir and we collaborated for him to lead the first Palantir project at Deloitte which was for the U.S. government. Many years later, I introduced him to the founder of a startup and under Mike’s leadership as the Head of APAC, the Asia Pacific region became the leading region for the company. Mike has dedicated many years to Asia and has developed an approach that is a valuable resource for startups looking to enter and expand in the region.”
Trae Stephens
Founders Fund, Partner