Rakuten LinkShare Corporation provides ecommerce businesses with a range of online marketing services including Affiliate Marketing, Lead Generation, and Search Marketing (SEM).

 

 

I joined Rakuten Linkshare as Executive Vice President based in Tokyo. For me it was going to be my dream job and a means to apply everything I had learned and experienced in my career.

 

With a team of almost 175 staff, most of them about half my age, I set out to bring fundamental changes to the organization. The challenges were not insignificant. It was a New York City-based company and the Japan operation had only recently joined Rakuten. Moreover, the teams came from different backgrounds and learning to work together. Immediately I set out to create a culture of teamwork, customer service and creative thinking.

 

"We are not an online marketing company; we are a customer service company!"

 

In a short time I grew to have so much respect for the team. We learned from each other and saw a bright future ahead. However...

 

LESSONS LEARNED

 

Not everything turns out as you expect and sometimes the needs of the many outweigh your own needs. It is important to be decisive quickly when necessary. An important life lesson for me. 

 

BEST EXPERIENCES

 

• I was immensely delighted in the relationships I built with the staff and managers in a short period of time. A great team.