Innovation in a Reinvented World: 10 Essential Elements to Succeed in the New World of Business

The Bridge Group: Reiko Emmi-Sota, Cultural Ambassador

Reiko Emmi-Sota has been building cultural bridges her entire life, from a young girl growing up in Japan to the life of a corporate professional and ultimately as a serial entrepreneur in the United States.

Sensing the winds of change a decade ago, Emmi-Sota sought to bridge Asian and American businesses in new ways. But due to the Great Recession in the United States and the lingering innovation slump in Japan, she decided it was time to regroup and reinvent her company in preparation for helping clients bridge their business success for a new reality.

“It's not just economic conditions, and although it made this all happen faster, it is still only a symptom. If we have a mind-set that keeps us locked in fear, we're only going to see things from a limited perspective. People are struggling with seeing the possibilities beyond where they are today,” says Emmi-Sota.

“Of course, it is human nature to protect ourselves. We want to stay together, but the group mentality of fear has a reverse, toxic effect on innovating. Fear has a way of blocking people from seeing the light, seeing hope, and seeing the possibilities. Unfortunately, once this negativity is pressed, the more energy it takes to bring us to the same place we were originally,” she adds.

Emmi-Sota trained as a feng shui practitioner in San Francisco, which offered her a chance to learn about a system established thousands of years ago in China, to satisfy her curiosity ...