Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai

In this episode of Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai, Jennifer sits down with Christiane Brew, a British actress, improviser, director, producer, and coach based in Tokyo. Christiane is moving from performing other people's work to creating her own, and she shares how a tea and cake brainstorm with two fellow actresses grew into an immersive murder mystery experience, "Murder: My Story, The Wedding." Together they explore the messy middle of a new project, how roles shift as an idea grows, why naming uncomfortable emotions builds trust, and how the answers we need are often hiding in plain sight. Christiane also reflects on how her first job as a hotel receptionist still shapes the way she produces today.If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we'd love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway.In this episode you’ll hear:How a group of three actresses turned a casual brainstorm into a full production.Why writing for yourself can create the work that doesn't exist yet.How a first job as a hotel receptionist shaped Christiane's approach to producing.Why roles change as a project grows, and how to lead without losing equality.The power of saying "this isn't fun anymore" out loud to build trust.Why asking "why" and looking inside first can reveal what is hiding in plain sight.About Christiane:Christiane Brew is a British actress, improviser, director, producer and coach based in Tokyo. From her very first job at sixteen, she's built experience across a surprising range of careers. Today, those experiences combine with her work as a performer to form a creative toolkit that reaches far beyond the stage.Most recently, she co-wrote and is producing Murder My Story, Tokyo's first immersive murder mystery theatre experience. Created by three women from different generations, backgrounds and skill sets, it's a show where the audience don't simply watch—they arrive as wedding guests and become part of the story.Today we're talking about the idea of ikigai—how Christiane found hers through performance, why creating meaningful shared experiences has become such a driving force in her life, and how decades of experience across theatre, business, marketing, education and leadership have come together in one ambitious creative project.We'll explore creative freedom, building your own opportunities instead of waiting for permission, the realities of collaboration, and why the most valuable resource you have may not be something you need to go looking for—but the skills, experiences and people already around you.Connect with Christiane:Website: https://www.christianebrew.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Brew-Actress/61578663187787/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianelbrLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianebrew/Murder, My Story: The Wedding Tickets https://fienta.com/murder-my-story-199671Connect with Jennifer:Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifershinkai/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifershinkaicoachWebsite: https://jennifershinkai.com/ Instagram Coaching and Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/Instagram Artist: https://www.instagram.com/jennifershinkai/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/Things mentioned in the episode: The Book Thief (book Christiane read during her recovery): https://www.amazon.co.jp/Book-Thief-Readers-Circle/dp/0375842209"Murder: My Story, The Wedding"https://fienta.com/murder-my-story

In this episode of Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai, Jennifer sits down with her longtime friend and colleague Helen Iwata, a bilingual leadership and communications coach with over 35 years of experience in Japan. Helen opens up about the difficult seasons she has navigated in both her business and personal life, including a significant financial setback after working with a business coach that shook her confidence deeply. She shares her journey through bitterness, self-blame, and the slow, gradual process of finding her way back to joy. Helen and Jennifer explore the concept of "divine timing," the power of patience, and the importance of sitting with difficult emotions rather than bypassing them. They also discuss Helen's evolving professional identity, the philosophy of "less effort, more impact," the concept of mottainai as it applies to talent and energy, and the 10th anniversary of Helen's book Eigo no Shigoto Jutsu. The conversation is honest, warm, and deeply relatable for anyone navigating a season of transition.If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway.In this episode you’ll hear:How Helen lost her sense of joy during a difficult few years and how she is finding her way backWhy taking 100% responsibility is so hard, and why it matters more than playing the victimHelen's philosophy of "less effort, more impact" and how it applies to leadership and communicationThe concept of mottainai applied to talent, energy, and unsolicited adviceWhy action brings clarity, and why you can't do what you don't know if you keep doing what you do knowThe 10th anniversary of Helen's book Eigo no Shigoto Jutsu and her new podcast and YouTube seriesAbout Helen:Helen Iwata is a bilingual leadership and communication coach from the UK with over 35 years’ experience in Japan, helping managers and executives in Japan—especially women—lead and communicate confidently in global business settings.During her 10 years with McKinsey & Company, she served as Manager of Client Communications, coaching consultants and clients in leadership, communication, and high-stakes presentations.As the founder of Sasuga Communications K. K., she partners with multinational organizations to design and deliver leadership and communication development programs for rising leaders through to seasoned executives across the APAC region.Helen is a TEDx coach and speaker, Nikkei Online columnist, author of Eigo no Shigoto-jutsu (Shogakukan), host of the Sasuga! Podcast, and serves on the Executive Committee of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan.She is also a wife, mother, and karate world champion.6 Weeks To Clear, Confident Communication For Women In BusinessHelen has launched a new program to help women managers and executives in Japan to speak more clearly and confidently in global business settings, so they can create greater impact through their work while staying true to themselves.Learn more: sasugacommunications.com/interestConnect with Helen:Sasuga Communications: https://sasugacommunications.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heleniwata/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heleniwata/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HelenIwataConnect with Jennifer:Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifershinkai/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifershinkaicoachWebsite: https://jennifershinkai.com/ Instagram Coaching and Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/Instagram Artist: https://www.instagram.com/jennifershinkai/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/Things mentioned in this episode:Eigo no Shigoto Jutsu by Helen Iwatahttps://www.amazon.co.jp/%E8%8B%B1%E8%AA%9E%E3%81%AE%E4%BB%95%E4%BA%8B%E8%A1%93-%E3%82%B0%E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%90%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BB%E3%83%93%E3%82%B8%E3%83%8D%E3%82%B9%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B3%E3%83%9F%E3%83%A5%E3%83%8B%E3%82%B1%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A7%E3%83%B3-%E5%B2%A9%E7%94%B0-%E3%83%98%E3%83%AC%E3%83%B3/dp/4093884560Sasuga Podcasthttps://sasugacommunications.com/category/podcast/Jim Fortin's programhttps://www.jimfortin.com/jims-products/

In this episode of Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai, Jennifer speaks with Lana Iwabuchi, founder of Rocklit and creator of the Daruma Vision Workshop, reflecting on mentorship, being called “sempai,” and the idea of paying it forward. Lana shares her background of growing up in Japan from the age of 10 and how she began building connections in the foreign coaching community. She tells the origin story of the workshop, inspired by a trip with friends, manifestation, the Japanese tradition of “yoshuku” (pre-celebration), and discovering modern daruma dolls used to set and achieve goals by painting in their eyes. Lana describes the workshop flow—vision activation through visualization, embodying and sharing goals in the present tense, and anchoring them by painting a daruma—plus her decision to persevere through early failed launches and later expand the workshop with collaborators Monica and sound therapist Nanako. She explains Rocklit’s purpose of bringing spirit back into leadership and encourages listeners to be inspired and inspire others.If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway.In this episode you’ll hear:Insights into the creation of the Daruma Vision WorkshopReflections on mentorship roles and embracing changeStrategies for turning visions into reality through emotional intelligenceThe impact of community and cultural richness in coachingInspiration for fostering connections and inspiring othersAbout Lana:Lana Iwabuchi is a Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach and leadership facilitator based in Tokyo. She brings firsthand experience from corporate Japan—having worked at Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Amazon Japan—into her mission of bringing emotional intelligence to workplaces. Her approach blends Western science with Eastern wisdom, shaped by over 25 years in Japan and a rich, multicultural upbringing across five countries on three continents. Through coaching, workshops, and keynotes, Lana creates safe, inspiring spaces where people reconnect with themselves and others. By helping leaders rediscover their sense of purpose and presence, she reignites the human spirit behind leadership, one grounded in awareness, courage, and heart. Russian by roots and Japanese at heart, Lana’s work bridges emotion and logic, East and West, science and spirit—inviting all to live and lead with an open heart.Connect with Lana:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lana-iwabuchi/rocklit(website): https://www.rocklit.com/rocklit(LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocklit/Find out more about Daruma Vision: https://www.rocklit.com/darumaConnect with Jennifer:Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifershinkai/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifershinkaicoachWebsite: https://jennifershinkai.com/ Instagram Coaching and Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/Instagram Artist: https://www.instagram.com/jennifershinkai/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/

In this episode of Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai, I welcome Hendrik, a friend and professional contact since 2019, to discuss talents and strengths. We reconnect after several years and reflect on how their collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic was crucial for Jennifer's business survival. Hendrik shares his experience working at Manulife Japan, emphasizing the importance of cultural diversity and the positive energy at the Indonesian Pavilion Expo. We delve into Hendrik's journey to Japan, his struggles and learnings in a different culture, and his newfound passion for Gallup’s CliftonStrengths assessment. Hendrik highlights the importance of knowing one’s talents and leveraging them to live a fulfilled life, aligning this with the concept of Ikigai. We also discuss the potential pitfalls of overusing strengths and the paradigm shift required in corporate environments to focus on strengths rather than weaknesses. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. In this episode you’ll hear:How Hendrik discovered his passion and Ikigai through the CliftonStrengths assessment, including his journey from Indonesia to Japan and his unique experiences in the Japanese workplaceThe importance of focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses, and how a strengths-based approach differs from trying to fix weaknessesHow leveraging individual strengths can boost workplace morale, enhance engagement, and improve overall quality of lifePractical steps to uncover and use your hidden talents in daily lifeThe crucial role that connections and community play in achieving professional success and finding purposeThings mentioned in the episode:CliftonStrengths: https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/253676/how-cliftonstrengths-works.aspx32 CliftonStrengths team synergy sessions, 498 people over the last 2 years (Jan 2024 – Dec 2025)About Hendrik:Hendrik joined Manulife in January 2023 as Global Learning Partner, reporting into Asia Learning Lead and rolled up to Katherine MacNaughton`s organization. While sitting in the global team, Hendrik`s role is to build a learning culture in the Japan market. Hendrik ensures Japan programs are aligned with Manulife strategies & priorities while meeting the Japan market needs.  Prior to joining Manulife, Hendrik had similar roles and responsibilities in companies such as Philip Morris International and Bridgestone. Hendrik also performed an APAC regional role during his time in Bridgestone where he led regional talent management related projects covering 11 countries working in the Regional HQ of Bridgestone in Singapore. Hendrik`s background is in talent management and development areas.  Hendrik was awarded an MBA from Murdoch University in Singapore in 2018 and graduated with a Bachelor of Business from Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia.Outside of work, Hendrik is a father of 2 daughters.Connect with Hendrik:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hendrik-kwee-2512474b/Contact: https://www.gallup.com/learning/certification/en/10644108/profile.aspxConnect with Jennifer:Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifershinkai/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifershinkaicoach Website: https://jennifershinkai.com/ Instagram Coaching and Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/Instagram Artist: https://www.instagram.com/jennifershinkai/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/

In this episode of Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai, Jennifer engages in a deep conversation with Dr. Greg Story, discussing a variety of topics from his personal experiences and insights. They delve into Dr. Story's transformative journey from overcoming a challenging childhood and academic setbacks to achieving success in Japan. The conversation also touches on the significance of living an intentional life, the profound impact of near-death experiences, and the importance of adapting to technological advancements like AI. Dr. Story emphasizes generosity, discipline, and the value of helping others in personal and professional growth.If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. In this episode you’ll hear:Dr. Greg Story's mindset shift from fear to potentiality.Insights on how AI can enhance our personal and professional lives.The importance of leading an intentional life and fostering community.The influence of karate in developing discipline and confidence.Greg's transformation from an underconfident student to a PhD holder and leader.Strategies for fostering empathy and understanding in leadership.About  GregDr. Greg Story is the President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training Japan. He holds a Ph.D. in Japanese organisational decision-making and is a 40-year veteran of Japan with broad business leadership experience, having served as Country Head of four organisations in Japan.He launched a start-up in Nagoya and completed major turnarounds in both Osaka and Tokyo for Austrade. In 2001, he was promoted to Minister Commercial in the Australian Embassy and became the Country Head for Austrade. In 2003, he joined Shinsei’s Retail Bank, a unique mix of start-up and turnaround, where he managed 550 staff in the Platinum Banking Division—responsible for two-thirds of the bank’s revenue—eventually becoming Joint CEO of the Retail Bank. In 2007, he was appointed Country Head for the National Australia Bank in Japan.Since 2010, Dr. Story has led Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training Japan as President. He is a Master Trainer, an international award-winning Sales Leader, and the author of eight books including Japan Sales Mastery, Japan Business Mastery, Japan Presentations Mastery, and Japan Leadership Mastery.Beyond his corporate career, Dr. Story is an Adjunct Professor in the International Business Faculty at Griffith University. He is also a 6th Dan in traditional Shitoryu Karate and applies martial arts philosophies and strategies to leadership and business.Things mentioned in the episodeGreg doing Unshu in 1987Interview video with Lance LeeDale Carnegie Tokyo WebsiteDr. Greg Story’s author page on AmazonDr. Greg Story’s podcast page on Apple PodcastsConnect with GregLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregstory/Connect with JenniferLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifershinkai/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifershinkaicoach Website: https://jennifershinkai.com/ Instagram Coaching and Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/Instagram Artist: https://www.instagram.com/jennifershinkai/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/