Meet: Masaru & Akio

Context

Sony (ソニー), a Japanese manufacturer of consumer electronics products:

• Started with a rice cooker

• In the market for 77 years

• Has today 95,533 patents

Sony’s story

Masaru and Akio complemented each other. Masaru was the technical genius, while Akio was the business mastermind. Sony's journey began right after of World War II when the two partnered, with an initial capital of about $500.

Their first product was an electric rice cooker, which was a commercial failure. They pivoted to tape recorders, and in 1950 produced the Japan's first tape recorder, which marked the beginning of Sony's success in the electronics industry.

In 1955, they released the TR-55, Japan's first commercially successful transistor radio. This was followed by the even more popular TR-63 in 1957, which became a huge hit in the United States.

The founders' commitment to innovation drove Sony to create groundbreaking products. In 1979, they revolutionized the music industry with the introduction of the Walkman, the world's first portable music player. This iconic device changed how people listened to music and became a symbol of Sony's innovative spirit.

Market differentiation

• Elevate the Japanese cultural status: they wanted to change the perception of Japanese products from cheap to high-quality, through innovation.

• Never follow others: they believed in creating unique products that didn't exist in the market, rather than copying competitors.

• Do what others don't: they encouraged their engineers to think outside the box and pursue seemingly impossible ideas.

Masaru’s career advice

1. Look for opportunities that match your abilities and motivation. You have to discover your strengths and get to the positions that suit you.

2. Develop yourself by taking on challenging tasks and succeed through your own efforts and determination. Act as your own driving force for growth.

Happy July,

– Steve