There are many takeaways from my conversation with Ryan Christopher McGuire about his experience pioneering a commercial film production company in Tokyo.
But perhaps the most fascinating to me is how Ryan has evolved service offerings of his company (Cutters Studios Tokyo) from just film production to now include consulting and a unique form of account management.
Listening to our dialogue on my newest podcast episode of Crossing the Axis, you might think this strategy was intentional and intuitive.
However, Ryan’s path was anything but straightforward. He faced numerous challenges, including overcoming initial poor market analysis and unexpected cultural differences.
But what stands out about successful entrepreneurs like Ryan is their ability to listen and adapt to market signals—even when it means confronting their own misconceptions.
Many fail by rigidly adhering to their initial beliefs rather than adapting to reality.
Ryan’s “fish out of water” story highlights his adaptability. By immersing himself in the distinct cultural and business dynamics of Japan, he has been forced to finely tune his approach to client management and goal setting.
For instance, understanding the nuanced perceptions of risk in Japan has reshaped how he establishes and pursues client objectives.
This adaptability has not only won him calls from American ad agencies looking to tap their clients into the Japanese market, but it's also made him a preferred partner for Japanese clients aiming globally.
Adapting to the market has also influenced Cutters’ practical production process.
As a result of Tokyo being difficult to film on-location, Cutters has developed a “pre-viz” process that leaves nothing to chance for every production.
This process has been so successful for them and their clients, that he established a new “Director of Storycraft” position in the company, whose job is to coordinate the Art and VFX Departments from the very beginning, and build out every scene in CGI before production starts.
Not only does this better ensure quality work against time and budget, but it also reinforces trust with the clients who are more risk averse - further strengthening Cutters’ consultant and account management functions.
Tune into this episode to explore how market forces might similarly prompt you to evolve your business in unexpected and profitable ways.
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