This time, Inamori* spoke about the above motto in Kyocera philosophy.
What Inamori said is quoted with “”.
” Even without engaging in hands-on research and development, one can clearly envision a finished product by repeatedly running simulations in their mind. This is what it means to ‘think until you can truly see it.’ But if the result only appears in black and white, it’s still not enough. Unless it comes into view vividly—in full color—it doesn’t count as thoroughly thought through. When you think something through to that level, not just in R&D but even in business, success is bound to follow. “
We are currently developing a new service that provides strategic advice to business leaders using the philosophy of Sanmei-gaku (Chinese metaphysics). In this new venture, we aim to apply the principle of “thinking until it becomes visible,” and to do so, we’ve identified three key steps:
1. Understand your customer deeply and empathize with their pains
2. Carefully design and refine the service itself
3. Analyze how your customer prefers to communicate and connect
Let me explain them one by one.
1. Understand your customer deeply and empathize with their pains
“ Being respected within your company is important—but when your customers respect you, profits will follow even without trying. When people truly respect you, they don’t compare prices. They simply trust that ‘if this person recommends it, it must be good.’ That’s why business is built on trust. ”
He continued with a witty yet profound observation:
“ Take the Japanese word for ‘profit’—*mouke* (儲け). It’s made up of two characters: ‘faith’ (信) and ‘person-followers-’ (者), which together suggest that ‘profit comes from those who trust you’—your loyal followers. The most profitable businesses, in fact, are like new religions: they don’t even need to sell anything—offerings just keep coming in. The key is to build trust so deep that you create believers. ”
In our view, the essence of knowing your customer lies not only in understanding their external needs, but in understanding them even better than they know themselves. This means empathizing with their inner struggles and unspoken desires. To achieve that, it’s not enough to simply speak well—we must “embody our philosophy”, act in alignment with it, and walk alongside our clients as they navigate the future of their families and businesses.
2. Carefully design and refine the service itself
“ It is in my nature to consider all possibilities with caution. I often live my life asking myself—what if a cliff lies just ahead? What if I run into a dead end? What if something blocks my path? I move forward while imagining these scenarios. ”
In the same spirit, we believe it is essential to place ourselves in our clients’ shoes and consider deeply: “How would they feel if we offered this kind of service?” “What concerns might they have?” Every business leader has their own unique personality, values, and way of thinking. That’s why we must constantly refine our service offerings to meet each client where they are.
By listening carefully, empathizing sincerely, and standing beside each leader as they wrestle with complex issues, we aim to provide support that truly resonates. And when outcomes don’t meet expectations, we take responsibility—humbly reflecting, learning, and improving without delay. This is the attitude we wish to uphold.
3. Analyze how your customer prefers to communicate and connect
“ To truly satisfy customers, we must deliver across all dimensions—timeliness, quality, cost, and innovation. This requires overturning conventional ideas and constantly challenging ourselves. Bringing joy to our customers is the very foundation of business. Without that, it’s impossible to maintain long-term profitability. ”
(Quoted from the Inamori Digital Library)
In our approach, we wish to draw upon the philosophy of Aikido. In Aikido, the practice begins by emptying the self and deeply attuning to the other person’s movement and intention. One becomes like a mirror, reflecting the other’s energy with clarity. We hope to embody this same spirit in our communication with clients—providing services that feel intuitive and respectful, while clearly delivering what needs to be said and done. By fully accepting the client, and at the same time working to serve their future and best interests, we aim to foster a relationship rooted in harmony, clarity, and trust.
Conclusion
When launching a new business, “thinking until it becomes visible” is essential. That means gaining a deep understanding of your clients, and simulating the entire customer journey—over and over again—until every step is vividly clear.
To be honest, I myself haven’t achieved this level of clarity yet. But having received such timely and valuable wisdom, I’m committed to putting it into practice from this very moment onward.
* Mr. Kazuo Inamori, the founder of Kyocera, KDDI (one of the top tele communication companies in Japan) and the top of revitalization project of JAL. As a well-known Japanese entrepreneur, he has been sharing his experiences and management know-how with managements of small to middle companies in Japan.
Further queries or doubts, please email to ytomizuka@abrilsjp.com
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