A Call from an Old Client—Choosing a Solo Business Transfer at the Age of 50

Currently, I work for a golf club manufacturer, managing the assembly of clubs. We have heads, shafts, and grips, sourcing these parts from various suppliers, assembling them, and then selling them. It's a job where parts are made in places like China and Vietnam, gathered at the factory, assembled into golf clubs, and then sold.

I am currently working as a full-time employee. The first company I joined after graduating was an OEM for golf club heads in Niigata, where I'm from. I worked there for about 17 years, but since it was an OEM, I had interactions with various golf manufacturers. Then I switched to a different job, working in sales for about 10 years. Suddenly, I received a call from a former client in the golf industry, asking if we could meet. We met in Tokyo, and they offered me a job. Originally from Niigata, I took a bold step and am now on a solo assignment in Chiba.

The first company I joined had changing management policies, so I started looking for another company. Since I liked sales and interacting with people, I found a company that seemed dynamic and switched to it. I didn't initially join because I wanted to play golf, but because the local company had a lot of momentum. During the peak times of pros like Jumbo Ozaki, we were making clubs for them, so I thought the company had great momentum. However, due to some management issues, I decided to change jobs, thinking I might settle down there. But then I received a sudden call, as I mentioned earlier. I was quite conflicted, but since I love manufacturing in general, I thought it didn't have to be golf specifically. I prioritize company culture and relationships over the job content itself.

Moving from Niigata to Chiba on a solo assignment, I was 50 at the time. Of course, I had a wife and children at home, and my parents, who were getting older, so leaving them behind to go to Chiba alone was quite a struggle.

I didn't really consider that. At the time, my son was in high school, my daughter was in high school, so moving the whole family wasn't an option. On the contrary, since my children are now adults, with the eldest working and the youngest in their second year of university, if they were to leave home, I might consider having my wife come to Chiba instead.

I'm not doing manual work. There's an assembly factory with a production line, and my job is to ensure that production runs smoothly, handle any issues that arise, and manage the process. I don't do the actual work myself. I use a computer to record daily output and data, and if there's a machine breakdown on-site, I help fix it, coordinate with the U.S. for parts, and so on. It's more about management than physical labor.

The most troublesome part is dealing with the people on the production line. There are daily conflicts and various disputes because, after all, it's about people. Everyone has different approaches and ways of thinking, even though the goal is the same: to assemble and deliver high-quality products on time. So, there are situations where I have to mediate, like when someone says, 'Why are you doing it this way when I do it that way?' or when someone complains that another person is slacking off or chatting too much. It's a bit like being an elementary school teacher.

When we achieve a goal we've set together, or when improvements show results and everyone on-site is happy and says things like, 'This is great!' Those moments are the best and most enjoyable. When I was in sales, I had moments of personal accomplishment, but now that I'm working as part of a team, individual efforts don't yield results.

There was a company plan to downsize the production line, which meant we had to let go of about 10 people. It was tough to decide who had to go, especially since we were all colleagues who had worked together for a long time. We couldn't consult with the employees because it would have been impossible to reach a consensus. So, it had to be a top-down decision, specifying who had to go. That was really hard. Usually, we have conflicts, but when it came to letting someone go, everyone would say, 'Can't we do something about it?' or 'Without that person, things won't work here.'

I used to want to climb the career ladder, but recently, I've become less interested in advancing for the sake of it. I started as a manager in assembly, but my boss asked me to oversee other sections like production control, supply chain teams, and logistics, which I wasn't too happy about. At this age, I'm more concerned about how to spend the latter part of my life happily. Even if I advance in my career, if my family is far away and I'm alone, I wonder where true happiness lies. I've started to think that maybe living with my family in Niigata, even if it means not getting a big salary increase, might be happier.

More than 30 years ago, Japanese manufacturing was a strong suit, with Japanese companies leading in industries like semiconductors. However, much of this has moved overseas. The reason is that while Japan is diligent, there's a strong tendency to do everything in-house, from development to design, manufacturing, and sales. This approach is becoming less viable. Overseas manufacturers often design in-house but outsource manufacturing, enhancing their design capabilities. Japan has fallen behind in this regard, including in AI. Golf manufacturers are no different. Japanese companies try to do everything in-house, from design to manufacturing and assembly, while foreign companies focus on design and outsource the rest, even assembling in China for some parts. Rationally, manufacturers should focus on design, development, and proper evaluation of club performance, outsourcing other tasks to specialists. Japan seems to be realizing this.

In 5 years, I might be back in my hometown. Rather than further developing my skills, I'm considering becoming an advisor. At around 55, I might take a role as an operational advisor, even if it means a pay cut. With some assets accumulated and a clear financial outlook, and with my daughter graduating in 2 years, I might move to the next stage once everything is settled financially.

There's a saying that manufacturing is about people-making. No matter how advanced the machinery or computers, it's people who use them, and their mindset can turn something into either a great or a poor product. In manufacturing, specialized knowledge is important, but first and foremost, one must develop themselves as a person. Additionally, since manufacturing can't be done alone, the skill of involving others in the process is crucial. I've heard of people with advanced degrees and great knowledge who couldn't communicate with others and ended up quitting. While both are important, I believe emphasizing people-making is more crucial.