Why is it so difficult to Find What is Missing?

In my previous posting, I talked about the 3 processes of Fill the Missing Link. What is most important and difficult part is #1) Find what is missing. I would say that if you could properly "Find What is Missing", your problem solution is half the way done.

There are again 3 elements make your fact finding process difficult.

- Difficulty to think OUTSIDE of your PRESUMPTION
- Difficulty to view what is behind the VISIBLE SURFACE
- Difficulty not to be EMOTIONAL in evaluation problem

"Fill the Missing Link" consists of following 3 steps. 1) Find what is missing 2) Find the piece that can fill the missing, and 3) Fill the missing using found piece. It is simple but not easy.

First point may be easy to understand. A retail shop created a corner in front of the entrance for Tooth Paste. They were selling same ones inside of the shop with the same brand, same amount, and same price. By the end of the business day, all the Tooth Paste in front were gone. Despite the fact that they are same, the ones inside were not even been touched. People has presumption that something in front may be with cheaper pricing or with some promotion.

Second is not so difficult to imagine. Titanic sank hitting the iceberg inside of sea not the surface. But, people are created to be drawn attention to visible phenomena. Sometimes, we need to take time to analyze what will be behind the visible scene.

If the system which is not working today was the one which once brought you a success, it is not easy to replace the system. People are emotionally attached to the system. This can be an obstacle to find the real problem.

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://funami.edcdiamond.com/
http://www.shawfunami.com/
http://zhenintl.ws/

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Looking back the year 2008

Today is December 29. Only 3 days left in the year 2008. The year 2008 meant a lot for me. When I decided to spin off from previous employment in the end of year 2000, Beijing was selected to be the place for Olympic in 2008. This was the year of Beijing Olympic. State held quarters started to be issued in the year 2000. Last quarters were being issued in 2008. That time, in year 2000, I was not sure if I will still be here in San Francisco in 2008. I was not sure if I could watch Beijing Olympic in San Francisco. I could not imagine I will be able to fill the last quarters to the quoter holder panel this year. This year, I enjoyed Beijing Olympic in NBC program and last week, I could fill the later quoter from Hawaii to my holder panel.

Year 2008 was not for the big success, but it definitely marked important mile-stone in my voyage of my own business. Economy is unstable now, but I could build base for future growth. Year 2008 for me was the year for new meetings. New meeting with the system where I will be able to build my business. New meeting with the people belonging to the system I can trust. New meeting (discovery) of the course of action for growth.

"Fill the Missing Link" consists of following 3 steps. 1) Find what is missing 2) Find the piece that can fill the missing, and 3) Fill the missing using found piece. It is simple but not easy.

Looking back the year 2008 at the year end, the year 2008 was interesting and important year for foundation of further growth. In thinking of year 2008, I hoped to revisit my own company logo and company slogan. My company profile is to be "Problem Solver", with branding "Fill the Missing Link". As I showed in this simple illustration, problem solving process is usually not complicated. Instead, it is in most of cases pretty simple. Only 3 steps are involved. 1) Find what is missing 2) Find the piece that can fill the missing, and 3) Use the piece to fill the missing.

It sounds simple, right? But, is it easy? Unfortunately for all of us, this simple process is not easy. If you try to use wrong piece to fill the missing, you will not get whole picture right. If you use force, it will be like breaking a puzzle ring by pulling a part out.

In modern school education system, most of us are trained to solve problems with clear solution or answer. But daily issues, especially business problems most probably do not have any clear solution. Thus, most of people do not know how to tackle the problem. Or they can not figure out what is the problem. What is the nature of problem?

You have a business goal. Success. But you are not successful. There is obviously a problem. If you ask yourself what is the problem, you may either have no answer or too many answers. I wanted to simplify the process. The question is "What is missing?", not "What is the problem?". This concept will help you to analyze your situation.

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://funami.edcdiamond.com/
http://www.shawfunami.com/
http://zhenintl.ws/

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Happy Holidays!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Year 2008 was very interesting one for me. I am looking forward to a prosperous and incredible 2009.

Have a pieceful, safe, and warm holidays.



Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://funami.edcdiamond.com/
http://www.shawfunami.com/
http://zhenintl.ws/

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Small Joke on Japanese English

It is holiday season and people are relaxed. I would like to post a relaxed topic today.

My friend and I were posting our funny experience in English which is not our native language. I have a small Japanese English Joke here.

Young Japanese Student was traveling in the US. He wanted to go to New York. He walked into train station. He studied basic English in Japan. So, he thought there should be no problem buying the train ticket. Simple. He thought he was going to New York. So, he walked to the ticket window and asked "TO New York, please". He got TWO (2) tickets. "Oh..." he realized he made a mistake. He said "I made a mistake. FOR New York, please." Now he got FOUR (4) tickets. He is confused and he did not know what he could say. He talked to himself "Eiii---to" (Japanese expression meaning "Let me see"). Ticket sales overheard it and gave him EIGHT (8) tickets.

He did not realize he could just say "New York".

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://funami.edcdiamond.com/
http://www.shawfunami.com/
http://zhenintl.ws/

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

7 things about myself you might not know

In the blogosphere's version of the game of tag, Giovanna Garcia tagged me. By accepting the tagging for this particular meme, I am now going to share seven things about myself that you might not know.

The 2nd part of the game is for me to tag 7 people for them to share 7 interesting Random things about themselves. I am tagging "Kanri-nin", Long Term Overseas Stay, Fighter-K, Over the Sky, JoAnne Green, Hideki Katsuno, Mark Flevin, Gerard Corbett, and Nobuyo Sakamoto, Trivani International. If you want to join in the fun, go and tag 7 people each and ask them to link back to the one who tagged them. Remember to twitter or comment on their blog when you tag them so they will know they have been tag.

This way, we can expand the bloggers' network. Now the 7 things about myself which you might now know.

1. My very first visit to US was 1985 as a business trainee of my previous employment. I stayed in New York for one year at that time. It was my first trip to outside of Japan. I was 29 years old.

2. Soon after arrival to NY in 1985, I went to McDonald for lunch. I tried to buy "Fillet-O-Fish". Spent 5 minutes to made myself understood. I needed to point out the picture in the wall to buy it.

3. In McDonald, same time. The girl asked me if it is "Here or To-go". I did not understand it. The girl put everything into take out-bag. I end up eating hamburgers in the car parked in the McDonald's parking.

4. When in college, I participated in English Debate with Hawaii University representatives. They spoke too fast, I could not write a word from what first constructive speaker said. I grabbed my partner's notepad and walked to podium. When I started to speak and looked down my partner's notepad. Nothing was written. Terrible game. we lost twice as affirmative and negative.

5. Back to New York in 1985, my boss was a New Yorker whose father was immigrated and worked as a taxi driver there for his life. All bad English of mine was transplanted from my former boss.

6. Before I spun off my former employer, I was a director, multimedia products in San Francisco Office of a Japanese electronics manufacturer.

7. In office working, I had a lot of problems with Japanese management people. Instead, I made a lot of friends with non-Japanese people.

As said, the real goal of 7 Things blog posts is to help people find new connections. I need to ask tagged people that they link back to the one who tagged them.


Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://funami.edcdiamond.com/
http://www.shawfunami.com/
http://zhenintl.ws/

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

5 Market Elements

I happened to come across interesting marketing training video today. I thought it will be useful to share this information here with my dear readers.

Unfortunately, this material is all Japanese and cannot upload the video and original materials used. But, I can explain essence of this marketing training.

The title of this marketing course is "5 Management Elements" and talks mostly about company management. However, this information is very useful to learn what is today's market and how we, entrepreneurs make most of it.

If you have involved in a company management or attended management course, you might have learned that there are 3 important resources of company management. 1. People (basically employee, or we can call them Human Resources) 2. Products (I do not think any explanation necessary) 3. Money (Fund, you can call it)

So, resource can look like the illustration, left side. It goes without saying the importance of people who you work with. It is quite self-explanatory model, including money and products. I remember early part of 2002, I was running like a headless chicken to find proper products to sell.

It looks like the importance of these 3 elements have not been changed much in Internet age. You can call it classical model of management element.

Interesting was the next new model. Because of the change of media, people's mind, business behavior, available business tools, it tells that management resources are no longer 3. We need to recognize the following 5 elements of management and make use of them in addition to legacy 3 elements. 4th is "Information". 5th is "Branding". Now the elements looks like the illustration to your right.

I totally believe that 3 elements model is changed to be 5 elements, today. And importance of "People's Elements", namely Information and Branding are increasing in management and marketing models. Thanks to well developed Internet Tools, you can develop and promote your brands nowadays. People who does not have enough Money can gain Information and promote Brand can develop Products which has value and be successful. The ones who can manage information and brand will win the next game.

Now, what do you need to fill your missing link to adjust yourself to this new trend?

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://funami.edcdiamond.com/
http://www.shawfunami.com/
http://zhenintl.ws/

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Why "Filling the Missing Link" can improve your business

I went to Japanese Consulate General today and felt a little tired. The purpose was simple. I wanted to renew my passport. My wife and I needed to go there often several years ago. We were not married that time yet and I quit my previous employment. I did not have my own company formed, yet. Applying for my wife's stay permit in Japan was pretty stressful.

Coming home, I was thinking that I would skip to write blog article today. Then I found this article.

Seven Simple Things you can do when you are feeling stress.

I started to think about "Fill the Missing Link" and decided to write. Giovanna's article reminded me why I thought "Filling the Missing Link" can be good philosophy, and brand, business slogan. She was suggesting to think "what to do next" instead of thinking "why" not to be stressful. It was exactly why I am advocating "Fill the Missing Link".

There are 3 important key points:
1. "Filling the Missing Link" is totally constructive action.
2. You can fill your missing link because you have completed picture in your mind. It makes your vision clear.
3. It is not stressful because it is process of completing your image. It is almost fun.

It is meaningless to keep thinking why the part is missing. Missing is missing. You should look into the pieces you have to find right one and fill the missing part. That way, we can stay constructive and positive in coping with missing, lacking part of business or life.

I want to thank Giovanna one more time for her inspiring article.

Related article:
Fill the Missing Link -Internet Business-
November 14, "Fill the Missing Link"

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://funami.edcdiamond.com/
http://www.shawfunami.com/
http://zhenintl.ws/

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Fill the Missing Link - Internet Business -

Today I wanted to post my statement in my video article.
Here it is:

"Hello everyone! Shaw Funami is here. I would like to share with you my "Philosophy" of life and business. It is "Fill the Missing Link".

Haven't you had a strong feeling of "Missing Something" either in life or business? Sometimes reliable partner to share your lives, sometimes enough fund to start or expand your business, sometimes good innovative idea or implementation tools to make your idea happen.

In many cases you cannot figure out what you are missing, despite you have a strong feeling of SOMETHING MISSING. You might have spent sleepless nights trying to find what is missing like I did.

In some cases, you are simply missing someone who you can trust to address your anxiety or problems.

In case of business, your Missing Link may be Internet geared "Mindset" and "Skillset". According to some reliable research, 90% of marketing and business activities will be done in relation to Internet by year 2010. You are receiving tons of advertising e-mails and websites you surf are full of advertisement. You know it is coming. Internet business will take over legacy business and will be the main stream of business.

You do not feel you are ready? You feel disconnected to the change taking place? If so your "Missing Link" is Internet "Mindset" and "Skillset". I happened to be a part of an advanced, but yet well-established organization who can "Fill the Missing Link" for your Internet "Mindset" and "Skillset".

If you feel unsecured on the Internet business "Mindset", "Skillset", knowledge, experience, information, training, we will be able to help you "Filling your "Missing Link". Let me help you to "Fill" your "Missing Link"."

Related article:
November 14, "Fill the Missing Link"

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://funami.edcdiamond.com/
http://www.shawfunami.com/
http://zhenintl.ws/

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

What exactly is "Web 3.0"?

As a person involved in Internet Business, I have been looking for simple and clear definition of "what exactly is *Web 3.0*".

My SNS Friend, owner of the Network gave me quite clear and simple, easy to understand definition in comparison.

Web 1.0 = Find Me.
Web 2.0 = Join Me.
Web 3.0 = Follow Me.

It is clear that the center of the Internet Business in Web 3.0 days is you and me. It is right time to kick-off and enhance Web based activities this age of Web 3.0.


Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://funami.edcdiamond.com/
http://www.shawfunami.com/
http://zhenintl.ws/

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Importance of Determination

I wanted to post another Martial Arts related article. It took me a while to find my old movie VCR. I remembered there are many lessons from one of my favorite movie, "Karate Kid".

It was so sad that we lost "Pat Morita" who played the role of Mr. Miyagi, Master of Karate and Teacher of Hero, Daniel. In the early part of this movie, "Karate Kid", the boy is so wanted to learn Karate. Finally the teacher agree to teach him. Starting his first lesson, the teacher asks this boy "Are you ready?". He answers back "I guess so." The teacher did not like his answer.

The teacher tells this boy:
"You walk right side of the road, you are safe. You decide to walk left side, you are safe. But, if you walk in the middle without deciding right or left, soon or later, you will be run over by a car. So, understand if you don't do Karate, OK. If you do Karate, OK. But don't be 'Guess so.'"

I have seen a lot of people who failed because of no determination, no dedication. I myself failed a lot of things because I was not determined. This story tells the importance of determination.


Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://funami.edcdiamond.com/
http://www.shawfunami.com/
http://zhenintl.ws/

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Ninja Training

Old days in Japan, there are spy people called "Ninja". They have special skills for fighting, spying, destroying enemy information lines, etc...

Training skills, they used to jump growing tree. A tree to jump for training was planted when a baby was borne in Ninja family. They jump several times a day. Not many times. As the tree grow, Ninja could jump high. I thought very small actions continued every day make a large difference.

When I was young (I mean "Younger"?) and actively practice Martial Art, I participated in tournaments several times. I found in most of fights, especially for skillful people, the technique which differentiated winner and loser is not "BIG" and "FLASHY" skill, such as jump kick, high round-case kick, and so on. The winning technique is almost always small, short, quick movement, like short distance paunch, low kick, elbow hit, knee kick.

Watching real tournament fight of Karate, Tae-Kun-do, or Kung-Fu, you might have wondered why actual fights are not like Kung-Fu movies. There are several factors. Small, short moves can be faster and precise. 2 things can be learned.

1. Do not think light of small actions. It may be the final decisive factor.

2. Daily small continuous actions will make a large difference at the end. It will be your winning skill later on.

We should not forget also that continuous training of big techniques will enable you to use small and short, but fast and precise move.

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://funami.edcdiamond.com/
http://www.shawfunami.com/
http://zhenintl.ws/

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link