Chapter 4 Birth of Setsuden-mushi (a profitmaking device) 4.1.3 Importance of human networks
The key to developing the prototype of Setsuden-mushi Unit 2 using excellent electrical and electronic components was to achieve "zero consumption of standby electricity while monitoring transmission and reception (standby)," and they understood how to achieve this.
The person in charge was indeed an expert in electricity and electronics. He understood what I was requesting, in other words. why Setsuden-mushi could work with zero electricity consumption during standby, and immediately changed the design and tried again. A few days later, he completed the second prototype of Setsuden-mushi.
While connecting this prototype to a fax machine and repeatedly sending and receiving actual documents, we tested many of the conditions even for the possible use overseas, including the effect of ringing signal intervals, telephone line polarity, and other factors on the Setsuden-mushi.
By the way, I got to know the company where the technical employee who completed the second and later prototypes of Setsuden-mushi had been working through an organization called the Association of Small Business Entrepreneurs. I believe that some of the readers of this book are also members of the Association of Small Business Entrepreneurs.
I had been a member of the Association of Small Business Entrepreneurs, but in addition to this, I had also been actively participating in a cross-industrial exchange group in Hiroshima Prefecture since 1993, and had begun to interact with many excellent companies. I did not expect that this exchange would lead to our request for making the prototype of the second Setsuden-mushi and the completion of the prototype so soon.
As you know, when you participate in cross-industrial exchange activities, you can meet managers and experienced people from different industries and business categories, and through the exchange of opinions and ideas, you can often find mutual benefits from your association as a group, or on an individual basis.
Times are constantly changing. There is a limit to what one person can see, hear, experience, and actually do. Through the development of Setsuden-mushi, I have keenly felt the importance of getting to know many people from different industries, consulting with them at any time, and taking the time to build relationships with them for their opinions and advice.
At present, there are about 20 cross-industrial exchange organizations in Hiroshima Prefecture, and I served as the third chairman of the Hiroshima Create Plaza in 2002.
As of 1994, when I was working on the prototype and testing of Setsuden-mushi, my very small company's business and its ratio were as follows.
(1) International business support: 30%,
(2) Translation and interpretation 45%,
(3) Language education support: 20%,
(4) New business: 5%.
You can see that the development of Setsuden-mushi was a different business while exploring in the new business with only 5% of the total, and we were not in a position to use freely our three resources of money, goods, and people.
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