Makiko Suzuki: Bridging Gaps as a Cross-Border Innovation Architect

Makiko Suzuki is a cross-border innovation architect, actively navigating the vastly different business cultures of Japan and the United States to achieve lasting success between companies. Makiko’s journey from a position at a major Japanese corporation to her current role in independent consultation carries a unique perspective on the power of global collaboration and shared innovation. Through ThreadsThrive, her independent consultancy, Makiko bridges the necessary gaps to help businesses pursue their dreams. 

Experience in Japanese and American Business 

Makiko began her training as a cross-border innovation architect by earning 23 years of experience as an employee of a major Japanese company. This work provided a full understanding of Japanese business culture and granted her the opportunity to live for five years as an expatriate in Silicon Valley.  

“When I came to the U.S., my husband quit his job and my whole family moved with me,” Makiko says. “During my first period living in the U.S., my husband was in charge of the household and supporting the family’s life. When we moved back to Japan on the company’s orders, we all had a hard time adjusting to Japanese life.” 

An Expert in Business Growth 

When she transferred to a subsidiary in the U.S., a major company’s corporate venture capital and open innovation arm, she had no experience with the American business world. Through her role in the company, she obtained a sense of combined experience of Japanese and American business practices, and it served her well. In this role, she became an expert of open innovation, building up the company’s infrastructure and achieving an extraordinarily high exit success rate for its investments, serving to expand the business abroad. 

“I built up the subsidiary company’s business almost from scratch,” Makiko says. “Not only by collaboration with startups through investment, but administrative work including HR and accounting. The company’s investment results were 100% exits, with each company acquired by a large corporation until I left the company. I led one of the deals and was involved with every other deal except the very first.” 

Drawn to Working in the United States 

Despite her successes, Makiko found that she wanted to return to the United States for work. “I decided to return to the U.S., and luckily, I got a new job there. This time, my husband remains in Japan for work. Now, we are living separately and seek to reach the goals of each family member. Although my husband is in Japan, without his support for all of us we would not achieve our dreams.” 

Forming ThreadsThrive 

In the United States, Makiko found that her unique expertise in both Japanese and American business practices could serve her well as an independent consultant. She was hired by a large Japanese corporation’s subsidiary to be a local employee in the Bay Area. Through ThreadsThrive, she provides the same level of expertise as she did for the companies—bridging knowledge gaps for companies to find international success. 

Building Lasting Collaboration 

In her consultancy work, Makiko takes a proactive approach to business growth. Just as her own family pursues their dreams, she works each day to help entrepreneurs and businesses achieve their goals in spite of perceived limitations. Naturally talented at building connections, Makiko’s ThreadsThrive consultancy is prepared to help Japanese and American corporations establish lasting communication and collaboration initiatives.