Shaking Up the Management Consulting Space: CROSS Business Producers

“We build business models based on our proven practices and handle projects with other companies to fast-track their success.”

In the previous article, I focused on how Kotoba Miki, the founder and CEO of CROSS Business Producers (CBP), endorses change as a breakthrough broker for businesses (and society) to flourish. And how she, as an influential business development professional, encourages the adoption of changing business practices with changing times. How results have turned out, it’s safe to mention that she and her team are making a difference, both locally and globally.

This time speaking to The Silicon Review, Kotoba talked about a ‘Circle of Trust’, the concept she believes is a basic building block for forming solid relationships. Here’s what she said.

“The ‘Circle of Trust’ is to build good relationships with the people involved in a business through business development. The subject is not only limited to visible relationships, but also to the friends I haven’t seen yet. We will comfortably weave relationships with people, events, and spaces that exist widely, such as the environment of the entire earth and the universe.”

Quoting Klaus Schwab, Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, Kotoba says that under special circumstances such as the emergence of new normal caused by Covid-19, we, as humans, would be placed in an environment that differs from existing values.

“How do we develop a good business and lead to success in situations like these? We can do this by combining the ‘feelings’ of all parties, their ‘feelings of temperature’, and by connecting the economic relationships that realize the satisfaction of both the heart and the numbers.”

“Firmly holding down the numbers warms the connection of the heart and creates businesses that are close to the issues and people’s feelings that emerge in the changing times. Practicing the creation of such a ‘Circle of Trust’ will be the cornerstone of any future society, no matter what monetary economy or credit economy society arrives at.”

Put simply, Kotoba-led CROSS Business Producers and its partners are in pursuit of this changing era.

Taking a Holistic Approach to Support Clients

A well-known fact that the Japanese are good at building relationships makes sense given how they continue to prosper in the world of business and as a society in general. A sense of ‘calmness and craftsmanship’ drives their mojo and makes them stand out at the global level. However, they tend to slow their pace in adapting to new changes. Catching up to world standards is crucial and should not be overlooked.

“Many large companies are suffering from the inability to swiftly launch new initiatives as a business, even though their managers or business developers are aware of the times and needs for change.”

Addressing this, Kotoba-led team go the extra mile in helping their clients develop new business models; therefore, inspiring a vital change. More importantly, these business models fortify businesses and make them crisis-proof.

“We build business models based on our proven practices and handle projects with other companies to fast-track their success.”

“Importantly, to create a better world, I believe that business development should be strong in times of change. And as a professional, I feel that our strategy and formula will be required even more soon. With this in mind, we must remain the number one professional firm in the field of business development in Japan and beyond.”

In addition to this, Kotoba’s CROSS Business Producers offers internships to the young to cultivate the next generation of executive candidates. Potentially, these candidates will manage the world business ecosystem in the future. According to the company, students from Japan come from the top varsities such as the University of Tokyo, Waseda, Keio, etc., whereas the international students come from reputed institutes, including UAE, Zayed University, ESSEC (France’s Grandes Écoles), INSEAD (Singapore), etc.

“We are aware of the growing importance of passing the expertise and skills to the next generation. Thus, for students, our company is offering internships to meet the desired goal.”

“For future entrepreneurs, I would like them to understand and take care of themselves enough, apart from developing their skillset.”

Building Social Capital

CROSS Business Producers is involved with a global food system, ethical apparel businesses, and space initiatives. The company’s ‘Food For Thought’ program with the Food Systems Game Changer Lab at the UN Food Summit 2021 — is commendable.

“We work closely on global issues with my colleagues regardless of race, personality, gender, nationality, value, and background.”

As part of the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, the Food Systems Game Changers Lab is a global call to action to build a better food future, together.

The Hallmark of CBP: Leading Businesses out of Crises

CROSS Business Producers lives up to its reputation as one of the leading management consultancy firms in the world, leaving no stone unturned for the safe restoration of its clients’ organizations that run into crises and unpredictability. This is the most intriguing aspect of the company given how it continues to guide businesses out of uncertainties.

That said, currently, CBP is involved with many of its clients that have taken a hit due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The company’s leader, Kotoba, leads from the front, ensuring businesses that seek CBP’s help remain guided.

“Even if something unpredictable such as Covid-19, a natural disaster, or war takes shape, we will have to stand up and provide measures to save clients’ businesses. We do everything in our capacity to pull a business out of a crisis as businesses have to survive for the society and people in general.”

Kotoba founded CROSS Business Producers post the earthquake that occurred in 2011 (the Great East Japan Earthquake). People suffered as proper crisis management was scarce. This led her to the establishment of the company.

“I wanted to introduce a culture of open-mindedness and make a difference.”

Again, in the previous article, I shed light on CROSS Business Producers’ primary and secondary offerings and revealed what it’s capable of. Since the company’s position as a leading provider of management consulting services is making an impact on the world stage, it becomes mandatory to share the said offerings again. Here’s a list in a nutshell.

The primary services CROSS Business Producers offers include Innovation Scenario Planning, Business Strategy, Global Strategy, Generating Change Makers, Product Design, etc. The secondary services include Future Forecasting, Competitive Advantage Building, Target Market Analysis, Alliance Partner Sourcing, Financial Planning, Human Resource Strategy, Project Management, etc.

Kotoba and the team acquire the knowledge daily to show future vision more often and predict the next few decades fitting their clients’ strategic plans and the real market. As a result, their clients continue to achieve business goals and stay at the forefront. Making quick and agile decisions is what sets the Kotoba-led team apart from the competition.

“One of our services is future prediction. We practice predictions daily and have a certain degree of view.”

The quotes used in this piece were extracted from the content shared by the CROSS Business Producers’ PR and Communications team (with The Silicon Review).

Kotoba Miki | A Formidable Business Leader

Kotoba Miki, founder, serves as the Chief Executive Officer of CROSS Business Producers. As a strategic leader, her vast experience in the business development field helps her quickly establish the most efficient path to building a successful business and achieving the client’s mission.

A member of the Japan Academy of International Businesses Studies and the Academy of International Business, Kotoba is the president of kotobaworks, Inc, a subsidiary of CROSS Business Producers.

Kotoba has won numerous awards, including ‘The Most Inspiring Japanese Entrepreneur of the Year 2021’ by APAC Entrepreneur. She was a member of the Food System Game Changer Lab 2021 program at the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit. And she authored a book, “What does it mean to create a business?”-How to ignite your business as a real case- (2019).

Kotoba earned a BA in International Business & Marketing and an MBA from Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.

“We must remain the number one professional firm in the field of business development in Japan and beyond — to create a better world.”