こんにちは
Greetings from Tokyo!
On the Agenda
(Travel) Love, Japan
(Update) Choosing Where You Live
(Poem) On Safety 🏳
(Poem) On Risk 🏴☠️
(Update) I’m Ready to Have Children
(Update) Humans of the World 💂
(Essay) What is Influencer Marketing?
(Bonus) Google HQ Tour
One Year of Travel, New Year New Me Series ✈️🌍
Leo is spending 12 months in 12 countries on his “One Year of Travel, New Year New Me”® challenge. So far he’s lived in Bali, Portugal, Vietnam, South Africa, Argentina, Colombia, Australia, Japan (in that order). Follow along!
1. Love, Japan
During my first few days in Tokyo, I walked around town grinning from ear to ear like an idiot. Everything was amazing. I felt like a child seeing things for the first time. I spent the first afternoon opening and closing a door 100 times on-repeat just because I loved the sound of the “click”.
People here are very polite. They’ll bow to you when you pass. Rarely will they insult you. No hecklers on the street either.
Trains can be expected to run on time. People take their professions seriously. My taxi drivers are older gentlemen who wear full suits (one even wore white gloves like a chauffeur). Contrast this to other countries where your driver is in sleeves in a broken-down car that reeks of cigarettes while he’s talking to his girlfriend on speakerphone during your ride.
Japan has an “introverted” nature. Talking loudly on elevators, trains and restaurants is considered rude. Stereotypical bombastic American tourists stick out like a sore thumb. The oft-quoted idiom “the nail which stands up must be hammered down” makes sense here.
Fashion / entertainment / lifestyle businesses will need to adapt their product to the Japanese market. For example, you’d want to avoid scandalous clothing. Booty shorts are non-existent on people and posters. Knee-length skirts are as far as it’ll go. People tend to dress in suits, which reminds me of those old black-and-white photos from American history class. Kissing or PDA (Public Display of Affection) is not allowed.
I’m trying my best to learn Japanese as I’ll likely spend considerable of time in Japan after my “Year of Travel”. Currently I’m taking lessons on Spotify from Masa Sensei:
I also participated in my first dance class. I thoroughly enjoyed it & would highly recommend it! We danced to the choreography of “Love Nwantiti” by CKay and I will be incorporating dance into my future lifestyle plans.
Getting my hair done:
Morning Yoga with some Venture Capitalists:
Meeting my childhood best friends from when I was 5 years old:
Last one (since it’s Sakura 🌸 season):
2. Choosing Where You Live
Most of us (at some point in our lives) have the option to decide where we live. The reality is most of us stay in one place. While there’s nothing wrong with this— there’s also so much more to explore.
Part of my motivation for “One Year of Travel” was scouting places to live. Generally, I’m a fan of (1) law and order (2) a peaceful and productive society.
Neighboring Southeast Asia is a chaotic mess: gritty, honking, and informal exchange. Japan by contrast is a very orderly and rules-based society. Hence why Tokyo is my #1 city!
See my updated city rankings:
I’m creating a long-term sustainable lifestyle plan after my “Year of Travel”. Here is what I have so far:
1/4 in Tokyo
1/4 in the US
1/4 in Cape Town or Buenos Aires (to dodge the winter)
1/4 traveling
👉 Over to You: What’s your preferred living situation?
3. On Safety 🏳
Safety is everything. Physically safe. Emotionally safe. Psychologically safe. When you feel safe, you can play. Play is fun. Play is exploration. Play is doing what you want when you want where you want with whom you want not wanting to do or be anywhere else. When you play, you have all the “motivation” in the world. No one has ever “burnt out” from playing. Unfortunately, too many of us have forgotten how to play. Me too (for a long time)
Q: What’s it like running a business? A: It’s easy. Q: Easy? Shouldn’t it be hard? A: It’s easy because I make it easy. Q: Does that mean you don’t work? A: I work as much or as little as I want to. Just cause I work for X hours a day— does that mean I'm actually working? Or am I playing? A (cont.): I understand “Building a Billion-Dollar Business”® will take 15 years plus a lot of things have to go right. But my day-to-day? It's easy.
For years, I didn’t feel safe. Even with my own family. Even now, I’m like 😬. If I’m on the streets Will they support me? Logically— my brain says yes. Emotionally— I don’t feel secure. (The fact that I even have to question their commitment is telling.) Born was “self-reliance”. Self-reliance is a beautiful thing. Independence. Not needing anybody. (Please don't confuse “Needing” and “Wanting to be with" somebody. They are two very different things!) Insecurity sucks. Insecurity is toxic. Insecurity poisons everything it touches. Self-reliance + Insecurity sucks. During my darkest days, I decide: “I can’t trust anyone” “I gotta do everything myself” I self-isolate. I close myself off. I become “serious”. Things get worse. So I keep it simple. All I want in life are friends and family who will take care of me. Everything else can take care of itself.
4. On Risk 🏴☠️
People say I'm a "risk-taker". "rule-breaker" "change-maker" "compulsive-innovator" Allow me to clarify. Because the sequencing is 🔑. I never go into a situation saying: "I want to take more risk." That's dumb. If anything, I want to take less risk.
Early on, I sold all my stocks. Why? Why pay for volatility? Can you stand a short-term 30% price decrease? Soon I needed money. So I went 100% cash. Even though it won't beat inflation. Even though it's not the "textbook" play. Even though my mom raves about 8% compounding. And wishes she invested earlier. I'm happy with the decision I made. I'm happy I can rest easy Knowing that my money is more safe and sound.
A "well-paying 'stable' job" isn’t risk-free. Nor is investing in an index fund. Nor is asking a girl out. Nothing is risk-free. What's the price of unhappiness? What's the emotional pain of dreading your M-F? What's the cost of living for the weekend? You can get hit by a car in New York or Syria or Antarctica. (Ok maybe not Antarctica). You can fall ill and die anytime, or a brain aneurysm. In 1941 Did the Jews know when they heard a knock at their door at midnight? In 1945 Did the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki predict their life would turn orange? In 2020 Did the people who booked travel plans Know their country would go into lockdown? It's easier to lie and say Tomorrow will be a better day But who knows what tomorrow may bring Make today your everything ❤️
5. I’m Ready to Have Children 👼
I’m 23 years old. Yet I feel two decades older (age 43) and two decades younger (age 3) at the same time. Emotionally, I feel more mature than my own father. Yet I have the playfulness & attention-seeking wh*re behavior of a little child.
“War turns boys into men.” Solo-traveling the world, starting a business, and embracing cultures became my rite of passage. Before I left home, I was scared of talking to strangers; I had no idea how to make friends; I was financially illiterate.
A year ago, if you asked me: "Are you ready to have children?", I would’ve laughed you out of the room. Now, my heart has shifted. I feel ready.
A child is a wonderful thing. It’s a miraculous showcase & reminder of why life is worth living.
Of course, it has to be with the right woman. Sadly, not too many girls my age are ready to have children, even though they are in "peak fertility" years, which is due to societal customs. But without the right person, there’s no point. I’d also open to adopting children, again— provided that it’s with the right woman and circumstances.
6. Humans of the World 💂
Ordinary People Living Ordinary Lives
Inspired by Humans of New York, I decided to launch a similar project. Since I’m meeting people on my travels, why not showcase them to the world?
If you’re like me, you’re curious about how other people do things. What’s a “day in the life” in Oman? Do bidets give you cleaner butts? What’s the work-life balance in Asia?
Real people, real stories. Avoid journalistic “sensationalism”. We’re all human. We all share struggles. Let’s promote vulnerability and celebrate individuality and spirit. And encourage us to be better humans.
If you would like to be featured in “Humans of the World”, please reach out to me!
Here are some questions I drafted for future guests. Feel free to give feedback!
Descriptive. Please explain what you do to X (X is an 8-year-old). Let others know what you do.
Personality. What’s your favorite spot in the house and why? Let others know how you are.
Relatability. Please share one struggle you’re going through or have gone through in the past. Let others relate to you.
I’d love to have a travel companion to do this project with. Preferably with someone with photography or film experience. Your role — when asked: “What do you do for a living?”, will be: “I travel the world and interview people 😎.” Let me know if you know someone who is a good fit!
7. What is Influencer Marketing?
Recently someone told me: "I read all your stuff and still have no idea what you do!" While it’s hard for me to explain as well, I'll try my best to answer here.
I‘m a content creator. Currently I center my life around 3 content series:
One Year of Travel ⇔ New Year New Me
Peers ⇔ Building a Billion-Dollar Business
Humans of the World ⇔ Ordinary People Living Ordinary Lives
I also have a “full-time” job in Influencer Marketing. It’s not quite a 9-5 as I have the freedom to work whenever I want. As I stumbled into the role with no prior knowledge or experience, I had to learn everything from scratch.
Who is an Influencer?
An influencer is anybody who can change a person’s mood, behavior, and purchasing decisions. The last one is what the industry is centered around.
Examples of influencers…
He’s an influencer!
So is she!
And he!
You and I are "influencers" insofar as we have influence over the people around us. For example, most of us can affect the decisions of our friends and family, such as:
Where they go when they travel
What gifts they buy for Christmas
What healthy foods they should eat
We don't call ourselves "influencers" because the term is usually reserved for those with bigger audiences. But the concept is exactly the same and the only difference is scale.
Influencers are staggeringly diverse. That’s because their profile is based on the topic and aesthetic. The end result is a combination of your interests, personality, and style.
Q: What do I do at Delka Talents?
We facilitate sponsorships between brands and influencers. That means finding the right brands, finding the right creators, getting the right terms, and making sure all parties are happy.
(1) I find creators that we can represent.
(2) I find brands that are investing in influencer marketing.
Q: What does a sponsorship look like?
Jun is one of the creators we work with. Take a look at the description of his YouTube video:
Notice there is a link with a discount code.
Clicking on the link takes you to:
In this case, Sakuraco is sponsoring the video. Since Jun makes Japanese food + travel vlogs — this is an excellent brand fit.
Note 1: I ended up gifting a few boxes of snacks for my brother as he is a fan of Japanese culture. 🎁 ❤️
Note 2: Sponsorships are often also integrated into the original video.
I have a lot more to say about Influencer Marketing. Let me know if you’re interested! Here are a few topics I can write about (please feel free to suggest more).
Alternative Advertising. Product Placement, Pre-Rolls, Collaborations.
Industry Standards. Usage rights, exclusivity clause, average CPM.
Brand Loyalty. The intangibles. A Louis Vuitton bag is not 100x better quality than an average one, yet it is 100x more expensive.
8. Google HQ Tour
A survey of 2,067 college students found Google to be the #1 place Gen Zers want to work. They do make it look glamorous. Gorgeous views, daily unlimited buffets (Mapo Ramen and Salmon when I visited). Also a nap room, library, and a few speakeasies.
Alcohol is allowed as it is catered towards young tech workers in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. A lot of it is for show. Reality is: stuffy conference rooms, 100 monitors, and a looming grey “lull”. A peek into the offices gave me a drowsy spell and reminded me of why I quit in the first place. Though it’s a nice place to work for some, it’s golden handcuffs for others.
“From the outside, everybody wants to get in. On the inside, everybody wants to get out.”
Google leases a 35-floor building in Tokyo called Shibuya Stream. Watch the Tour (Link to Instagram)
V— Thank you for the tour! 🙏
Thanks for reading, Have a great week, and feel free to drop me a line on WhatsApp +1 978 844 1678)
Leo A
If you’re new here, welcome to Leo’s Lemonade! My name is Leo Ariel, and I am a World Traveler, Writer, Entrepreneur, Marketer and Mentor.
Every week I write a postcard to you from wherever I am in the world. I generally like to share travel tips, business ideas, artworks, and mundane observations from life.
My readers have previously enjoyed Why Did Amazon Pay Me $170k/yr to Update a Wiki Page?, Growing Up in an Asian American Household, and Top 5 Life Advice for 23 Year Olds.
I would greatly appreciate it if you shared my postcards with your friends. It would help me reach others like you :)
I really like your idea of Humans of the World. I've wanted to do something like this for a while. I've met so many amazing people on my travels and wondered what the best way was to share their stories. The media only shows a very negative side of other countries and their people. Sharing other people's stories/lives could break a lot of the stereotypes that have been built.
Coming back for the full read, but intrigued by the Ready for Children segment.