Akiyama Shin'emon (秋山紳右衛門) of PICKLIST acquired U.S. executive search firm TEG Consulting in approximately 9 months using the search fund model. The article describes how he developed the speed of decision-making and execution after enduring three years of losses from the company’s founding and approximately ¥40 million in negative net worth.
The article describes how Akiyama Shin'emon (秋山紳右衛門), head of PICKLIST in Shibuya, Tokyo, acquired U.S. executive search firm TEG Consulting in approximately 9 months using the search fund model. The focus is on how he shortened the preparation and due diligence process for an acquisition, which would normally take a long time. The acquisition is positioned as the result of Akiyama’s strong determination and rapid decision-making.
Three years of losses after the company’s founding and approximately ¥40 million in negative net worth are portrayed as the starting point for shaping his management philosophy. The article says that the severity of the company’s financial position led him to choose the bold strategy of an acquisition and prompted decisions concerning cash management and business integration. These experiences are said to have influenced how he assesses risks and opportunities in running a company going forward.
Akiyama’s speed of decision-making and execution is said to have been supported by the practical business sense he developed during the company’s early struggles. The article emphasizes that he simultaneously assessed acquisition candidates, designed organizational integration, and timed fundraising despite limited information and resources. It conveys that his management perspective for successfully completing an acquisition was cultivated amid the crisis of negative net worth.