The Dream for 2024 is All about Executing the Plan!

2023 is almost over. Today is Saturday, December 23. I woke up before dawn and took the first flight from Haneda to Kochi Airport for the first time. Kochi Airport is about the same size as Tokushima Airport. The bus from the airport to Kochi Station costs 900 yen, which is similar to Tokushima Airport. Kochi Station is a brand new and comfortable building, but the area around the station is deserted and one cannot help but feel the effects of depopulation. From Kochi Station, I took a train to Nahari, which, like Tokushima, was a one-car one-man train. It is interesting that an auxiliary seat folds up next to the window.

Why am I writing about this? Some of you may wonder and there is only one reason. I am simply stating the fact that I am moving forward with the implementation of my plan. The plan is to visit all 88 pilgrimage sites in Shikoku, from the first temple to the last, while I can still run as fast as I can on my own feet. However, once I have made up my mind, I will do it. That is my belief, and I will not change it. Therefore, this afternoon, I have returned to Murotomisaki, which I reached last month, and early tomorrow morning, I planned to start again from Saigozakiji Temple, head toward Kochi, and continue 68 km past the 27th temple, Jimbu-ji. Now, I have put that plan into action, traveling by train from Kochi Station to Nahari and then by bus from Nahari to Murotomisaki.

JR Dosan Line in Kochi Prefecture with fold-out seats lined up on the train.

If I do what I set out to do, Sound House as a company will be safe. Not only would the company continue to grow and become more profitable, resulting in higher salaries for staff and a better quality of life, but the company itself will be able to contribute more to society than ever before. The reality, however, is not so sweet. For some reason, I have noticed that many of the plans that the company makes have suddenly disappeared, or the results of those plans have suddenly disappeared. Since I am the chairman of the board, I have to watch and advise from the sidelines without getting into the nitty-gritty details of the business. However, when the number of failures of plans becomes so rampant, it seems as if everyone has become accustomed to it, and I feel that I can no longer just watch and pretend not to notice.

First off, it is often the case that plans fall because they are not well thought out. Also, the lack of specificity of the plan often leads to its spontaneous extinction, with no verification of the progress made along the way. This tendency seems to start at the top of the company and slowly permeate the entire sales group. Other departments are similarly affected. As a result, I have not seen any decent plans being presented recently. Unfortunately, there are almost no proposals for business plans either. Is this really the way things should be? Is it really just a dream to have a business plan and set goals?

For 2023, the following topic plans have been identified as "top priority projects" since the beginning of the year. Sound Navigation, Sales Force, SNS/Video, Bargain Sales, Inventory, Inventory Control, Proper Inventory, Magazine and Web Advertising, Employee Training, and Manual Management. Naturally, these are important topics in order to run a company and produce results, and plans must be made and measures taken for these to produce results. Particular emphasis was placed on establishing Sound Navi, increasing Sound Mart sales, developing an internal training system, and evolving the live distribution system and network. The four key points for planning and executing these activities were: 1) establishment of a chain of command, 2) remote and teleworking systems, 3) follow-up on results, and 4) staff evaluation. The reality, however, is harsh.

At the end of the year, I took a look back and saw that most of the items I had planned either fell through or were not even planned in the first place, and I am now seeing the reality that we have been doing things on the sly. Well, to put it in a positive light, it is also amazing that the company has been able to manage its operations without making any plans. Even though the plans have fallen through, the company has been managed without a hitch. In other words, the business model is so solid that it has been able to produce results without planning? Hooray! Is this the strongest proof?

No, no, not at all. I can see that unless we go through the process of making a proper plan and building up a plan of action to achieve better results, we will not be able to nurture our staff in any way. That's why I keep saying to them, "Make a plan!" “Make a plan and submit it!" I have been telling everyone to do so. But, I guess the chairmanship is in name only. No one listens to me, and I have not seen a single written plan all year. In other words, my plan to submit a plan also fell through.

This is an amazing thing. Not only has the entire company become so accustomed to falling behind that its plans no longer make sense, but it has also caught itself in the crucible. Can I escape from this nightmarish spiral? Unless we spin off and save ourselves, we will not be able to overcome the stormy seas of this failed plan. This challenge awaits us in 2024.

My hope is that in the coming year, I will not only draw out the company's plans, but also execute them in a friendly, competitive way to achieve the best results. I would like to share this not just as a dream, but as a reality with all the staff, including the board members. Everyone will experience the importance of implementing the plan and achieving results. Our goal for 2024 is to make this a reality. We must not make it a fleeting dream. We realize that a great challenge awaits us.

Aahh, I'm almost to Nahari. I want to enjoy my trip to Kochi. Tomorrow will be challenging: 68 km. If I can complete it and be ready for 2024, I will be over the moon.

Beautiful view of Kochi City from the JR Dosan Line