Free Live Webinar • November 18, 2026 • 11:30 A.M. CT
Doing Business in Asia: What American Business Leaders Need to Know
Language is only one barrier.
Speaking the same language does not mean operating by the same rules. Everything from how you sit in a meeting room to the way you give feedback can affect trust, credibility, and business outcomes. What feels like common sense or simple politeness to an American may be understood very differently in another culture.
Before the meeting
Can a client decide that you are not taking them seriously before the meeting officially begins?
Who speaks, and when
Why might a capable employee remain silent in a meeting when you expect active participation?
When “yes” may not mean yes
When might “No problem” be a sign that there actually is a problem?
Verbal vs. written
Why might a clear two-minute verbal explanation still need to be followed by a written report?
What we’ll explore
Ryan Akins from Dale Carnegie will put practical business situations to Hiroshi Kagawa and Andrew Robbins, drawing out where American assumptions can collide with business norms in Japan, China, Korea, India, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and elsewhere in Asia.
Communication
Meetings & Decisions
Hierarchy, preparation, participation, consensus, and follow-through.
Relationships & Trust
How business relationships are built, tested, and maintained.
A conversation, not a lecture
This 45-minute session is designed as a fast-moving interview. Ryan will ask concrete questions; Hiroshi and Andrew will compare perspectives and explain the business logic behind different behaviors. We’ll finish with questions from the audience.
45 minutes
Approx. 30–35 minutes of moderated discussion, followed by audience Q&A.
Meet the speakers
Ryan Akins
Managing Principal, Red Summit Partners
Owner, Dale Carnegie North Texas
A business leader, investor, and Certified Dale Carnegie Trainer who has owned the North Texas Dale Carnegie franchise since 2011. Ryan will moderate the discussion from the perspective of American business leaders working across cultures.
Hiroshi Kagawa
President, Yubun International
Owner, IBC Publishing
An internationally recognized trainer, coach, consultant, and author who has worked extensively across Asia and the West and has coached more than 4,000 executives in intercultural communication.
Andrew Robbins
President, Bespoke Intercultural Group
An intercultural communications consultant, author, and lecturer who lived in Japan for 17 years. Andrew has spent more than a decade helping organizations translate cultural differences into practical business strategies.
Organizations that have benefited from Bespoke Intercultural Group expertise include