Rakuten

Strategic Concepts & Mechanics

Signature MoveOwn Money Only to Follow Beliefs Fully

Cornerstone MoveBuy Up to the Parent's Stake, Force the Conversation

Strategic PatternKravis as Hostile Takeover North Star

Signature MoveExpected Value Before Every Bet

Decision FrameworkIRR Floor of 15% Non-Negotiable

Operating PrincipleIdle Assets as Governance Failure

Cornerstone MoveHunt the Balance Sheet Gap to ¥500 Billion

Capital StrategyChildhood Capital as Compounding Origin

Signature MoveQualitative Read of the Manager First

Relationship LeverageCross-Generation Trust as Deal Currency

Signature MoveDinner Table as Training Ground

Identity & CultureInvestor as Oversight Authority

Identity & CultureCalifornia Sky Entrepreneurship

Signature MoveNever Judge Wealth by Appearance

Cornerstone MoveUpgrade the Stage, Keep the Craft Pure

Competitive AdvantagePartner Who Covers Your Blind Spot

Signature MoveCounter as Fixed-Point Observatory

Strategic PatternHideout Prestige Over Visible Location

Signature MoveSeating Diplomacy as Silent Service

Cornerstone MoveBootstrap Through Regulars, Not Location

Competitive AdvantageEarly IT Adoption for Analog Business

Signature MoveCelebrity Treated as Regular Customer

Operating PrincipleCombine Experience With Theory

Identity & CulturePaper Napkin Ideas Over Boardrooms

Relationship LeverageKunto: Invisible Influence Over Time

Strategic PatternObsession Follows Admiration

Primary Evidence

"The third was Hiroshi Mikitani of Rakuten. I wanted to ask Mr. Mikitani about entrepreneurship, but he said, "I am in the midst of a trial and cannot guide you," so we could only discuss general public matters. When Mr. Mikitani sold his shares in Rakuten in 2005, I ended up buying them, becoming the top individual shareholder."

Source:Lifelong Investor (translated)

"Reflecting back to two years ago, by extreme coincidence, on October 5th, the day Jobs died, I had booked a final dinner reservation at the “Keigetsu” restaurant, run by Toshi-san, the protagonist of this book. That week was the last week before the closure of Keigetsu, with many regular customers rushing to make reservations. Amid this, I managed to secure a table for four, accompanied by Hiroshi Mikitani from Rakuten and Phil Libin, CEO of Evernote. It was also a meeting to introduce these two to each other for the first time."

Source:Steve Jobs' Chef (translated)

Appears In Volumes

Lifelong Investor (translated)Steve Jobs' Chef (translated)