Interviewer:
Today, we are joined by Ms. Sakamoto, who runs SASAL. We would like to learn more about what kind of company SASAL is and how it has evolved into its current form. To begin with, could you please give us a brief introduction of your company?
Ms. Sakamoto:
Thank you very much for the introduction. My name is Yurino Sakamoto, representing SASAL. At SASAL, we operate a Cross-Border Joint Venture Ecosystem. We primarily support companies in English-speaking markets, especially in New York, with their international expansion. For Japanese companies, we provide support for their overseas market entry from Japan. Thank you very much for having me today.
The Starting Point of Value Creation
Interviewer: Thank you for your time today. To begin, could you explain the fundamental philosophy behind SASAL’s approach to client support?
Sakamoto:
Thank you, it’s a pleasure to be here. At SASAL, everything begins with one principle: understanding the structure in which a company operates. When companies think about growth, they often start by asking what to offer or which market to expand into. However, before discussing those topics, there is a more fundamental question that must be addressed: within what structure does the company currently exist, and where is value actually being generated within that structure? Without this understanding, even the most sophisticated strategies tend to become fragmented efforts. They may produce short-term outcomes, but they rarely lead to sustainable or scalable value creation. That is why we begin not with solutions, but with redefining how value itself is structurally created.
In New York, Cross-Border Is Already Embedded in Business
Interviewer: How does this perspective apply specifically to companies operating in New York?
Sakamoto:
In New York, cross-border is not a strategic choice—it is already embedded in daily operations. Companies here typically have customers across multiple countries, investors from different regions, and teams composed of diverse nationalities. Even without making a deliberate decision to expand globally, they naturally operate across borders. In other words, most companies are already cross-border—whether they recognize it or not. This is an important realization, because it shifts the conversation. The question is no longer whether to go global. The reality is that companies are already there.
The Risk of “Unconscious Cross-Border”
Interviewer: If that’s the case, where do the challenges arise?
Sakamoto:
The challenge lies in the fact that much of this cross-border activity happens unconsciously.When cross-border operations are not intentionally designed, they tend to create hidden inefficiencies within the organization. Decision-making becomes fragmented across regions, reducing both speed and alignment. Revenue streams become geographically dispersed, making it difficult to understand where value is being created. Legal, regulatory, and operational processes are optimized locally, but not globally. At first glance, companies may appear to be growing. However, beneath that surface, complexity accumulates. Over time, this complexity becomes a structural cost. What looks like global expansion may actually be an increase in inefficiency. So, being cross-border in itself is not a competitive advantage. In fact, without proper design, it can undermine enterprise value.
Cross-Border Creates Value Only When Designed
Interviewer: Then what does it take to turn cross-border into a driver of enterprise value?
Sakamoto:
It requires intentional design. Cross-border must be treated not as a condition, but as a structure. The company must clearly define where value is captured, which functions are located where, and who holds decision-making authority. Without this alignment, cross-border remains simply a state of operation. But when these elements are deliberately structured, cross-border becomes a system that generates value. The difference is fundamental. Unconscious cross-border exists. Designed cross-border performs.
Why Intentional Design Is So Difficult
Interviewer: If the concept is clear, why do so many companies struggle to achieve it?
Sakamoto:
Because the difficulty is not conceptual—it is structural. First, information is distributed unevenly across regions. Each local entity has partial visibility, making it difficult to form a unified decision-making framework. Second, stakeholders operate under different incentives. Headquarters, local offices, investors, and external partners often have conflicting objectives, and without deliberate alignment, these misalignments grow over time. Third, regulatory and institutional differences are not simply operational challenges; they shape the architecture of the business itself. If tax structures, governance, or legal frameworks are not aligned, the organization cannot scale efficiently. Additionally, many companies design strategies based on existing resources rather than optimal structures. This leads to compromises that limit long-term growth potential. Finally, there is a persistent issue of disconnect between strategy and execution. Plans may be logically sound, but they fail to translate into real-world operations. Alternatively, execution proceeds without alignment to strategic intent. This gap between intention and reality is one of the most common failure patterns in cross-border business.
SASAL’s Role: Redefining Structure Before Providing Solutions
Interviewer: Given these challenges, what role does SASAL play?
Sakamoto:
Our role is not to immediately offer solutions. Instead, we begin by redefining the structure. Before asking where a company should expand, we help clarify how value is currently being created and where inefficiencies exist within that structure. From there, we design a framework that aligns strategy, operations, and decision-making. Then, if necessary, we bring in external partners and specialists, integrating them into a cohesive structure. This is what we refer to as our ecosystem approach.
What the Ecosystem Approach Really Means
Interviewer: Could you elaborate on what you mean by “ecosystem”?
Sakamoto:
Cross-border business cannot be executed by a single entity alone. It inherently involves multiple players—companies, partners, advisors, and institutions—each operating within different systems and incentives. The challenge is not simply coordination, but alignment. Many cross-border initiatives fail because they are treated as isolated projects rather than interconnected systems. Our ecosystem is designed to address this. It is not just a network of partners, but a coordinated structure where decision-making, incentives, and execution are aligned. The goal is to ensure that all elements function as part of a unified system, rather than as disconnected parts.
A Perspective for New York Companies
Interviewer: Finally, what perspective would you offer to companies in New York?
Sakamoto:
The most important thing to recognize is that cross-border is already happening. The real question is how you manage it. If left unstructured, it becomes a source of complexity and cost. If intentionally designed, it becomes a powerful lever for growth and enterprise value. So the key question is not where to expand, but how your structure generates value—and whether that structure is deliberately designed.
Conclusion
Enterprise value is not determined solely by scale. It is determined by how effectively a business is structured. For companies in New York, cross-border operations are unavoidable. However, the difference between success and inefficiency lies in whether those operations are intentionally designed or passively accumulated. SASAL exists at this critical point of transition—helping companies move from unconscious cross-border activity to deliberately structured systems that generate sustainable value. Because ultimately, it is not the fact that you operate across borders that matters—it is how you design that crossing.
