In this episode of Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai, Jennifer sits down with her longtime friend and colleague Helen Iwata, a bilingual leadership and communications coach with over 35 years of experience in Japan. Helen opens up about the difficult seasons she has navigated in both her business and personal life, including a significant financial setback after working with a business coach that shook her confidence deeply. She shares her journey through bitterness, self-blame, and the slow, gradual process of finding her way back to joy. Helen and Jennifer explore the concept of "divine timing," the power of patience, and the importance of sitting with difficult emotions rather than bypassing them. They also discuss Helen's evolving professional identity, the philosophy of "less effort, more impact," the concept of mottainai as it applies to talent and energy, and the 10th anniversary of Helen's book Eigo no Shigoto Jutsu. The conversation is honest, warm, and deeply relatable for anyone navigating a season of transition.

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How Helen lost her sense of joy during a difficult few years and how she is finding her way back
• Why taking 100% responsibility is so hard, and why it matters more than playing the victim
• Helen's philosophy of "less effort, more impact" and how it applies to leadership and communication
• The concept of mottainai applied to talent, energy, and unsolicited advice
• Why action brings clarity, and why you can't do what you don't know if you keep doing what you do know
• The 10th anniversary of Helen's book Eigo no Shigoto Jutsu and her new podcast and YouTube series

About Helen:

Helen Iwata is a bilingual leadership and communication coach from the UK with over 35 years’ experience in Japan, helping managers and executives in Japan—especially women—lead and communicate confidently in global business settings.

During her 10 years with McKinsey & Company, she served as Manager of Client Communications, coaching consultants and clients in leadership, communication, and high-stakes presentations.

As the founder of Sasuga Communications K. K., she partners with multinational organizations to design and deliver leadership and communication development programs for rising leaders through to seasoned executives across the APAC region.

Helen is a TEDx coach and speaker, Nikkei Online columnist, author of Eigo no Shigoto-jutsu (Shogakukan), host of the Sasuga! Podcast, and serves on the Executive Committee of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan.

She is also a wife, mother, and karate world champion.

Connect with Helen:

Sasuga Communications: https://sasugacommunications.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heleniwata/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heleniwata/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HelenIwata

Connect with Jennifer:

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifershinkai/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifershinkaicoach

Website: https://jennifershinkai.com/

Instagram Coaching and Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/

Instagram Artist: https://www.instagram.com/jennifershinkai/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/

Things mentioned in this episode:

Eigo no Shigoto Jutsu by Helen Iwata

https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E8%8B%B1%E8%AA%9E%E3%81%AE%E4%BB%95%E4%BA%8B%E8%A1%93-%E3%82%B0%E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%90%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BB%E3%83%93%E3%82%B8%E3%83%8D%E3%82%B9%E3%81%AE%E3%82%B3%E3%83%9F%E3%83%A5%E3%83%8B%E3%82%B1%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A7%E3%83%B3-%E5%B2%A9%E7%94%B0-%E3%83%98%E3%83%AC%E3%83%B3/dp/4093884560

Sasuga Podcast

https://sasugacommunications.com/category/podcast/

Jim Fortin's program

https://www.jimfortin.com/jims-products/