柳井正‧改变服装‧改变世界

星洲日报／投资致富‧焦点策划‧2010.12.05

全世界有很多卖衣服的，只有他卖优衣库（UNIQLO），变成了日本首富！

过去，日本人信奉：“出头钉子会被钉下去。”但在日本失落的15年裡，有一群平民企业家，没有显赫家世，却到处颠覆传统，打破成规，创造逆势成长奇蹟。

他们被形容为“出头钉”，是推动日本再起的民间力量，而他也是其中一支“出头钉”。

他的名字叫柳井正（Tadashi Yanai），曾经，他只是小服饰店的毛头小子，今天他却是日本数一数二零售控股公司讯销（Fast Retailing）的主席兼首席执行员，他的成功不时围绕着“改变”两个字，且看他如何改变服装，改变世界！

一袭黑色西装，柳井正赶在优衣库在大马分店开张前夕，踩着沉稳脚步来到大马记者会，严肃中带着隐约微笑，说话时有温雅的教授气质，却不失将军的战略思考。

在服装界翻滚多年，他曾说：“太过容易达成的目标不是好目标，最好的目标应是不可能的任务。”这一席话，让他勇敢向世界平价服装品牌宣示，誓要挑战国际平价品牌宝座。

然而，优衣库今天是否已迈向该目标？柳井正坦承，不知道，但因公司下了战书要超越其他平价品牌当“一哥”，相信在未来5至6年内必然梦想成真。

也许因为如此雄心勃勃的气势，成就了他像成吉思汗一般，攻下一座座城池，从日本到英国，再从美国到中国、韩国、新加坡，今天更登陆大马，掀起排队抢购优衣库的热潮。

这家从日本起家企图走向国际的服装公司，不时成了许多企业模彷的对象，开拓事业的步伐，总像不间断的快板，其实得归功于柳井正不随波逐流、颠覆市场的勇气，更经常把自己形容为一个有梦想的冒险家。

“我的目标很简单，任何地方、任何人都能穿上优衣库的服饰，所以，必须在各地开设分行，让客户买到优衣库。”

如此乾脆直接的目标，再度突显了他不浮夸的魅力。他进一步分析，当他说各国的目标群，非仅指大众，而是指有钱或没钱、有或没有服装触觉的人。

要所有人都能穿优衣库服饰

“至今，并没有任何品牌考虑过‘提供衣服予所有人’这样的方向！”他不讳言，他独特的销售策略只是“每个人都能穿优衣库的衣服！”

他坦言，公司不像其他服装品牌，刻意划分目标市场，公司经营哲学是在全球各角落提供好的衣服，反而不会以年龄与性别等因素划分目标群。

为达到上述愿景，讯销与Jil Sander打造了“+J 系列”高档且具负担性产品的同时，也计划在孟加拉生产1美元的T恤，期以“平易近人”的价格打入各大市场。

柳井正说，为以1美元出售T恤，製造成本必须低至50仙，儘管如此，他却不会在其他市场出售1美元的T恤，因为每个市场需求不一。

因为这些眼光独到的宏愿，他在面对平价品牌举兵抢攻市场时，却如高牆上看对手，一副处之泰然的模样，认为全球市场竞争激烈的同时，市场其实也变得更单一与相似。

他解释，某品牌在日本面临的情况，将同样在美国、中国等地发生，所以，脚步站稳，实质无须担心地位不保。

他依然强调品牌与促销的举足轻重，因为如果没有品牌，就没有人知道公司在卖甚麽，也唯有在各国设立分店，才能提供产品体验。

询及未来扩张策略时，他也没有太多不着边际的策略，仅表示公司策略与目标为在各地落实最佳管理，同时执行最佳策略，以确保按年成长。

“所以，公司不会针对今年与明年拟下特定计划，只志在把握更多市场。”

积极扩大东盟版图

优衣库在国外发扬光大多年后，今天终来势汹汹进驻大马，在柳井正眼中，多元化与多元种族的特色让吉隆坡不折不扣成为潜力蓬勃的市场，也因吉隆坡靠近新加坡，自然成了该公司继续新加坡后放眼的东盟市场。

他笑着分享，17岁来马时，看到的是一座又一座的森林，但44年后，大马现在已经不一样，取得很大的发展。

随东盟区域各国潜力十足，他预计在1至2年内在该区域扩大事业蓝图，进驻菲律宾、越南、印尼与泰国。

由于吉隆坡分店才刚起步，未知市场反应，他无法披露未来在大马开拓的分店数量，惟将确保品牌进驻东盟各国的主要城市，以最快步伐拓展优衣库。

不过，他坦言，当地生活水平与需求是公司考量因素，进军的东盟市场必须具一定生活水平，且能够负担衣着的国家。

或在新加坡设旗舰店

随该公司早在大坂开设全球旗舰店，他未来也希望在东盟设全球旗舰店，新加坡可能是目前放眼的据点。

针对大马市场策略，他重申，没有针对大马市场的特别策略，只是如一贯的理念，即在世界各地出售产品予任何人。

日本迅销公司与龙凤控股（DNP, 2976, 主板产业组）联营，以在东南亚经营Uniqlo分店。迅销在联营公司持股55%，其馀由龙凤控股子公司龙凤服装公司持有。

柳井正表示，并未限制未来在东南亚拓展业务的方式，将依市场与国家需求来决定直接持股或全面持有子公司等的扩张方式。

正视问题调整突围

金融海啸使全球许多富豪资产大缩水，富豪哀鸿遍野，日本却因此出现新首富柳井正，资产逆势增加两成，他创造的优衣库品牌成为日本人的骄傲。

究竟是甚麽样的耐力，让柳井正不仅未被海啸淹没，还能趁浪爬上霸位？柳井正自觉自己没作甚麽，因为金融风暴主要打击涉足金融游戏的人，公司只是认真地追求事业，所以，未受风暴影响。

据悉，经济低迷之际，讯销公司平价服装的定位，让利润反市场而行，而在柳井正的强人意志下，顺利交出亮眼的成绩单，营收增幅不仅超越其他着名平价品牌，分店更如雨后春笋在各国一间接一间。

不过，该公司近期却面临销售上升但收入减少问题。对此，柳井正也没有故意迴避，且无丝毫畏惧，他不把这挫折归咎于市场竞争，反而是内部因素。

听到业绩没有很乐观，他彷彿急着灌入企业佈局，自认公司商品规划未专注加强盈利是祸首，相信明年销售将迎头赶上，更看好2011年春夏期间，公司将回到以往的优势。

失败中看到成功影子

常听人言：“先有风雨，才有饱经风霜的舵手，唯有饱经风霜的舵手享受在风雨中前行。”眼前的柳井正果然具备了这样的条件，因为，改变与不畏失败，让他总是安然地度过风雨。

提起失败时，今天风光的柳井正有不少失落的经验，只是每一次他都学习冷静看待自己，坚信成功中潜藏失败的芽。

就像优衣库在2002年后曾一度进入停滞期，当时，柳井正未因此沮丧，反意识到需要为优衣库融入品牌元素。设计部门于是第一时间收集来自东京、纽约、巴黎和米兰的前沿风尚，融入自家产品的开发和设计的环节。

调整和摸索中，优衣库逐渐形成一种关于时尚美学的“零件理念”：衣服是配角，穿衣服的人才是主角，所以，优衣库服装风格务必简洁，能与其他品牌世界顶级奢侈品牌自由搭配出谐调的风格。

柳井正早期创业的自我解读当中，也曾提到最奔波劳碌的创业心路历程，成了他日后成功的最大关键。

当年，年轻气盛的的他接管家业－－小郡商事不久，即进行一场改革，使他陷入一场信任危机，其父亲那时雇佣的8名员工，一两年后，只有一个留下来，其他人都认为他是个没经验、鲁莽的年轻人，让他不得不一个人扛起从採购到销售所有的环节，包办从进货、整理库存、销售、打扫的所有工作。

大小事亲力亲为

由于所有大小事都亲力亲为，自己思考、自己行动，让他瞭解到做生意的基本原则，也奠定了他对时装的敏锐度，看一个人的穿着，即可探出他衣服的尺寸、腰身。这种功力，他自认是不断尝试错误、并记取经验后的结果。

“创业不需要甚麽特质，几乎所有人都能创业，重要的是自己做做看。不论失败几次都不气馁地持续挑战，这样的过程，就能培养出一位经营者。”

也基于这些失败，他把自己的着作列名为《一胜九败》，强调“重点在于尝试，错了没关係，错九次，就有九次经验。”

他的观察中，一些成功经营者甚至尝试一百次只有一次成功，经营本身就是错误尝试的累积，失败是家常便饭。

父亲是最大竞争对手

柳井正曾在撰写的《一胜九败》中提到，父亲是他一生中最大竞争对手，父亲一直向他灌输要当第一，如今他已做到两个第一：日本首富与日本第一大的休閒服装品牌，但他却始终自命“永远都无法超越父亲。”

柳井正曾说，以前觉得父亲只会骂他，但现在回想起来，父亲可能是在激励他。从小他父亲就要他“当第一名，甚麽第一都可以”，这个观念对他日后拓展事业有很大影响，因而，当年父亲去世时，柳井正在丧礼上泪流满面地对着遗照说：爸爸是我这一生最大的竞争对手！

望着今时今日的成就，柳井正笑言：“看来，他其实已超越父亲，只是若他在世，他不会承认。”

儘管如此，他指出，父亲的经营哲学是，相比1到100或1到1万，从0到1更艰难，因此，他自觉永远无法超越父亲，因为从0到1的创业理念是父亲，而他的经营理念却是从1到1万。

“钱仅是一个结果”

虽然贵为日本首富，但有人发现，柳井正总是刻意回避“日本首富”的称呼，关于金钱，他曾以一句名言概之－－“钱仅是一个结果，所以大多数成功人士并不是为挣钱而工作，某程度上，他们是想做生意，然后金钱随之而来。如果你只是追逐金钱，金钱就会躲开你。”

经历金融风暴的洗礼后，“利”在柳井正心中，依然只是悬在驴子眼前的胡萝卜，即使在企业不断探试成长极限、社会价值不断流失的年代，他彷彿仍在淨淨保留一颗素直的心。

当记者问及财富定位时，他一副笃定地回应，金钱或财富只是经商结果，也是他成为首富的原因，更重要的是，大家最终仍得回馈社会。

企业应留住有干劲年轻人

人才往往是经营资产中最宝贵的资源，面对全球人才瓜分，柳井正却顺利为企业留住有干劲年轻人，原因是他清楚知道，今天的年轻人要的是国际化成长机会，只要在私人领域达到工作无国界，就能把握一批能在全球移动的国际人才。

柳井正说，大部份传统公司倾向将人才安顿在出生地，但世界已经变了，国际化的机会才是今天年轻人放眼的目标，所以，公司在各地“招兵买马”时，强调提供全球化的就业机会。

“言下之意是，那些来自大马的人才有机会在各国工作，他们还可以学习到，未来成为经理人的领导力与技术。”

柳井正在人才管理上也有很多独到见解。首先，是实力主义至上，大胆打破日本社会一般“头上不能开长角”的氛围。

他也曾在书中开宗明义谈到自己对人才的重视，指他要的不是“来干活”的人，而是要具备经营者潜力的人。

谁是优衣库需要的人才？他直言：“对优衣库抱有新鲜感与好奇心！我们要的是有独立思考和判断力的员工，要经常问‘为甚麽？’，对每件事追根究柢。”

谈到接班人时，他也再度打破日本传统做法，公开传贤不传子，将来将王牌交出时，绝非给自己的孩子。

他强调，接班人必须是那些能够管理并确保公司成长的人，必须懂得管理团队，同时与公司价值相辅相承。

“公司希望在各地聘请最佳人才，提供他们培训，让他们学习管理技巧，以在全球执行管理职责。”

该公司除在瑞士与美国展开培训计划，也与新加坡、上海等地的机构展开合作，以培训更多人才，这些计划不时突显柳井正对人才的重视。

不自满于眼前成功

从小服饰店老闆到优衣库创办人，再晋身成为日本首富，柳井正即使站在事业的巅峰，却不自满于目前的成功，反认为“成功之时，就是失败起点。”，所以并没有因此放慢攻城掠地的步伐，而是紧握一套三年理论，若同一套逻辑无法成功，即改变模式。

人生事途中，有人在顺境时平步青云，逆境时却跌落云端，有人不管在景气荣或枯，都能不断战胜自我，随时把自己的脑袋调整为航海者的脑袋，看风使舵，而那个人看来非柳井正莫属了。

柳井正简介：

柳井正生于一个服装世家，1971年，从早稻田大学政治经济学部毕业，后因父亲突患脑溢血，不得不接手父亲的西服零售店—小郡商事，专卖男士正装和便服。

为具体表现行动方针，柳井正后来把公司名改为日本讯销，于1994年在广岛证券交易所上市，同时开创休闲服装品牌“优衣库”。

他靠着优衣库经营成功致富，在2009年崛起成为日本首富，根据2010福布斯全球富豪排行榜，61岁的柳井正，以76亿美元排名第89。

精彩语录：

● 太过容易达成的目标不是好目标，最好的目标应是不可能的任务。

● 创业不需要有甚麽特别的资质。我认为几乎所有人都能创业，重要的是自己做做看。不论失败几次都不气馁地持续挑战，在这样的过程中，就能培养出一位经营者。

● 重点在于尝试，错了也没关係，错九次，就有九次经验。

● 畅销商品不是一朝一夕就产生的，而是经过多年改良而得的。

● 成功会让人变得胆小、保守，这也是企业走向僵化的开始。

● 不断的变化以求发展，比在稳定中求发展更有挑战性，但也更能证明公司有存在的意义。


If you like my blog, please subscribe to the full feed RSS or subscribe by Email to receive all latest investment and financial planning updates.

Interview with Mr. Lim Chung Chun :IFAST CORPORATION PTE LTD

Business Profile: iFast Corporation is one of the largest unit trust distributor in Singapore. Their dual growth drivers from B2B and B2C business platforms have made it easy, efficient and informative for investors globally to make wise decisions on investments. They have recently expanded to Hong Kong and are seeking further expansion to Malaysia and India by the end of the year.

1. What is the nature of your business? Well we are essentially a distribution platform for unit trusts. There are 2 main parts to our business. Firstly, we act as a platform that supports various companies which are in the business of unit trust distribution and advisory. Most of them are Independent Financial Advisers (IFA) firms that use our platform to handle transactions as well as engage in a holistic range of services that allows them to operate in their business efficiently. Secondly, we provide online distribution of unit trusts. This is the B2C channel where we distribute unit trusts directly to investors via fundsupermart.com.

2. Can you remember your worst day in business or a time when you felt like giving up? What happened that made you feel that way and how did you triumph over it? There was not a point when I have ever felt like giving up. My belief is that it is important that that situation never exists. You must never accept the possibility of failure because if you give up mentally, that is one of the worst things that can happen to any business. The reality is that if you believe you cannot do it, then you probably will not succeed. But if you believe that you can, it remains to be proven whether you can. In our case, throughout the years through good and through bad times there has always been the belief that we will succeed and take off. The only question was when, how soon, what does it take and measures that they need to adopt to succeed.    

3. Can you share some of the lessons you learnt from overcoming your own business challenges that you think will help other businesses? You have to believe that your business will take off. If you believe it will fail, you probably will because all it takes is for the driver of the business to enter into a patch where they feel like giving up and then they will find that their business could take a bad turn and it might be very difficult to recover from it subsequently. Other lessons will be for example, in our case, we have been very consistent in the direction that we took. We generally take a medium to longer term approach in our thinking. We plan out where we need to head and move into that direction - through good and through bad times. That is how over the years we have differentiated ourselves from our competitors. Some companies actually will be very excited during good times. While during bad times they get demoralized and cut back on various activities that they do. That actually has a very long term cost to the business. On the other hand, we have been very consistent in our approach, be it SARS, Iraq War, we continue to push forward.   

4. What are some of your business values and what would you like to pass down to others, particularly the younger generation? Internally we actually have set our mission statement: To help investors around the world invest globally and profitably. To me that is one of the values that helps us believe that we are continually trying to help the end consumer achieve good returns on the money that they put in. This value is important with regard to our business. In the investment world you will find that you can have situations that in the short term, the objective of the business could conflict with the objective of the consumer. The objective of the business is to generally try to increase sale and profitability. So if you are in the unit trust business, generally you want to sell more. The objective of the consumer on the other hand is to achieve a good return especially in the long run. To us the challenge is matching the 2 objectives. The investment world is such that very often the easiest way to drive up sales could actually be ways that are not good for consumers. For example you sell products that are 'flavor of the month', which will probably do poorly for consumers in the long run but in the short term you find that it is actually the easiest thing to sell. These are values that may not actually be there in some financial institutions. The short term goal of achieving revenue and profitability overrides the long term principles that ought to be there. On our part we like to think longer term so that the objectives can be matched easily. We need not worry about month-to-month sales or quarterly sales. The products that we recommend are those that we believe are generally good for the long run. So if it is good for consumers in the long run, they come back again to us. This naturally grows the business in the long run. But if you take the short sighted approach of pushing sales over the quarter because it is easier it may actually hurt your business in the long run. This is a very important value that we embrace.   

5. With the changes in the market today, do you think it has become harder or easier to succeed in business? Why do you say so? When we say succeed I am referring to succeeding over time and not in 1 year because there are shifts in demand and supply which can affect the business. In view of that angle, I personally think that succeeding in this market today is the same. I do not think it has become harder. Ultimately, the fundamental economic rules still apply. To succeed in a business, you need to be among the better ones. You have got to be the top. Conditions will change but they way to succeed is to be better than your competitors. I do not think this fundamental rule has changed.  

6. What advice would you give young people who want to start their own business? Be mentally prepared to cope with the mental stress of not having regular income in the short term. Actually this is something that a lot of people find difficult. It is more psychological than financial meaning some people might have lots of money in the bank but they do not feel safe and psychologically they feel difficult. For example someone has $5 million in the bank but if he is not getting $250,000 in annual income they will feel poor, vulnerable and disheartened. If he always feels that way then it is very difficult to run a business properly. The amount of money is of course in some way a factor especially in startup companies. But I do not think that it is one of the ultimate determinant because we ourselves have been up against competitors with far more money than us. But it did not stop us from doing much better than them. So it is actually a mental challenge rather than the challenge of having more money at that point of time.

7. What would be the most important strategic management concept to you? (E.g. SWOT approach, Organizational approach) One of the important factors that has been our priority all these years is the ability to align the interests of as many stakeholders as possible - the shareholders, employees, suppliers and customers. Align these well and you will find that the ability of the business to grow will surprise you. All too often there are businesses out there spending on various strategies and schemes to pull the business together. But since there does not exist alignment of interests, the day to day tasks will seem to require huge effort and they may have to constantly pump in extra energy to do the tasks. For example, when it comes to employees it is a HR consideration. To me one of the key things is to have various company policies that will make the employees feel that they are part of the whole system and are excited to see the company grow. In some businesses you may find that the company can grow a lot but the employees may not necessarily feel excited about this growth because it does not concern their personal growth. That is a problem if we cannot get the two parties aligned together. Hence various policies will needs to be in place to make the employees feel motivated. The best way is to make them feel and believe that when the company does well long term, they will see tremendous personal growth as well. We have been sufficiently able to do so, that is why for me, the CEO, my job would be easier because I need not spend time giving pep talks. In practice they are willing to think long term for the company.  

If you like my blog, please subscribe to the full feed RSS or subscribe by Email to receive all latest investment and financial planning updates.