Secrets of Startup Recruiting in the US AND Japan! (feat. Sho Takei) | E2233
January 12, 2026
AI Summary
5 min read🎙️ The Speakers & Context
- The Format: Live interview with audience Q&A.
- The Key Players:
- Guest: Sho Takei, CEO/Co-founder of Hire (hyresearch.com), a data-driven recruiting firm for tech startups in Japan/APAC. Credible due to early roles scaling Uber (APAC recruiting from 4-person Japan team) and Cloud Kitchens (50th employee, Asia expansion), bringing Travis Kalanick's high-velocity hiring playbook to Japan.
- Host: Jason Calacanis, podcaster/investor running Founder University in Tokyo with Jetro; probes with US-centric contrasts.
- The Vibe: Tactical and hustler-focused—sharing battle-tested recruiting hacks amid Japan startup ecosystem optimism.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:00) **🎙️ Introduction: Sho Takei**
- 2 (03:21) **Recruiting Challenges for US Companies in Japan**
- 3 (04:46) **Evolution of Stock Options in Japan**
- 4 (07:46) **Best Practices for Hiring Talent in Japan**
- 5 (09:22) **Return-to-Office vs. Remote for Startups**
- 6 (11:11) **Funding and Licensing Requirements in Japan**
- 7 (11:51) **Overview of HYRE (hiresearch.com)**
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Show Notes
This Week In Startups is made possible by:
Northwest Registered Agent - www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist
Caldera Lab - http://calderalab.com/TWIST
Pipedrive - http://pipedrive.com/twist
Today’s show:
TWiST is coming to you all from TOKYO as we launch Japan’s first-ever Founder University! That’s right, a full week of key insights from Japan’s top founders, investors, and tech visionaries… when we can pull ourselves away from our favorite izakaya spots, that is.
First up, Jason welcomes HyreSearch.com co-founder Sho Takei, a veteran of Uber and CloudKitchens who now helps startups recruit top talent from around the world.
Together they discuss the massive changes AI is bringing to every facet of the hiring process, Sho’s experiences working for infamously “super-pumped” Travis Kalanick, his tips for for establishing a corporate culture when hiring your first few employees, why being a co-founder is just a bit like getting married, and LOTS MORE.
Timestamps:
(00:00) We’re in TOKYO JAPAN for Founder University with Hyre co-founder (and Uber vet) Sho Takei.
(03:13) The challenges of early Uber recruiting in Asia
(05:22) Are Japanese workers motivated by stock-based compensation? Or is cash still king?
(08:24) Why tax rates give Singapore and Dubai a competitive advantage.
(09:17) Do in-person startups have an edge against entirely remote companies?
(11:50) How Jason thinks Hyre could grab their ultimate domain name…
(13:26) Northwest Registered Agent: Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist
(15:32) Just because a startup tactic works in the US… doesn’t mean it will work in Japan
(17:39) Travis Kalanick and Uber’s unique “super pumped” approach to recruiting
(20:01) It’s hard to fire someone in Japan! The high stakes for hiring mistakes.
(23:35) Sho’s tips for establishing a culture and hiring your first few employees (“hiring is guessing, and firing is knowing”)
(25:33) Why being a co-founder is kind of like getting married
(27:46) Caldera Lab: Whether you’re starting fresh or upgrading your routine, Caldera Lab makes skincare simple and effective. Head to More from this podcast