What does it take to succeed in Japan's notoriously difficult beauty market? Elizabeth Barbalich, founder and Director of iconic New Zealand skincare brand Antipodes, shares her fascinating 7-year journey of patience, persistence, and cultural learning that led to success in one of the world's most discerning markets.

From developing seven products over two years in her quest for natural wellness, to navigating the complex world of Japanese retail partnerships and formal business etiquette, Elizabeth reveals why Japan isn't just about revenue -it's about building brand equity that opens doors globally. Discover the surprising cultural differences (like why Japanese women condition their hair nightly!), the power of retail staff relationships over influencer marketing, and why being seen on Japanese shelves makes international buyers take notice.

Whether you are considering Japan as a market, or simply love hearing about entrepreneurial grit, this episode is packed with actionable insights about building authentic brand trust in a market where customers read every ingredient and expect perfection.

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In this episode you’ll hear:

• How Elizabeth overcame the challenge of minimal sales with three different distributors for the first three years in Japan

• The six-hour "etiquette meeting" required to switch distributors and what it taught her about Japanese business culture

• How she created a vitamin C toner specifically for Japanese consumers (and why it became a hit in other markets too)

• Why she values formal business meetings and trains her entire team on proper etiquette for every market

About Elizabeth

Elizabeth Barbalich is the founder and CEO of the iconic New Zealand skincare brand Antipodes which she founded over 20 years ago in 2004.

Elizabeth grew up on the Mainland amidst the Canterbury Plains, undertook a science degree in biology from the University of Canterbury, then embarked on an MBA from the University of Auckland. She won a highly competitive position with a United States medical technology corporation and spent 8 years training surgeons and registrars in the use of their cutting-edge equipment.

Antipodes skincare products are made of pure bioactive ingredients from New Zealand’s nature. To launch the sustainable beauty brand, she drew on her background in science. Today Antipodes is available in Japan and many other countries.

Links

Antipodes: https://jp.antipodesnature.com/

Jandals in Japan is brought to you by Catherine O’Connell Law and PodLaunch with Jayne

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