I built my career in Japan as an American. I learned there's one thing that's non-negotiable.

"I grew up in a small town in Indiana, but my interest in Japan started early. I still remember watching a "Sesame Street" episode where Big Bird visits Japan. That image stuck with me. In college, that curiosity took shape: I studied Japanese at the University of Chicago and spent a summer in Hokkaido. After graduating, I moved to Japan in 2008 to teach English, though a career in teaching was never my goal."

"After teaching, I transitioned into corporate roles in Japanese companies. I spent three years as an assistant and international concert promoter before joining Sony Music's business development division for four years. I later became the cofounder and COO of a VC-funded ticketing platform. After nearly a decade inside corporate Japan, I stepped into senior leadership. Now, I'm the CEO and sole founder of Vegas PR Group, a Tokyo-based marketing agency focused on culture, the arts, music, and fashion."

Lauren Rose Kocher grew up in Indiana and developed an early interest in Japan after seeing a Sesame Street episode. She studied Japanese at the University of Chicago, spent a summer in Hokkaido, and moved to Japan in 2008 to teach English. She transitioned into corporate roles including assistant, international concert promoter, Sony Music business development, and cofounder/COO of a VC-funded ticketing startup. After nearly a decade she entered senior leadership and founded Vegas PR Group, a bilingual Tokyo marketing agency focused on culture, arts, music, and fashion. Since 2024 she oversees two businesses started by her late husband and plans to remain in Japan to raise her two half-Japanese children.

Read at Business Insider