10–12 Weeks · ¥45,000
Family Business Advisory
For companies where ownership and family relationships overlap. Covers role definition, generational expectations, employment terms, and separating family decisions from business ones.
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Business Advisory · Kyoto
Counsel for the questions
you cannot raise inside
Some situations require an outside perspective. We work with family firms, established brands, craft workshops, and growing organisations facing the kind of difficulty that does not fit neatly into ordinary management.
Begin a ConversationWhat We Offer
Work that fits the situation, not the other way around
Engagements here are shaped around the actual question, not a packaged methodology applied uniformly. The work begins with understanding what is genuinely in front of you — the relationships involved, the history of the organisation, and what a useful outcome would look like in practice.
How We Work
Direct, written, and without unnecessary meetings
Each engagement produces written work you can return to: frameworks, assessments, and documented agreements. We do not rely on presentation decks or verbal summaries that leave no trace. The record of what was agreed belongs to you.
What Guides the Work
Four commitments that remain constant across every engagement
Candour over comfort
We say what we observe, including the parts that are harder to hear. An advisor whose conclusions are shaped by what the client wants to see is not giving advice — they are providing reassurance.
Defined scope
Each engagement has a stated question, a fixed duration, and a described output. There is no indefinite retainer that extends without clear purpose. The work ends when the work is done.
Confidentiality as practice
Information shared during an engagement is handled carefully and destroyed when the work concludes. We do not reference past clients by name or in a way that would allow identification.
Written deliverables
Every engagement produces a document you can use after we part. A framework, a structured assessment, a set of agreed principles — something that exists independently and does not require us to be present to remain useful.
The Process
From first contact to written conclusion
Step 01
Initial conversation
We begin with a conversation to understand the question you are working with. There is no obligation at this stage. If the work seems suited to what we do, we will say so plainly. If it is not, we will say that too.
Step 02
Scope agreed in writing
Before work begins, we produce a written description of the question being addressed, the duration, the parties involved, and what will be delivered. This agreement stays in place for the full engagement.
Step 03
The engagement
The work proceeds according to what was agreed — conversations, observations, research, and analysis. We keep you informed of progress and raise anything significant as it emerges, rather than holding it for a final document.
Step 04
Written conclusion
The engagement closes with a written output: a framework, assessment, or set of recommendations as described in the scope. Our involvement ends there unless a further question arises and a new scope is agreed.
Past Engagements
A partial record, listed without outcome claims
The entries below are anonymised. They describe what was asked, not what resulted. Outcomes depend on circumstances we do not control, and we do not present past work as evidence of guaranteed results.
| Sector | Company Size | Duration | Question Addressed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Textile manufacturing | 18 employees | 10 weeks | Role definition between founding family members and incoming general manager |
| Ceramics retail | 6 employees | 5 weeks | How to present a 90-year-old shop brand to customers under 40 without losing existing clientele |
| Food production | 3 employees | 8 weeks | Whether direct sales or wholesale better suited the workshop's actual production capacity |
| Professional services | 24 employees | 4 weeks | Establishing a delegation framework as ownership passed from founder to operational directors |
| Hospitality | 11 employees | 12 weeks | Employment terms and succession expectations for family members entering the business at different stages |
Areas of Work
Four defined engagements
Each engagement is structured around a specific type of question. If your situation does not fit one of these descriptions precisely, we can discuss whether something can be adapted.
5 Weeks · ¥38,000
Heritage Brand Consultation
For long-established companies considering how to present themselves to a changing customer base. Includes research across age groups, a presentation audit, and an assessment of what to preserve.
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8 Weeks · ¥34,000
Craft Sector Business Support
For makers and small producers moving from craft practice toward sustainable business operation. Covers pricing, capacity limits, sales routes, and skills succession.
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4 Weeks · ¥30,000
Governance Structure Review
An examination of how decisions are formally made in a growing company. Covers board composition, delegated authority, reserved matters, and documentation requirements.
View DetailsGetting Started
A conversation before any commitment
If you have a question in front of you and are trying to decide whether advisory work might help, the first step is to describe the situation. We will let you know honestly whether what we do seems relevant.
Write to UsContact
Describe what you are facing
There is no form to fill in beyond your name, your contact address, and a note about the situation. We will respond within two working days.
Company Information
Registered Name
Vault Zone Drift
Address
2-17-5 Oike-dori, Nakagyo-ku,
Kyoto 604-0925
Contact
+81 75-343-2159
info@vault-zonedrift.com