At Gengo, we’re a mix of Silicon Valley, Tokyo, Melbourne and a dozen other places, so getting to know how different cultures do business is particularly interesting to us. After I moved to Japan from the UK seven years ago, working in Tokyo for the first time was definitely a learning experience. It’s gotten easier for me, but every new country I travel to has its own unique way of doing things.

To take the guesswork out of what to expect when traveling abroad for work, we’ve created a simple interactive guide to the Business Cultures of the World, available also in Japanese and Spanish. It features 15 different countries and is full of advice on giving gifts, adjusting to different leadership styles and other tips on business etiquette. The guide also helps you compare two countries at a glance—for example, this comparison of two countries close to my heart, Japan and Australia:

I wish I had something like this earlier on in my career, when I had my fair share of stressful encounters.

One of my first meetings in Japan was a pitch described to us as “casual” with 2-3 people, but when we arrived it turned out to be a huge gathering with—I’m not kidding—18 people around the room watching us present. Matt was dressed formally, and to add to the stress, I had given him my slides in the wrong order. It’s the only time I’ve seen a bead of sweat literally form on someone’s forehead and drip down to the floor.

I remember another early afternoon presentation to a real estate firm in a pretty smart and modern office. After sitting down and having initial discussions with juniors, they told us they were going to bring the boss in. At that moment, an assistant brought a glass of whiskey on the rocks, an ashtray and cigarettes to where he would sit. He came in, sat, and watched us present, while smoking.

You could read these kinds of stories and imagine Japan being impossible to navigate. It can be, but there are plenty of examples of UK and US businesses being charmingly different, too. Companies are as diverse as people, and I’m happy to say that my experience with the vast majority of the clients, investors and partners we work with in Japan is easygoing and natural. You never know what you’ll get, but it can help to arrive to meetings in new countries with a sense of how an encounter might differ from what feels familiar to you.

Outside of the office, cross-cultural difficulties often revolve around alcohol. Since recorded history began, alcohol has lubricated tense business meetings in many countries. Knowing that in a few hours you may be in a dimly lit bar with what seems like a completely different set of clients compared to earlier can be a relief and a dealmaker or another challenge altogether, particularly in places with a hard-drinking reputation. On the other hand, a number of countries don’t have strong drinking cultures at all, which can be also a departure from what you’re used to.

Because cultures and people vary so widely even within countries, our tool is meant to be a general guide, not a rulebook. Even though I’m Australian and grew up in Britain, I’m more comfortable doing business in San Francisco than London. I have no interest in football, so I’m relieved to be excused that go-to small talk in the UK. From living in Japan, I feel instinctively slighted if someone doesn’t take my business card carefully with two hands Japanese-style, and I expect a firm handshake, too. Without thinking, I always sit our guests facing the door (as one does in Japan) even when everyone in the room is a Westerner. And, when our guests leave, normally we’ll go and bow to them at the elevator—we feel like we must.

All said, we hope you enjoy exploring our guide, and we’d love to hear your stories about doing business abroad, too!

Explore the Guide