The visit to Singapore was a welcome change, providing the perfect escape from Tokyo’s winter chill.

The week became busy, but it was also full of valuable insights. I had the chance to work with the Singapore team and meet in person with colleagues visiting from our headquarters in Europe.

Here’s how Week 1,518 unfolded.

1. What I read.

The quote that stuck with me:

But in an era of Zoom calls and data analytics, there is still no substitute for shoe leather.

This article resonates with me on a deeper level, not just in the context of understanding how challenging management has become today, but also in the realization of the enduring value of physical presence. If I had to summarize the key takeaway from my business trip this week — something that rings true for every trip — it would be the irreplaceable impact of being there in person and engaging directly. The concept of “shoe leather” in the article truly captured this sentiment. I genuinely felt that no number of Zoom calls or text chats can come close to the value of face-to-face interaction.

2. Who I saw.

I met up with my first manager at the company for dinner one evening after work, which one of my teammates was kind enough to help organize.

The little details I observed:

Although it has been more than a year since he left the company, he still leads me with his strong legacy. Through his management style, he has left a more profound inspiration on me than I was aware of while working with him. He was my introduction to the company’s culture and has been a role model for my time, not just at work but also in life — how to lead life. Whenever my schedule allows, I always remember to contact him when visiting Singapore.

3. What I created.

I bought a notebook and titled it Payments #2.

The story behind it:

Payments #1 was last visited more than six months ago, if I remember correctly. Since then, I haven’t been using notebooks to organize my thoughts and learnings about payments. After two years of working in this industry, I feel it’s a great time to pick it up again. My goal is to use my professional experience in Japan’s growing payments market to fuel my content for writing.

Next Week’s Peek — What I’m looking forward to and why

According to the weather forecast for this weekend, the cold is finally making way for sunshine. That means spring is officially here! Walking has always been my favorite way to refresh and spark new ideas, but the recent cold weather has kept me indoors. I’m excited to return to this activity next week as the weather warms up.

Hope you had a great week.

Catch you next week!