Paul Akers and everyone on the Japan Study Mission Team 14 try to break the system at a Lean grocery store in Japan by checking out all at the same time.

Paul Akers demonstrates his simple 2 Second Improvements for today. Are you fixing something that bugs you each day?

We finished up the Japan Study Mission Team #14 last week and will soon finish up Team #15. Team #17 will be in a couple of weeks. I can’t tell you how humble I am an how much I continue to learn each trip! ~Paul

Here are some quote from Team #14

It is pretty simple. I think it was the best money I’ve ever spent on our business. And I’ve got a million dollars of equipment, so it isn’t like I haven’t invested in our business. I think that trip will be paying itself forward for years. ~Ted Pancoast, Ted Pancoast Woodworking

My lean trip to Japan was life changing. It has shown me how to better myself as a father, Husband and as a business man. Through my experience I now will view people and situations differntly in order to make the world a better place. ~Marco Nikitaras, Hill Street Grocer

Paul’s trip is a educational powerhouse of learning experience that will pay dividends the rest of my life. It opened my eyes to opportunities within my business that were right under my nose the whole time I️ just had to view them them through a different vision. ~Ty McClellan, Hardware Sales Inc.

This was by far the best lean (study group) tour or any tour for that matter that I have ever been on! It was not only educational but through actual live examples and constant dialog, it challenged ideas and beliefs that I have grown comfortable with stimulating me to change my opinion and understanding of many lean concepts. Awesome, well organized and fast paced trip. The content throughout the experience was of the highest caliber and the first hand explanation by actual high level Lean implementers made it credible and valuable! No BS here, all “rubber meets the road” and solid practice. I loved it and would highly recommend it to any one serious about improving their organization and life as well! ~Vernon Nash, Fireblast Global

Paul Akers shows how to increase the playback speed in iOS.

Glenn Rieker, from MKE Greenworks, send us this video solving the age old problem of where to grab the ladder so it is balance. So simple. So wonderful. So Lean!

Here is a link to his original video and their website.

Paul Akers and Team 17 of the Japan Study Mission say thanks to Tadahiro Kawada for the job site visit where lots of Lean learning took place.

Paul Akers discusses the fast and cool Kagoshima Airport. They only require you to show up 20 minutes early: 5 minutes to check in; 5 minutes for security; and 10 minutes at the gate.

Paul Akers discusses the Lean elements at Kuda Sushi and how to order your food.

Paul Akers discusses a rest stop (or service area) outside of Nagoya, Japan.