Who is David Gay-Perret?

Home » About » Who Am I?

Background

I was born in Annecy, France, where I lived until I reached 20.

After two years spent studying logistics and quality at the local IUT (QLIO Program), I moved to Gävle, Sweden, to complete my 3rd year and obtain a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Management.

I then started a 2-year program (“Innovation & Business Creation”) at Jönköping International Business School that led to a master’s degree in Business Administration, and also gave me the opportunity to study four months in Seoul, South Korea.

I never really enjoyed going to school, though the university years certainly were much more interesting than the regular school years since I could pick what I wanted to study, and after going to Sweden, I had the chance to meet amazing people from all over the world.

However, the point is that I always saw school and university as an excuse to cover necessities (legal status, social contacts…), while what truly mattered to me was what I was doing on the side: composing music, writing my book, shooting short movies, traveling, learning languages… Although school did open up great opportunities: I went to Sweden the first time through a program from my high school, I was able to stay in Sweden and even go to Korea because of my studies, etc.

Either way, it is no wonder that I grew tired of this lifestyle. So when I finally completed my studies in June 2012, I decided I would do what I like 100% of the time. And for this to be sustainable, it would have to generate an income…

Lifestyle Design

After graduation, I started by looking for a job I would love doing. But after one year of unsuccessful search, I figured starting my own business was a better idea: it fitted better my need to choose where to go, to be flexible in my schedule, to make my own decisions, to do things my way, and so on.
However, to reach my goal, I had to find something I enjoyed doing and that I could sell.

I then began with the idea of helping companies with innovative products or services abroad to export. At the same time, I began teaching French at Volvo, and since I had many more ideas in mind, I came to the conclusion that my company was nothing more than a legal structure to handle the money earned, and as such, running my own business not only suited my personality, but it also allowed me to pursue every activity I found interesting without the need to choose some over others. In other words, I could combine everything I liked as long as I made sure there were enough money-making activities in the mix.

Nevertheless, it took me several years of trials, errors, successes and introspection to truly turn this understanding into a way of life, and if you’d like to know more about this perspective on things, I encourage you to watch the TEDx Talk I gave on the topic, to read the (extensive) blog post I wrote, and to listen to the episode of Sébastien Ricci’s podcast “Nos vies au Japon” (Our Lives in Japan) where I discussed my background (in French only at the moment).

TEDx Talk – “Lifestyle Design: Building the Life You Dream of”
(remember to turn on English subtitles if needed)

1st part of Sébastien Ricci’s podcast “Nos vies au Japon” (Our Lives in Japan), where I discuss my background. Remember to activate the English subtitles!

Finally, after 10 years spent in Sweden, I moved to Kyoto, Japan, where I reside since March 2020. If you’d like to know more about that and about Japan, check out some interviews I gave.

TEDx Talk – “Lifestyle Design: Building the Life You Dream of”
(remember to turn on English subtitles if needed)

1st part of Sébastien Ricci’s podcast “Nos vies au Japon” (Our Lives in Japan), where I discuss my background (in French only at the moment).

Nowadays

My professional journey so far has been quite varied:

I’ve been a consultant on issues related to internationalization for companies, including helping a French ice-cream manufacturer to enter the Swedish market and a Swedish media localization company to expand in the French market, teaching French, leading cross-cultural seminars to help work with the French, among other things

I taught music production

I’ve been the more or less de facto project manager on several projects

I created an association that uses board games to help people make friends from different countries

More details about my professional background on LinkedIn!

Nowadays, however, I mostly focus on the following activities:

Offering Services to Support Multimedia Production & Localization

That includes consulting, voice acting, translation, copy editing and more, in order to bring creative, audiovisual or entertainment content to life and to share it across borders & cultures.

Helping Foreigners to Start a Business in Japan On Their Own

That includes various products & services to guide them in choosing and obtaining the correct visa, registering their company, understanding taxation, renewing their visa, etc.

Promoting the IP “Chronicles of Galadria”

That includes selling the novel in various formats and languages, but also and especially launching the production of an animated series.

Promoting the Music I Composed

That includes selling licenses for commercial use and otherwise making it available for free.

Personality

Positive

Easily get along with others

Enjoy collaborating

Quickly grasp and adapt to new realities

Positive

Easily get along with others

Enjoy collaborating

Quickly grasp and adapt to new realities

Business traits (persistent, disciplined, able to take decisions, methodical, solution-oriented, proactive…)

Artistic traits (curious, creative, open-minded, passionate, with high empathy & sensibility…)

Business traits (persistent, disciplined, able to take decisions, methodical, solution-oriented, proactive…)

Artistic traits (curious, creative, open-minded, passionate, with high empathy & sensibility…)

Expertise

(Click on a field of expertise below to display more details.)

Creative & Multimedia Content Localization

I know the processes, best practices, tools and strategies to localize creative & multimedia content, on top of having the associated skills (translation, subtitling…).

Acting & Voice Acting

I can breath life into characters and make messages memorable. I know the tools, best practices, processes, pricing standards and all manners of tips & tricks of the voice industry.

Writing

I can correct, re-write or create content from scratch to challenge, entertain or inspire.

Starting & Running a Business in Japan

While I’m not an accountant or a lawyer, I have extensive experience navigating the Japanese paperwork relevant to business owners: visa, company creation, taxation, ongoing paperwork, etc.

Multicultural Management

I can help get the most out of diversity while mitigating the difficulties that will almost always come up.

Leadership

I can gather people behind a common vision until it becomes their own, lead with questions or give instructions, motivate, create enthusiasm, convince…

Communication

I can adapt the form & content of a message to communicate with a wide variety of stakeholders, through various channels.

Organization

I can define goals & strategies, gather/plan/distribute tasks, coordinate resources, handle budgets…

Freelancing-based Lifestyles (Location-Independent in Particular)

I know how to build & run a successful location-independent freelancing business, and more importantly; how to build a life around it that takes full advantage of it.

Background​