How Haruka Nishimatsu Defined Modern Leadership by Cutting His Salary to $90,000 a Year to Save Jobs
Stories
January 23, 2026
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In the modern corporate landscape, it is common to see executives receive massive bonuses even as their companies face financial turmoil. Haruka Nishimatsu, the former head of Japan Airlines, famously broke this cycle by putting his employees’ security before his own wealth. He recognized that a company is only as strong as the people who keep it running every day.
When the airline faced billions in debt and the threat of bankruptcy, Nishimatsu decided to slash his own salary to just $90,000. This move ensured that he was feeling the same economic pressure as the frontline workers he led. His choice was a profound statement that leadership is a responsibility to others rather than a path to personal enrichment.
Image Source: NBC News
Leading by Example Through Shared Sacrifice
Nishimatsu discarded the traditional perks of his high-ranking position to remain grounded with his workforce. He traded a private limousine for the city bus and waited in line for lunch at the staff cafeteria.
These daily actions removed the social distance that typically separates a CEO from the rest of the office. By working at a regular desk in an open-plan room, he made himself accessible to everyone in the building.
Image Source: The Wall Street Journal
Prioritizing People Over Short-Term Profits
During the 2009 financial crisis, Nishimatsu refused to use mass layoffs as a quick fix for the company’s rising debt. He understood that protecting the livelihoods of his staff was more important than protecting the executive payroll.
This commitment to job security built a deep sense of trust and loyalty throughout the entire organization. His strategy proved that a business can navigate a crisis without ever abandoning its moral compass.
Image Source: The Wall Street Journal
The True Source of Professional Respect
Nishimatsu demonstrated that real authority is earned through character and shared experience rather than a fancy title. He did not need a corner office or a massive paycheck to command the respect of his pilots and flight attendants.
His influence came from the fact that he stood right beside them when the company was struggling. This style of leadership serves as a timeless reminder of what it means to be a true steward of a brand.
Inspired by her son’s asthma diagnosis, NYC local mom Alice Min Soo Chun decided to take action against air pollution, leading to the creation of innovative solar-powered solutions. Now, her groundbreaking solar technology is making a significant impact in regions affected by disasters, including war-torn Ukraine.
Her latest invention, the Mega Puff, is a fantastic foldable lantern that can also charge your phone. Unlike other solar chargers that take forever to charge, the Mega Puff does it in just one day. This smart mom has already donated thousands of these lanterns to help disaster victims.
As a child growing up outside Syracuse, Alice faced the harsh reality of bullying due to her Korean heritage. She found comfort in making origami with her mom. Later on, she became a teacher and launched her own company, Solight, to help others.
Since then, she has sold over one million solar-powered products and her efforts caught the attention of prominent figures like Disney CEO Bob Iger, who championed her cause after reading about her work.
Alice Min Soo Chun said to ABC7NY, “Small things matter, but if we all work collectively, we can change the world.”
William Asian Food to Go, a charming new eatery nestled at Superior, Wisconsin, has recently entered the culinary scene, offering a delightful blend of Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine.
The name of the restaurant has special meaning for the proprietors because it honors their 4-year-old son, William Tran. The devoted owners, Dung Tran and Nguyet Ho, have filled the entire business with their familial love. Their gifted 9-year-old daughter Ngoc’s meticulously created artwork lends the interior decor a lively charm.
“The reason we opened this one is not for me and my wife, it’s for them,” Tran said to Superior Telegram.
Drawing upon their Vietnamese heritage, the couple presents a diverse menu that artfully captures the authentic flavors of Vietnam and China. Whether you crave fried rice, spring rolls, stir-fry, rice vermicelli dishes, or Vietnamese sandwiches, every dish is expertly prepared and made fresh to order.
Bringing nearly 15 years of culinary expertise to the table, Tran’s skills are well-reflected in the dishes he crafts with passion and precision. Notably, his brother once ran the beloved Pho Cali restaurant in Superior from 2017 to 2022, contributing to Tran’s local connection and commitment to providing an exceptional dining experience.
Although starting the company has been difficult, Ho and Tran are excited to see it expand. They are unwavering in their commitment to the family, making sure that the warmth and affection that gave birth to William Asian Food to Go are now at the core of their business.
Michelle Jing Chan is a Chinese American artist and children’s book illustrator who, in an interview with Asian Hustle Network, opens up about her mother’s remarkable journey as a first-generation immigrant and the profound impact it has had on their relationship.
Michelle’s mother, May, is a survivor of Mao Zedong’s reign. She emigrated from Guangzhou, China, to California, facing numerous challenges along the way. She pursued her passion for fashion, but eventually put her dreams on hold to raise Michelle and her brother in Colorado.
After retirement, May embarked on a new venture where she creates Chinese-inspired baby clothes and puts them up for sale. The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, with many people showing keen interest in purchasing her creations.
In this article, Michelle shares a heartfelt glimpse into her mother’s story and their shared journeys. Join us as we explore May’s experiences as a first-generation immigrant, from surviving challenging times to embracing a new life in the United States.
HER MOTHER’S IMMIGRANT JOURNEY
Michelle: I’m a Chinese American artist and children’s book illustrator. I grew up in Colorado and now live in the Pacific Northwest. Although my background is in engineering and business, my passion is in art and storytelling–particularly in stories that empower queer and Asian youth to be their authentic selves.
My mom is a first-generation immigrant who grew up in Guangzhou, China, and emigrated to California in her early twenties. In China, she and her family survived Mao Zedong’s reign and the struggles that it brought, including facing famine, almost losing one of her sisters in an accident at a labor camp, and being targeted by Red Guards for my grandfather’s opposition to Mao during the Cultural Revolution.
When they emigrated to the US, they lived near LA and had a robust community of other Chinese immigrants. However, my mom and her family were poor and didn’t speak English. The rest of her family all found service jobs. Similarly, my mom worked as a waitress at a restaurant near Hollywood.
PUTTING DREAMS ON HOLD
Early in the morning before the restaurant opened, she would attend adult English classes. She always had an interest in fashion and it became even stronger after working near Hollywood and seeing designers and celebrities come into the restaurant. She saved up enough money to go to school and study fashion design. During that time, she continued to work at the restaurant on weekends and at a fashion company after school.
After completing her program, she planned to enter the fashion industry in California. However, she met my dad, a first-generation immigrant from Hong Kong, through a family friend. They got married and she moved to Colorado where my dad lived, and they had me and my brother shortly afterwards. In Colorado, opportunities in fashion design were much scarcer than in LA.
She decided to put her own dreams on the back burner and became a stay-at-home parent, dedicating the next decade and a half of her life to raising me and my brother. It wasn’t until I was in high school that she started working again, and she didn’t return to the fashion industry until a few additional years later.
MICHELLE’S RELATIONSHIP WITH HER MOM
Growing up, I was very close to my mom, but I don’t think I fully grasped the emotional weight of what it must have been like for her to sacrifice her career for her children. I definitely took for granted the fact that my mom was always able to pick us up after school and had the time and energy to make clothes and Halloween costumes for us, tailor clothes if they didn’t fit, and come up with other creative craft projects to keep us entertained.
As an adult now–especially as a creative myself–I understand more fully how isolating and difficult that sacrifice must have been. Also, our town in Colorado is conservative and not very diverse, so the adjustment for her coming from LA must have also been challenging and lonely. What strikes me now is how unselfish and giving she is. She has never voiced resentment for the educational or creative opportunities that I’ve had even though she didn’t have access to those same doors herself.
While my parents and I didn’t see eye to eye on my career in children’s book illustration at first, they are now some of my biggest cheerleaders. In fact, being in a creative career myself has allowed me to bond with my mom in a new way as she is embarking on her own creative journey. We can now connect over our creative passions, which is a new dimension to our relationship that didn’t exist before.
CREATING CHINESE-INSPIRED BABY CLOTHES
My mom loves kids and designing kids’ clothes. As I mentioned earlier, she made clothes for us growing up–including many of our Halloween costumes! She also loves Chinese fashion and still has suitcases of clothes from her life in LA. As she and my dad are now retired, pursuing this new venture seemed like a natural integration of these interests.
She uses Gerber brand onesies and transforms them into Chinese-inspired designs by adding ribbons, gold fabric, and traditional qipao-style buttons. She sews all these designs by herself in my childhood home.
She’s blown away by the response to her shop so far and is still processing the influx of orders! (Thank you again to the AHN community!) She wants to expand into clothes for toddlers and perhaps someday, older kids as well. In my eyes, the sky’s the limit for her and her talent and I’m excited to see where she goes from here.
VALUES MICHELLE INHERITED FROM HER MOM
The biggest thing she has taught me is how to have a strong work ethic. My mom, dad, and my grandparents work harder than anyone I know. Now as an adult, I carry that with me always.
MICHELLE’S MESSAGE TO HER MOM
Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and my brother. I know it’s a debt I will never be able to repay, but I hope I can give you a small fraction by supporting your creative dreams like you’ve come to support mine.
Omsom is a vibrant Asian food brand, owned by Vietnamese sisters Vanessa and Kim Pham, that has been on a mission to reclaim and celebrate the true flavors of Asian cuisine.
Aside from providing delicious food, Omsom aims to promote and educate on the richness of Asian-American culture on a national scale. Since its founding in 2020, the brand has fearlessly embraced its heritage, evident in its bold brand names, products, and engaging storytelling across digital and physical channels.
Now, Omsom is making waves by expanding its presence in Whole Foods with its latest offering, Omsom Saucy Noodles. These flavorful noodles come in enticing varieties such as Soy Garlic, Coconut Lemongrass Curry, Garlic Black Pepper, and Chili Sesame, priced at $4.99 MSRP. Last year, Omsom introduced its line of sauces, including Krapow, Vietnamese BBQ, Yuzu Misoyaki, and Spicy Bulgogi, to Whole Foods stores nationwide.
Omsom’s expansion to Whole Foods is an important milestone since it allows the brand to reach a bigger audience and migrate from online presence to in-store availability. Customers may now readily access Omsom products locally and get a taste of the vivid Asian flavors thanks to the fast expanding community of over 175,000 people.
Omsom competes in the instant noodle market that is dominated by well-known brands like Kraft Heinz and Nissin Foods, but the company distinguishes itself by providing convenience and quality. Unlike the conventional dry powder seasoning found in many instant noodle products, the company takes pleasure in providing sauces of restaurant-quality.
“But at the end of the day, I think when you’re playing in a category like noodles, like it’s got to be the taste; it’s got to be the product. And I think we’re bringing something really unique to the category,” Kim Pham explains to Food Navigator.
