I consider Mr. Narayanan Vaghul my mentor, because he gave me a huge amount of support and confidence, and understood my business model.

I have a tip that can take 5 strokes off anyone's golf game. It's called an eraser.

Many times when I found myself at a personal crossroads – when I graduated from Hitotsubashi University and was unsure about whether I wanted to go into research or become a businessman, when I quit my job at the Industrial Bank of Japan (currently Mizuho Bank), when I founded Rakuten, when I tried to buy Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) – I always visited my dad in Kobe to ask his advice. Like my wife, my dad was a behind-the-scenes counselor to me.

In an interview, Sancar stated that in his youth, he was an idealist but he didn't participate in activities.

I’ll get half way through a book and then jump to another.

Winning, absorbing the journey and the destination. When all of it comes together, whether it’s something you started or took over, you get to look at yourself and everyone around you.

I try to find leverage points. Sure, I give to charities and those in need. But for me, I try to help people create and grow their companies, and build a future for people. The hope is that they can become self-sustaining and grow to be a pillar of their community. That’s what I love to do and think has the most impact.

I was never a big risk taker. When I started my first businesses, I really had nothing to lose. I was sleeping on the floor. I had five roommates in a three-bedroom apartment. My car was a junker. I had absolutely nothing to lose when I started MicroSolutions, so it really was never a risk.

I create offbeat advice; I don't follow it. I rarely take third-party advice on my investments.

I was never a big risk taker. When I started my first businesses, I really had nothing to lose. I was sleeping on the floor. I had five roommates in a three-bedroom apartment. My car was a junker. I had absolutely nothing to lose when I started MicroSolutions, so it really was never a risk.