"Make your dream come true or forever wish you did.” Moeno Morimoto Vol.1
The service begins with the user choosing two books from a list, and receiving a book each month. Then they have dinner with someone who chose the same book in the third month of the service. Today's edition features Ms. Moeno Morimoto, who started MISSION ROMANTIC, a slow romantic matching service that allows people to meet others through books.
-What made you start such a company?
It all started from the thought, "I wanted to recreate the romantic moment when you and someone reach for the same book, and two hands collide." I thought, "If we have a society with such a high level of technology and diversity, why not create a world just like the one in "Whisper of a heart," a Ghibli movie I admire, with the power of business?"
[Study Abroad in London: A life's turning point]
-We've heard that you studied abroad in London while in university, to become a play writer.
I've been cheerleading since high school, but I wasn't very good at it, and I was always competing for the last spot in the team in college. Then I realized that rather than improving my cheerleading skills, I enjoyed the team growing. I was always interested in English, and realizing that the idea of creating entertainment suited me more, I decided to study abroad.
-How did you spend your time overseas?
My study abroad experience was full of setbacks, but it was a significant turning point in my life. To be honest, when I was still in Japan, being famous was something I cared about. But in London, it's more about how different your opinion is. Those who can argue, in a good way, of course, are considered to be better than the ones who “go with the flow”. It was my first time diving into that kind of world, and I had a tough time getting along with all of the change. I couldn't keep up with the jokes and people didn’t invite me to hang out after school. It was a robust experience, but I think the setbacks I faced there were pretty crucial in shaping me into the person I am today.
I was used to being surrounded by my family and friends, but I was suddenly left alone in London, and entertainment was what saved me from those difficult situations. It only costs £20 to see operas and musicals for the cheapest seats, so I kept my expenses on food low and started going to the theatre about three times a week.
At first, I couldn't write more than "Very entertaining! That was fun!", but gradually I became able to write detailed discussions and analysis from my point of view. I thought to myself, "There you go, you're capable of this!". When I asked my family what kind of career I can utilize this skill, they suggested I should get a job at an advertising agency, explaining that it's where you tell people how fascinating something is. That’s how I became interested in the field of advertisement.
[Delivering excitement to people!]
-You started working at Dentsu after graduation, but four years later, you joined My Little Box. What made you get there?
My Little Box is a company that sends an assortment of cosmetics to customers every month, and I had the chance to work on a project when I was still at Dentsu. It didn't work out at the time, but a year later, I got another opportunity to talk to My Little Box. A representative from the French headquarters happened to be there, and out of the blue, I started speaking in English as soon as I found out about it, which made them be impressed by my fearlessness; The next thing I heard was, "Why don't you come work with us?" I was so excited about packing cosmetics and delivering a surprise to a girl once a month; I said I'd go right away.
Dentsu's work is in the To B industry, and I had been feeling the dilemma of not being able to get a direct response from the customers. I talked about wanting to work in the To C industry someday, so the senior members of Dentsu sent me off willingly.
-Changing jobs was a rare option at the time. Did you have any concerns about doing so?
Of course, I was anxious, but in the end, not doing what I wanted to do wasn't even an option. I wanted to bring customers the excitement at My Little Box, so I was proud of my decision. I think I wouldn't have been able to take the plunge into entrepreneurship if I hadn't overcome the challenge of leaving Dentsu, so I still believe it was the right choice. Once you've climbed a high mountain, you can climb a higher one the next time.
[The second career change: A time for self-reflection]
-Then you left My Little Box, for a second career change to FABRIC TOKYO. What changes did you face within yourself?
Actually, I felt more upset and disappointed in myself than my first time. I was looking forward to enjoying what I wanted to do as a living, so I never thought I'd quit after a year. At My Little Box, we were shipping over tens of thousands of boxes every month with less than ten team members, which is impressive when I think about it now. But at the same time, each of us worked very hard to keep the balance of the team intact, and we had a strong sense of responsibility to make our customers satisfied. Unfortunately, this urge and feeling of responsibility slowly got me exhausted, and I became insomniac. With my body in shambles, I thought that the happiness I wanted to deliver in the boxes wouldn't make it to the customers. I also felt that it would be rude to deliver to customers in that condition, so I decided to look after my health for a while.
So I quit My Little Box a year after my first career change and wondered what I was going to do with my life. That's when I came across FABRIC TOKYO. FABRIC TOKYO is a custom-made suit company, and I thought taking the time to make a suit for just that person is incredible and lovely. I worked for female customers at My Little Box for a while, so I was interested in tackling a new target.
-But as I just mentioned, I wasn’t in my best condition back then. I thought that if I worked in the same way, the results would be the same, too, so I asked if I could work four days a week. Thankfully, FABRIC TOKYO accepted this, so I started a new career as a contract employee, using Wednesdays for myself.
[Gender as a personality]
-I heard that FABRIC TOKYO has planned a men's suit fitting session for women.
Yes, I enjoy wearing men's suits myself, and wearing them makes me feel fresh and new. I thought other women would feel the same way; that's why we organized a men's suit measuring event for women. The customers who visited seemed to be very happy with it. I heard several stories as well; one wanted to wear men's suits but was judged when entering the store; others refused to enter the store based on their sexuality. I realized that the fact I have been able to enjoy life as a woman is not something I should take for granted.
-You're not comfortable with being called a female entrepreneur, why is that?
To me, being a woman is as modest as being born in March. So when people call me a female entrepreneur, I wonder why they bother adding "female" to it. But it’s true that there are many people who have a hard time just because of being a woman and if being a female-entrepreneur can encourage those who need a nudge, I’ll be willing to be called so. We circle male/female in the gender sections, but I hope this becomes a real subtle thing in the future.
