As an executive responsible for management and general affairs, I oversee a wide range of operations including accounting, administration, and human resources. I also serve as a playing manager, handling many of the practical aspects myself. At the moment, my main focus is on recruitment.

That’s right. In January 2022, I returned to my hometown in Yamanashi with my family and became independent. After graduating from university, I worked at an auditing firm in Tokyo as a CPA, where I was involved in auditing listed companies. During that time, I began thinking about becoming independent and started planning my transition. After about five years, I joined a tax accounting firm that also specialized in consulting. There, I supported companies aiming for IPOs — not only with accounting but also with organizational development. That experience is closely tied to what I do today.

When I returned to Yamanashi, it was mainly because I wanted to raise my children there. However, since I had no local network, starting my own practice was tough — I had no clients at first. Because of my professional qualification, I often received calls from sales outsourcing companies. Since I wasn’t particularly skilled at sales myself, I decided to work with one, and they introduced me to several small businesses. That’s how I happened to meet SOBOKUYA. After researching the company, I became intrigued and decided to meet with CEO Imai in person.

When I first visited the Yamanashi headquarters, I immediately felt something special about the place. I asked Imai about his vision for the future, and he said, “I want to take the company public.” I was surprised — it’s rare to hear someone in Yamanashi talk about an IPO. Since I had experience supporting companies through that process, I told him I could help. We seemed to connect from that very first meeting. As a start, I handled one subsidy application for them. A few months later, when the application was approved, Imai called me and asked if I would consider becoming an external director. I saw no reason to decline, so I accepted right away.

I mainly handled the financial side — cash flow, financial statements, and business strategy. Until December last year, my involvement was fairly light: I attended the monthly board meetings and company-wide meetings. But at the year-end gathering, I casually announced, “Starting next year, I’ll come in once a week.” From there, my involvement deepened naturally. Eventually, I was invited to become an internal director, and I officially joined the company this April. Previously, about 90% of my work was for my own clients and 10% for SOBOKUYA, but now it’s the other way around.

My original motivation for returning to Yamanashi was a desire to contribute to the local community. Through my growing involvement with SOBOKUYA, I realized that expanding the company could have a much greater positive impact than working alone — and that became my new purpose.

From a management perspective, I find it rewarding to see direct results from our actions — that’s why I believe it’s essential to focus more on sales, an area we’ve only lightly touched until now.

On the operational side, it’s quite different from my previous work environments, where I was surrounded by other professionals. Here, I’m the only one responsible for financial and accounting matters, which gives me a strong sense of responsibility. There’s also a unique excitement in building a system where everyone has a defined role and contributes as part of a professional team.

SOBOKUYA is also remarkable for its diversity — I don’t think there’s another company in Yamanashi with such an internationally mixed team and active overseas expansion. And of course, I have great respect for Imai himself; his personality and vision are inspiring. Our next challenge is to strengthen the organization even further as we prepare for the next stage of growth.

We’re looking for people who take initiative and resonate with SOBOKUYA’s vision. Our culture is open — we don’t dismiss ideas but listen first, and if you propose something, it’s likely to be accepted. You’ll have the freedom to take on challenges and shape your own work.

We’re also developing systems and policies to create an environment where everyone can work comfortably and reach their full potential. I hope to work alongside people who share our forward-looking spirit and are eager to take on new challenges together.