Masumi Akiyama: Common Ground Between Entrepreneurship and Life

As the co-founder of Le Comptoir (meaning "the counter" in French), I operate a subscription service delivering cheese and wine monthly, as well as an experiential French restaurant in Shibuya. Through food, we deliver the happy moments shared with loved ones, a heartwarming atmosphere, and the French lifestyle of enjoying life.

I chose to enroll in the Juku because I was attracted to its extensive study abroad programs. The study abroad slot I received was for the University of Nice. The niche appeal of our university being the only one in Japan with a single partnership slot for that school suited my nature of wanting to do something different from others. Later, I joined a French cosmetics company and became the first Japanese person to transfer to the Paris headquarters. While I changed jobs locally, contracting COVID-19 led me to decide to start my own business, thinking, "In this uncertain world, I should do what I want to do now." I managed to complete the founding of the company, marriage, moving back to Japan, giving birth, and opening a store all within a single year.

Entrepreneurship is where I was able to gain confidence by driving the business forward with a sense of speed, while also seeing my own limits. The confusion and sense of isolation I felt—such as the gap between the self I had grown familiar with and the changes in how I viewed society—were significant.

As an entrepreneur, I spent my days running forward, solely facing the tasks to be done and the problems to be solved. Now, as five years have passed since the founding, the words that resonate with me are: "Resilient and patient people are strong. But the necessary condition for success is to keep doing what you love and believe in. Business development accompanied by self-sacrifice is dangerous for your mental health."

I believe many graduates of the Juku are serious and hard-working. Because of that, it is easy to leave one's own feelings behind within Japanese society.

What overseas entrepreneurs taught me is to be honest about what is important and what brings happiness to your own life. Just because you are the CEO doesn't mean you need to be a virtuous, perfect human being, nor do you need to be liked by everyone. In this harsh world, protecting your own heart is more important than anything else.

I feel like my own life has been spent running for the sake of the future. But if you look only at the results of life, everyone dies, so it's a total failure. Moreover, there is the cruelty of knowing that from the moment you are born. That is exactly why we should cherish the process of "how we live through it." These are memorable words given to me by an entrepreneur friend living in France.