Midway Through the Path of Inspiring Youth

First of all, please tell us what triggered your interest in business and entrepreneurship, Imai-kun.

I first became interested in business when I was in middle school. At my parents' suggestion, I started stock investing in my first year of middle school. While watching news and economic topics, I became interested in things like "how do companies grow?" and "how does money move within society?" That was my motivation. Rather than just increasing money, I felt that investing was a means to understand how society works.

So you were interested in the structure of society from a very early stage.

Perhaps so. As an extension of that, when I was in my third year of middle school, three friends and I talked about starting a business. We actually came up with business ideas and made a simple plan.

Thinking about starting a business as a middle schooler is quite proactive. What happened with that challenge?

Unfortunately, it didn't go well. I lacked knowledge and experience, and the plan stalled halfway through. I was quite frustrated at the time.

Did you distance yourself from entrepreneurship for a while after that?

After entering high school, I thought I would focus on my studies for a while. However, partly as a reaction to trying various things in middle school, I also felt a sense of burnout.

And then a turning point came where you aimed for entrepreneurship again.

Yes. I participated in an entrepreneurship program for high school students held in Tokyo. There, I was inspired by meeting entrepreneurs of my generation who were actually doing business. I thought, "There are people doing this much even though they are the same high school students." Through that experience, I felt I wanted to try again.

And then you made a big decision.

Yes. I dropped out of high school in my second year. To focus on entrepreneurship, I transferred to a correspondence high school.

After dropping out of high school, you founded Ligula Co., Ltd., right?

Yes. I started it alone when I was in my second year of high school.

What does the company name "Ligula" mean?

"Ligula" means "unconventional" in Latin. I named it because I wanted to make it a company that creates opportunities for people to take on challenges of their own will, rather than being bound by existing frameworks.

What kind of business are you currently developing?

I am mainly developing apparel. I believe that people's moods and actions change significantly depending on what they wear. So, I want to create a brand that can support the feeling of taking on challenges through clothing. It's not just fashion; it's a brand with a message.

That's wonderful. Are you involved in any other activities?

I hold events where the younger generation can talk about their dreams, and I'm also developing an app to verbalize what actions to take toward those dreams. I have a desire to create a place where people who take on challenges can connect with each other. Also, I'm working on an education business. I founded MoonJapan Co., Ltd. in my third year of high school. I serve as co-representative with a friend I met in an entrepreneurship program for high school students.

What kind of business is it?

We provide DX services for teachers. With themes like "Inquiry" and "Entrepreneurship," we create educational content in cooperation with major corporations and local businesses.

What was the background behind your decision to work on education?

It was the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, I felt as if high schools were disconnected from society. You can't get a real sense of society just by being inside a school. Yet, you have to decide your career path while you're still a high school student. I felt a sense of discomfort with that situation.

So you thought of a mechanism to create contact points with society.

Yes. I started this company because I wanted to create an environment where people could learn about society even while being inside a school.

By the way, why did you go on to university? Even though you were successfully launching businesses.

To be honest, I didn't have a strong commitment to going to university. I thought if I went, it would be an overseas university. That was about it. However, as I heard about the career paths of my seniors from high school, I started looking into Japanese universities as well. That's when I learned about SFC (Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC)).

Was there a deciding factor for ultimately choosing SFC?

It was because I felt that "even without going to America, there is an environment close to my ideal in Japan." Unlike traditional Japanese universities, I was attracted to the culture that has a high degree of freedom and respects the individual to the utmost. I felt it was different from the universities I had felt I "didn't want to go to" until then. After entering, while balancing company management, I focused on studying Chinese and finance, and I earned all the credits for the lectures I took. Thanks to the school spirit of SFC and Keio University, I am able to lead a flexible, fun, and fulfilling life.

It looks like things are going smoothly, but were there any struggles?

In the first two months after I quit high school and started my business, I had zero sales. To be honest, I was quite panicked.

How did you overcome that situation?

I wanted to change the current situation, so I participated in a Regional Revitalization Corps internship as a form of training. Through that connection, I ended up living and semi-migrating to Kasaoka City, Okayama Prefecture. It was a place I had no prior connection to, but my perspective broadened through interacting with the local people. By being exposed to values and ways of working different from those in the city, I feel I was able to re-examine my own business.

Were there any worries unique to being a student entrepreneur?

As expected, the fact that I had no experience as a working professional was a major weakness. I felt fear because I had to run the management without being able to firmly grasp the decision-making processes of companies. Also, while the title of student entrepreneur certainly works to one's advantage in some situations, on the other hand, there is the difficulty of being judged by adults based solely on that title.

What do you mean by that?

The moment the title is removed, there's a possibility that no value remains in myself. Therefore, I was always conscious of how I could make myself a "fixed asset." This is a teaching from a mentor who helped me. I try to look at and analyze my own position calmly from a bird's-eye view.

How do you think about management?

I believe management is always side-by-side with crisis. The stability of a company changes significantly depending on whether there is cash. A company doesn't go bankrupt immediately if it doesn't make large investments. Even if cash flow becomes tight, I can put in funds by working a part-time job myself. In the case of my company, the cost to maintain it is only about 200,000 yen per year. In management, a steady attitude is just as important as a challenging spirit.

Please tell us your future goals, Imai-kun.

I want to become like the Warren Buffett of Japan. My goal is to conduct investments while managing operating companies. I am a so-called conglomerate-type manager. I want to create new industries while allocating not only capital but also people's passion and ideas. In short, I want to be someone who nurtures industries, not just profits.

Then, how should one find their own color in various fields?

I think that by not trying too hard to show your own color, your color actually comes out the most. Continue doing what you want to do over a long period of time. That accumulation will naturally become that person's individuality. The more you strain to seek your own uniqueness and try to force a performance, the more likely it is that nothing will remain in the end.

I'd like a message for your generation.

I believe you should decide your own life. Of course, it's important to be grateful for the words of parents and teachers. However, what path you ultimately choose is your own problem. And please actually take a step forward, even if it's a small one. By gaining results through action, you might see the next thing you want to do in a chain reaction. Also, letting yourself go with the flow until you find what you want to do is one important choice.

Calmly, but challengingly. Those are words typical of Imai-kun.

Even if you take on a challenge of your own will and fail, it will definitely become nourishment. On the other hand, failure as a result of following someone else's decision-making and acting on it can leave behind regrets and resentment. I want you to avoid this at all costs. Believe in yourself.

Thank you. Finally, a closing word, please.

Which life will you choose?