2023
2012
Exactly 10 years go, I was in Kenya doing some projects to empower a community of women living with HIV.
I was completely overwhelmed when some members left after taking some money that I invested for the projects, and when the entire project stopped working after I physically left the country.
For 3 or 4 months I tried not to vent at all in front of anyone but in the summer of 2012 I was bawling.
By the autumn I left for the US hoping to take a pause from all the projects in Kenya. In the US, I decided to restart the project “only if” I ever got a chance to visit Africa again.
2013
In 2013, Japan International Cooperation Agency, in short JICA selected my application and they offered me a ticket to Rwanda.
I was sent to Rwanda with some top notch talents from Japan, and decided to restart my project in Kenya hoping to do something bigger.
2014
In 2014, I restarted my project and it grew. I pitched about my projects in front of different audiences.
More importantly the university that I was going to decided to create a social fund after seeing my project.
5 years later, the social fund was officially launched and now it became a 10 million dollar fund to support various kinds of projects and startups eradicating social issues around the globe.
2021
In 2021, I visited Europe for the first time.
Though I always work with international entrepreneurs in Japan, I was stuck in Japan for almost 6 years except for some adventurous trips for fun. I thought it would lead a nonsense outputs if I didn’t visit outside of Japan.
My projects or businesses are always around something that nobody ever tried, so it’s hard to find somebody who can lead me based on a practical experience. By chance, I met a mentor. He’s the mentor that I found for the first time in my life.
2022
In the spring, I remembered that I cried in front of him during a zoom call — and that was the very first time that I emotionally cried for not being able to grow my business and for letting go of people.
In the summer, I was bawling in front of some friends after I tried to keep calm for 3–4 months without venting too much.
This time I left for Europe.
I started to pitch again in 2022 — in Germany, Estonia, Sweden, and Denmark.
Before the year 2022 was ended, our message boxes were filled with thanks messages. We complimented each other for our effort and contribution.
Didn’t get any of these warm messages before the end of 2021 from those who only needed quantitative reputation for themselves.
In 2022, I listened to many fuck-up stories from founders. Before they knew that I had a tough time, we never talked about stories behind shiny photos that we posted on social media.
We talked how many startups are basically killed by whatever the “new business development divisions supporting startups” which accepted applicants but never turned any of their products and services into profitable businesses. Time matters for startups.
They vented how some of the startup support programs are not working. Some of them pinged me on Saturday worrying about being kicked out of Japan and not being able to make progress for their startups.
Fear is never a driven force to build something meaningful and proactive.
We listened to stories of female entrepreneurs who lost ties with someone that they believed in doing businesses together.
I saw who left me and who didn’t leave me.
Friends didn’t leave me alone.
What is in common between the year 2012 and 2022?
I am almost ready to give up and let go of everything that I built. That sometimes gives me more courage — I’m not scared of losing anything.
I traveled far, took a pause, and asked myself “do I want to go further?”
What happened right before 2023?
I’ve got a ticket from Austrian Chamber of Commerce to go to Vienna with top notch talents from all around the globe working around circular economy and startups.
These talents were selected from all over the world — and I was the least skilled and the least qualified among all. That made me almost embarrassed.
Anyways I’ve got the ticket and now we’re in 2023.
In 2013, I did whatever I could do but I was not concentrating on only one thing because I wasn’t sure about the right direction. I was 20.
In 2014, all of my efforts were shaped into visible outputs and outcomes.
Last year, I almost lost everything and saw who still decide to go further, grow together, and keep personnel connections regardless of financial returns or reputations.
Difinitely we are smarter and cleverer than the last year.
How is 2023 going to be?
