[Entrepreneur Interview #04] Hidetoshi Shimizu & Kenji Kuboshima (The Salons Japan Inc.)| 株式会社ディ・ポップスグループ

[Entrepreneur Interview #13] Shoto Masuda (D-POPS Corp.) – Part 2

“Serve people and cultivate talent” Aim for further growth through developing human resources and systematization! D-POPS GROUP has 23 group companies that we call partners (at the time of publication). For this article, we interviewed Shoto Masuda, the current CEO of D-POPS Corp., the founding business of D-POPS GROUP. (This interview was conducted in March 2025.) This is the latter part of the interview. To read the first part, click here. ◆The Market Environment Sugihara: It seems that the business model of selling smartphones in physical stores is facing headwinds, given the increase in direct sales by carriers and manufacturers via e-commerce, as well as the growing market in different industries for buying and selling used devices. Could you share some aspects of your strategy in this market situation? Masuda: For about the past year, we’ve been heavily discussing our future strategy. We have many excellent existing businesses. Because they are directly connected to people’s daily lives, the products and services we handle are very attractive, I believe. However, on the other hand, when you’re in the position of an agency, control and management become incredibly difficult, so I really feel that balancing these aspects is extremely challenging. Regarding our strategy moving forward, it’s still fundamentally about telecommunications. While it’s quite broad to say telecommunications as a whole, there are many more products that we should really be selling. We will expand our product lineup to include items developed in-house and procured externally. Selling core products and cross-sellable products will be one of our first courses of action. Another plan is user life design. In essence, we are focusing our discussions on what people need for their daily lives and what problems need solving. This applies to our stores, and we’re also currently exploring if there's anything we can get involved in even without a physical store presence. Sugihara: Speaking of which, how is the “Smartphone Consultation Counter” business doing? Masuda: It’s growing steadily. It took a long time for feature phones and smartphones to penetrate into the Japanese market, but they have been fully received now. However, going forward, the products that come out, such as 5G and certainly 6G, and now even AI-equipped smartphones, are becoming so complex that many people don't know how to use them. For instance, people might not know how to use LINE, or how to link their My Number card, or how to connect IoT products to their home appliances. While devices have become widespread, many people don’t know how to use them, so we really want to address these customer needs, both in person and online. Sugihara: More and more people who are not tech-savvy, especially seniors, are finding themselves with no one to consult. Such individuals can run to a TOP1 store to address their concerns. So it seems there really are people who want to receive advice, even if they have to pay a fee. Masuda: That’s right. We used to do it on a volunteer basis, but we need to distinguish our business, and as we improve the skills of our staff, their wages also need to increase. So, we believe it’s better to charge a fee so that we can serve customers as professionals. We are also developing that service and are focused on continuously improving its quality. The third and final point is education. When I think back to what we most wanted to do since our founding, and what our strength still is today, it’s educating our human resources. The original vision of President Goto, the founder of D-POPS, was to create opportunities for young people. Although I’ve taken over as CEO, we’re still holding onto that vision, so at our core, we’re ultimately about educating people. In the end, we've committed to “cultivating talent”, so I believe that embedded in our company’s DNA is the idea of raising up “leaders equipped with both integrity and skill”, which also continues to be our human resource development policy as our business grows and evolves. In 2024, I had the opportunity to go abroad with Dr. Semmoto, the Chairman of D-POPS GROUP’s Board of Directors, and I realized that while some other countries have growing populations, the quality of Japan as a nation in various aspects is remarkably high. For example, I believe we can convey the high value of Japanese education, culture, and customer-focused service. Recently, as we’ve been brainstorming various ideas, we’ve gone back to our roots, asking: “What kind of company is D-POPS?” The answer is, “We are a company that develops human resources.” To make people genuinely excited and want to join D-POPS or work for us, I felt it was necessary to grow our business domains and to help individuals grow, making them believe that joining will lead to their personal development. ◆TOP1’s Policies for Sales and Proactivity Sugihara: Personally, when I picture mobile phone agencies in the past, I think, “Purely commission-based meritocracy!” What kind of sales and customer service policies does D-POPS’s own brand shop, TOP1, have? Masuda: Whether to compete purely on meritocracy or to prioritize meticulous sales and customer service—this is indeed the most challenging aspect. The truth is, when you chase sheer numbers, quality inevitably declines. That's why the industry as a whole has seen many compliance violations. However, no matter how good your intentions, if you don’t achieve results, you won’t get support, will you? Therefore, I believe it’s crucial to combine building a strong sales organization with education of the mind, which necessitates instilling our philosophy and vision. We believe that we are a company that properly educates its people and contributes meaningfully to those important individuals with whom we have connections, so we must continuously improve our quality. Essentially, it’s about whether we can establish a foundation of trust in human relationships and then build specialized skills and a favorable business environment upon that. There were many companies in the past that lacked this foundation. Those companies sold enormous volumes. They had high transient revenues and contributed more in terms of numbers than we did, but they no longer exist today. However, we need to increase both customer numbers and sales while simultaneously improving quality. So, we are working to strengthen this across the entire organization and aim for growth. ◆New Product “OTHEBES” Sugihara: So that’s why your philosophy-driven management and training truly come to life. It’s not just about the sales method; it’s because the staff, having gone through that philosophy training, are providing a service which enables them to support customers’ lives, lifestyle, and life design. I heard that as a future strategy, you’re launching a brand called “OTHEBES” to strengthen your customer base. Could you tell us more specifically about OTHEBES? Masuda: “OTHEBES” was launched in March. Led by Mr. Sakamaki, our Executive Officer and General Manager of Sales who is also in charge of product and business development, the first phase involves Wi-Fi rental and sales. OTHEBES is a portmanteau of “others” and “best”. While we have existing stores and products, there are still gaps where current products don't quite resonate with or contribute to end-users, and OTHEBES is designed to fill those gaps. Currently, for the first phase, we’re handling Wi-Fi. In the future, for example, some people only use their phone for calls, so we want to create our own brand of call-only mobile phones, plus develop combinations that pick the best aspects of different services. Recently, a slogan has emerged among us: “Create something new out of what already exists!” So, we are now analyzing the demands from both the field and customers, considering combinations that we believe will work. Sugihara: Both in terms of planning and on the ground, with the increasing number of products, carriers, hardware, and brands you handle, and your company’s own services appearing, there’s a risk that sales staff who lack initiative might not know what to propose to customers. Are you concerned about that? Masuda: That’s why we prioritize foundational education. In fact, D-POPS didn't have many established systems until now. So, from here on, our theme for this year is to create proper systems, and based on the premise that people forget, we aim to create systems that can convey information more simply, rather than just forcing memorization. It’s all about human resource development and systematization. If a company can just put the right people in the right places and clearly divide roles, there’s no way they can fail, ha ha. ◆Soccer Activities Sugihara: Nice! I love that kind of attitude! Changing the subject completely, I hear you are quite skilled at soccer! And that you’re active in the company’s futsal club. Could you tell us about these activities? Masuda: I’ve played soccer continuously since my school days, and I’ve kept it up as a hobby even after entering the working world. Initially, it was just an in-house club activity at D-POPS. We play about once a month internally, and since I have various connections, I also play with external members. I probably belong to about three or four main groups. When we focused only on in-house members, we were always just barely scraping by with enough players. We wanted to play but couldn’t. At that time, it suddenly occurred to me: what if we brought in people from both inside and outside the company? So, we started doing that. We organize the games, inviting our employees and other members of D-POPS GROUP to join, plus my acquaintances, some of whom are former professional players. We also forged a connection with BLUEISH Inc. through soccer, a company in which D-POPS GROUP later made a corporate investment. This made me realize that sports can create such networking opportunities. *See the full press release here: D-POPS GROUP Invests in BLUEISH Inc., Operator of Industry-Specific AI Workflow “Omni Workspace” Until now, my life has been pretty much full of those kinds of connections. I attended the Semmoto Management School run by Dr. Semmoto, and there I met another company’s board director who also played soccer. That director turned out to be a high school classmate of a former manager of mine from Germany, who had really helped me out during my time living in Beijing. I really hit it off with that director, started attending the soccer practices he participated in, and that's where I met the people from BLUEISH. But I also think this involves luck and timing. If this had happened five years earlier, I don’t think the discussion about investment would have occurred. I myself have had various experiences up to now, and being in a management position allows me to engage in various conversations, which enabled me to bring this opportunity to D-POPS GROUP. I mentioned playing with external people earlier; there are also skilled individuals among my acquaintances who are business owners, or even executives and younger employees within their companies. And typically, those people also excel at work. It’s like things just connect. That’s incredibly valuable, isn’t it? When people have good character, shared interests that foster friendship, and different expertise, skills, and networks, it leads to a wide range of connections. ◆Recruiting Students Sugihara: It’s the time of year when job hunting for students graduating next year has begun. What type of student would you like to see join D-POPS? And what aspects of D-POPS do you think are attractive points for new graduates? Masuda: Our company, first and foremost, has genuinely good people. They have high self-esteem and are very proactive. They also tend to reach out to others and have a strong sense of contribution. Furthermore, in D-POPS and D-POPS GROUP currently, we offer an environment where you can leverage support and coaching for experience, skills, and networking. I truly believe there’s no better environment than this. So, for those who want to challenge themselves quickly, gain not just knowledge but also practical skills, and refine their human qualities, ultimately, we’d like them to take on management roles. We don’t really prioritize academic background. However, it’s absolutely crucial to have high self-esteem. I think it would be difficult for both of us if an employee is consistently negative. If you think to yourself, “I can’t do this”, then you won’t be able to achieve anything. ◆“Realizing a Venture Ecosystem” Sugihara: D-POPS GROUP has the motto of “Realizing a Venture Ecosystem”. What aspects of this goal do you resonate with? Are there any activities you’re undertaking with the creation of a Venture Ecosystem in mind? Masuda: I believe this ecosystem is essential for living. The truth is, people cannot live alone, and their lives definitely change depending on who they spend time with and the differences in insights they gain. Moreover, the sooner this happens, the better. I think things can change even if it’s late, but realizing things as early as possible leads to making the right choices. Therefore, I personally feel that a Venture Ecosystem is indispensable. Within the D-POPS GROUP community, there are many people whom I’d want to meet even if it meant spending my own time and money. So, I think getting to join a Venture Ecosystem like this—and even getting paid to do it through working for the group—is quite an extraordinary opportunity. I want people to clearly recognize that it isn’t enough to simply show up. How you choose to act is up to you. It would be great if a group could form where people don’t just exist within the community, but actively initiate things themselves—whether it’s asking for guidance or contributing their own expertise. ◆Ideal Vision for D-POPS in 5 Years Sugihara: That’s wonderful! Now, could you tell us your ideal vision for D-POPS as a company and for yourself five years from now? Masuda: First and foremost, the company will have grown significantly. And I believe we will certainly have established a stage where we can better support customers’ life designs and employees’ self-realization within five years. We aim to expand this both domestically and internationally. I view this as a personal mission or message for myself: I want to ask myself, from a larger, global perspective, what do I need to do? I’m currently having various discussions while considering that. I believe the execution phase for that will be this year and next, so the company will likely undergo a significant transformation. Sugihara: That sounds promising. Now, are there any challenges you face in moving toward that future? Masuda: For Japan, it’ll definitely be the severe labor shortage. I have three children now, but when they grow up, in 20 or 30 years, the population will have decreased considerably, won’t it? When the population potentially drops to around 80 million, the question will become to what extent Japan’s culture and values, cultivated until now, can be transmitted and passed down. So, I think it’s about whether we can continue to impart education, not just to Japanese citizens, but also to foreigners. Another challenge, though it’s currently unclear, is nature itself. Among the challenges I’m currently taking on, I see existing businesses, information, and telecommunications as one aspect, then personal development for individuals as another, and finally, environmental conservation. What exactly we can do is not yet clear, but I am gathering information on it. ◆Message to Readers Visiting Our Website Sugihara: Finally, in closing, could you share a message for our online readers? Masuda: I believe our Venture Ecosystem is not just an ecosystem of startup companies, but an ecosystem containing groups of professionals driven by an intense spirit of altruism. I think there’s already something you can see and feel by simply looking at it. If you find something appealing or interesting after checking it out, I sincerely hope you’ll take the next step. We look forward to meeting you directly, and we would be delighted if you could contact us. Interview conducted by D-POPS GROUP’s advisor Genta Sugihara. D-POPS Corp. Company President and CEO: Shoto Masuda Address: Shibuya Hikarie Bldg. 32F, 2-21-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Established: February 1998 Website: https://d-pops.co.jp/

Group Companies
Interview

2025.05.07

[Entrepreneur Interview #13] Shoto Masuda (D-POPS Corp.) – Part 1

“Serve people and cultivate talent” Aim for further growth through developing human resources and systematization! D-POPS GROUP has 23 group companies that we call partners (at the time of publication). For this article, we interviewed Shoto Masuda, the current CEO of D-POPS Corp., the founding business of D-POPS GROUP. (This interview was conducted in March 2025.) ◆Background of Initial Employment Sugihara: President Masuda, thank you for agreeing to this interview. You joined D-POPS right after graduating in April 2012, correct? Could you tell us how you came to join the company? Masuda: During my university days, I went to Beijing to study abroad for four and a half years. I didn't really know how job hunting worked. So, during the summer break after the first semester of my senior year, July and August, I used those two months to start my job search. I think I actually interviewed with about five companies. I tried for major trading companies and such, but it didn’t work out. In the end, the companies that offered me a job were D-POPS and a large company listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. I received that large company’s offer first, but my feelings changed as I went through the interviews with D-POPS. When I interviewed at D-POPS, the company atmosphere seemed bright. I could really envision its future development. Also, after speaking directly with Mr. Goto, I had a strong intuition that joining this company would change my life, or that I’d encounter a huge positive opportunity for my life. So, midway through the process, my mindset shifted to “I want to join this company”, and I was hoping they wouldn't reject me, ha ha. By the way, my final interview with Mr. Goto lasted about three hours. Sugihara: How big was D-POPS at that time? Masuda: I think the company was probably around its 15th fiscal year. Sales hadn't reached 10 billion yen yet…I think they were around 7 to 8 billion yen. At that time, the strong rallying cry throughout the company was something like, "Let's reach 10 billion yen in sales!" ◆Getting Appointed as CEO Sugihara: D-POPS is the founding business established in 1998 by President Goto, founder and CEO of D-POPS GROUP. However, you became president of D-POPS in March 2024, even though you’re only in your mid-30s. I hear you were promoted at an exceptional pace over these 12 years, becoming a general manager, executive officer, and so on. Looking back, what are your thoughts? Masuda: Well, I certainly think “luck and timing” played a role. In addition, the fact that the company was on the verge of a major transformation was a significant external factor, I believe. You see, about a year after I joined, D-POPS and Good Crew had already reached 10 billion yen in sales. From there, when President Goto envisioned further growth strategies, he shifted from D-POPS growing alone to gradually developing a group structure. At that time, President Fujita, who was my superior, left to establish Advancer, and then President Hosaka left to establish STAR CAREER. When my superiors became independent, or “graduated” in a sense—and I think this involves both external and internal factors—there was a period when the company’s performance declined, and the organization underwent a major change. I was in my third year then, still only a store manager, but at that point, what was originally a large pyramidal organization was flattened, and almost everyone became approximately the same level, directly under the president. A manager in their third year is considered young, right? Even at that level, we were given a lot of discretion. Meetings that were previously only attended by the top management became intense morning discussions involving about 20 selected individuals, which provided a great learning opportunity. It became a chance for members in their third year, like myself, to seize opportunities. We took on challenges one after another. Rather than feeling like assignments were given to us from above, it felt more like “We’re going to seize these ourselves.” It was lucky that we were presented with equal opportunities, but I believe the proactiveness to seize those chances was also incredibly important. Sugihara: As you seized opportunities and moved up the ranks, what was the area where you put in the most significant effort? Masuda: I worked the hardest at constantly reaching out to my superiors. It was also around the time Dr. Semmoto joined, and I made sure to sit next to and learn from President Goto and other surrounding business leaders and advisors—people who were significantly above me—whenever there were opportunities for dinners or study sessions. Not many people want to do that. But I knew that if I dove fully into it, there would always be something to gain. And in terms of work, from the company’s perspective, they usually ask people to take charge of areas with poor performance, right? I proactively took on such positions, driven by the desire for those areas to improve as quickly as possible. Thus, when performance picked up in those areas, I gained attention. And since they were challenging positions to begin with, even if results didn’t come immediately, I’d get words of encouragement like, “You’re doing great!” No matter what kind of challenge came my way, I made a conscious effort to tackle it head-on. Sugihara: How did President Goto approach you about becoming CEO of his company? And how did you feel at that time? Masuda: This part is a bit ambiguous. It wasn’t like President Goto called me in and said, “Okay, you’re the new boss now.” The truth is, although President Goto was still the CEO of D-POPS structurally, he had already been giving his undivided attention to managing D-POPS GROUP for several years prior to this point, and the management of D-POPS itself was basically delegated to the other top leaders. Within that context, the performance and organization of D-POPS progressively worsened. There was a very uncertain period. At that time, I was mainly in charge as the General Manager of Sales, and as I became an executive officer, and then a managing director and senior managing director, the company just wasn’t improving. I felt it was rapidly deteriorating, and I was struggling with the inability to see a clear path to recovery. President Goto and I had dinner opportunities about twice a year, just the two of us, and it was during one of those times that I asked him bluntly, “Please let me be president.” I had already decided within myself that we had no choice but to change. At that point, if President Goto were to return to operating D-POPS, it wouldn’t have been effective for all of D-POPS GROUP. So, I braced myself and thought, “I just have to do it.” Sugihara: From your perspective, were there multiple candidates for CEO at the time, or did you believe you were the only one? Masuda: The latter. I believed I was the only one. Perhaps there were others who thought differently, but I considered myself the only real possible successor. Sugihara: How many years ago did you start working with the awareness that you would be the president’s successor? Masuda: I’d say it was around when I turned 30 years old. At that time, I had become an executive officer, but I was only overseeing the Sales Division, so I wasn’t really looking at the company as a whole. However, given that President Goto was focusing on managing D-POPS GROUP, I definitely started to feel that I needed to take responsibility. From there, I started learning various things. These included encounters arranged by Dr. Semmoto, meeting people through President Goto, and even joining communities of business executives in my late 20s. The encouragement and stimulation from those around me was significant. At first, I wasn’t taken seriously at all because I lacked sufficient skill, but I somehow managed to hang in there. Over the past few years, I’ve gradually expanded my network, and I feel like I’m finally starting to see the fruits of all of my hard work and effort. ◆Business Overview Sugihara: Considering your long period of getting to where you are now, you’ve become quite the veteran. It’s been a year since you officially became the CEO of D-POPS. Could you give us a brief overview of D-POPS as a company and its current business operations? Masuda: D-POPS is now in its 27th fiscal year, and the telecommunications agent business, which was pioneered by our founder, remains our main focus today. We carry out our multi-brand store business via two lines. First, we operate under our own independent brand name, “Smartphone Consultation Desk TOP1”. These are telecommunications stores that carry all the major products and services from various manufacturers and Japanese mobile carriers, in addition to our own branded products, such as security services and insurance. Along with all of these offerings, we provide comprehensive consulting, retail sales, and after-sales support to our end-users. We currently operate over 30 stores, primarily in the Kanto region. The second line of store business is through specialty stores. As a telecommunications agency, we operate shops for the following major Japanese carriers: NTT’s docomo, KDDI’s au and UQ, and Rakuten Mobile. Furthermore, we’re involved in media operations, developing our own specialized telecommunications media called “PhonCierge”. And in PlusPass, a child company headed by President Hirai, who helped lead D-POPS alongside me, we operate a web media called “Smappy” which specializes in low-cost SIMs and smartphones. So, overall, we operate a telecommunications-focused platform that combines both real-world and online services, along with service businesses that support users. Sugihara: I believe there have been a lot of changes within telecommunications recently, especially in shop operations. What are these current industry trends? Masuda: There are various changes every year. Not just because of telecom carriers, but also because of Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and other reasons. I think the biggest factor is the continuous alteration of various laws. However, D-POPS has been able to survive for over 20 years amidst all this because we’ve always really adapted to these changes. ◆What I Changed and Didn’t Change Upon Becoming President Sugihara: These past 20 years have been hectic, haven’t they? It’s been a year since you officially became CEO, in both name and reality. Can you tell us what significant changes you’ve made and what you’ve kept the same during this period? Masuda: This past year has truly been hectic and has flown by. Even before it was decided whether I’d become CEO, I had already made one firm decision. What’s truly great about D-POPS is how deeply our philosophy, vision, and human resource development were instilled as the company’s foundation by our founder, President Goto. I myself was educated through this, and it’s precisely why we’ve been able to survive. I felt that our approach to customers, employees, staff, and ultimately, society, has an excellent foundation, and all we needed to do is further refine it. Additionally, for several years, when President Goto resolved to focus solely on group management, the company was essentially without a commander. This led to a negative cycle where the upper management was adrift, mid-level employees kept leaving, and young recruits would join and then quickly depart. So, I knew we had to thoroughly rebuild from the ground up. Instead of just aiming to reduce the turnover rate in the short term, my first change was to create an environment where work is fulfilling and where both individuals and the organization can grow. To achieve this, I decided to gather all employees in person once a month for a dialogue. Partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but more so because our company has over 50 locations, opportunities for everyone to gather in person were limited to just a few times a year. While we do a lot of online communication now, I felt a strong sense of unease that it had become the primary mode of interaction. D-POPS has so many great qualities that I felt it was essential to convey them properly. Also, I wasn’t confident that I was adequately educating our people myself. So, I made this decision for myself around October 2023 (my appointment to the CEO position was in March 2024): to gather all our employees in person once a month. Sugihara: That’s quite an undertaking, isn’t it? Masuda: Yes, it is. Once a month, we’ll spend the entire day together, talking about our philosophy and vision at least—and even if that’s all we talk about for the day, that’s fine. I made that decision around October, prepared extensively, and then gradually rolled it out starting around February 2024. This led to our monthly all-employee group training sessions. The purpose of these sessions is, first, for employees to have proper in-person dialogue. Then, based on the theme of the day, such as how to integrate one’s personal philosophy with the company’s, we deepen our discussions. After all, work is a part of life. If it’s not engaging, or if it deviates too much from one’s personal values, there’s no reason to remain a part of the community. So, through in-person dialogue, we design an exciting future together. And since the timing for this coincided with my appointment as CEO, I decided to deliver these messages myself, rather than entrusting them to an external lecturer. Before starting these training sessions, I had been running “Masuda School” for about three years. That was for volunteers, not all employees, but it was in person, so I stopped that and shifted to involving all employees. In addition to those changes, we also renewed our company logo and website. Sugihara: That’s wonderful. It takes courage to halt a full day’s operations to make something like that happen. Is there anything you chose not to change? Masuda: I didn’t change D-POPS’s historic “Creed”. While I’ve changed many things since taking office, those guidelines teach us what’s important as human beings, so for now, I intend to keep them as they are. The aforementioned “Creed” is displayed on this wall at D-POPS GROUP’s office in the Shibuya Hikarie Building. ◆Thoughts Behind the Updated Logo Sugihara: Could you tell us about the thoughts behind the revamped website and the new logo? Masuda: The idea behind the new logo design is our aspiration to be number one in whatever we do. Our corporate vision includes contributing to our customers, providing employees with a platform for self-realization where they can control their own lives, generating profit, and continuously contributing to society. With that in mind, there’s a strong desire to be “number one” in our chosen business, even if it’s a niche market. So, when you look at the logo, you’ll see a part that looks like the numeral 1 to represent “number one,” and another part that forms the letter D for D-POPS. Our corporate colors are predominantly blue, including shades like sky blue. Blue often evokes feelings of brightness and freshness, doesn’t it? But it’s not just that; the logo also incorporates the idea of the passionate heart and composure of a blue flame into our corporate colors. That blue 1 is actually supported by a smaller gray part. This signifies that in both life and organizations, it’s not just those on the front lines who achieve results; there are also those who are on the sidelines backing them up. Therefore, we aim to create an environment of mutual support. We, as a company, are committed to providing strong support, continuously expanding our capacity to do so. Within that framework, we strive to be number one, believing in the path we’ve chosen and the mission we must accomplish. That’s the vision we poured into creating the new logo. D-POPS Corp.’s logo Interview conducted by D-POPS GROUP’s advisor Genta Sugihara. D-POPS Corp. Company President and CEO: Shoto Masuda Address: Shibuya Hikarie Bldg. 32F, 2-21-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Established: February 1998 Website: https://d-pops.co.jp/ Next, in the latter part of the interview, we discuss: ・Strategies in the current market conditions ・TOP1’s sales and proactive policies ・About the new product, “OTHEBES” ・Our soccer-related activities ・“Realizing a Venture Ecosystem” ・And other topics Be sure to check it out here: https://d-pops-group.co.jp/en/column/dpops-interview-latter-part/

Group Companies
Interview

2025.04.30

[Entrepreneur Interview #08] Hidefumi Miyahara (idealump) – Part 2

Using Ideas to Solve Challenges with the Strengths of Both Systems and Creativity D-POPS GROUP has 23 group companies that we call partners (at the time of publication). For this article, we interviewed Hidefumi Miyahara, the CEO of idealump Co., Ltd, which joined D-POPS GROUP in December 2023. (This interview was conducted in December 2024.) This is the latter part of the interview. To read the first part, click the link below. https://d-pops-group.co.jp/en/column/idealump-interview-first-part/ ◆Flat-Rate Web Management Service “Web-tan-san” Sugihara: That’s wonderful. By the way, in April 2024, you released a flat-rate web management service called “Web-tan-san” (webpage in Japanese only). Could you tell us about the purpose behind this service and how it has been doing since its release? Miyahara: “Web-tan-san” was truly born from our clients’ needs and challenges. Right now, it’s a difficult time for any company in Japan to hire. This makes it especially hard for small and medium-sized businesses to hire a dedicated digital specialist. Let’s say, for example, a talented young person joins the company. They’re paid ¥300,000 a month, but then after three years, they say they’ve gained experience and quit. After the same thing happens three times in a row, of course these companies get tired of it. Everyone thinks this is deplorable, and I’ve seen many persons in charge, etc., getting desperate. This led me to think, Do these digital specialists really need to be in-house? Instead of paying ¥300,000 a month to hire someone, isn’t it good enough to simply spend ¥50,000 or ¥100,000 a month on an external service? That’s where it all started. Sugihara: That makes sense. For a startup that isn’t a large corporation, for example, it’s not practical to hire a full-time legal expert. Instead, they’ll contract an external law firm. From the perspective of a small- or medium-sized company, it’s difficult to hire a full-time person for a job that only requires 20% of a full-time worker’s hours. Miyahara: Exactly. On top of that, there are constantly new technologies and services coming out that you have to keep up with. Then, you realize you’ve forgotten a password or an ID, and you have to ask, “Who knows this? Who’s in charge?” Or, if a company with 5,000 employees has high turnover, subscription fees for accounts can add up quickly if they don’t manage them properly. There are so many people handling these kinds of “digital chores” on the side, in addition to their main job. My goal is to eliminate these chores. Sugihara: It seems like there’s been a huge need for this service, but why didn’t something like it exist before? Or did it? Miyahara: I’m sure similar services existed, but with the abundance of SaaS and other services available today, there weren’t really any people whose job was to manage all of it. Even if a person was in charge of these chores, they were also handling their main work, so it would take up a lot of their time. In that kind of case, we believe our Web-tan-san service is perfect! Sugihara: It seems like there’s a broad need for this service, not just among small- and medium-sized businesses. What kind of feedback have you gotten, and how has it been received since its release? Miyahara: The response has been very positive. It hasn’t been that long since we launched, but we’re steadily gaining new clients, which we’re grateful for. The interesting thing is, we thought it would only appeal to small- and medium-sized businesses, but large corporations have been reaching out to us, too. This usually happens when they’re reorganizing a department or restructuring their business. Also, things like endlessly registering products for e-commerce can be a bit like an administrative chore—it doesn’t necessarily require an IT professional. Tasks like those are better suited for BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) services, so Web-tan-san is definitely a great fit for those situations. ◆Company Culture Sugihara: Well, then we can certainly have high hopes for “Web-tan-san”! Also, we worked closely with you to create D-POPS GROUP’s website. Every member of idealump whom I’ve met until now has impressed me with how well they performed their job. Is that rooted in your corporate culture? Miyahara: Thank you very much! But actually, I don’t think that comes from our culture; our culture is actually quite chaotic, ha ha. Our members come from different countries, religions, ages, genders, and even have different customs. So our culture, in a good way, is about embracing this diversity and chaos. To properly utilize each individual’s unique qualities within that chaos, we’ve focused on “systematizing” our baseline. We have created a format for “doing things right”, so that anyone can do a good job if they just follow the format to a certain extent. Sugihara: That sounds just like you, President Miyahara. Miyahara: I started creating these formats about three years ago. Before that, we were all very free-spirited, and each person just did their best in their own way. But I eventually felt we’d reached our limit. It’s kind of you to compliment us as you did, but what we say to ourselves is, “Let’s systematize things to the same extent that McDonald’s does.” Sugihara: That’s a great idea. When we were working on the website, I added an unreasonable request for a T-shirt design, and your company ended up creating something wonderful. Could you tell us about the thoughts you put into the T-shirt design and a little bit about the behind-the-scenes process? Miyahara: Of course. When I first pitched the idea to the creative team, it went through the typical channels, but at first, because they were all very busy, the request got passed around like a hot potato, ha ha. Then, one of the female members of our creative team took the initiative, organized a group, and saw the project through to the end. Sugihara: I’m so grateful for that. The finished T-shirts have been very well received, and we’ve been swamped with requests for them from our group companies and the rest of our Ecosystem members. Thank you so much for creating such a wonderful T-shirt! ◆Impression of D-POPS GROUP Sugihara: You’ve worked on websites for various companies, and in the past year, you’ve collaborated with members of D-POPS GROUP. What is your overall impression of D-POPS GROUP? Miyahara: I find it incredibly more interesting now than before we joined. In fact, I’ve even thought that they should do a better job of promoting their attractiveness, ha ha. I’d always wanted to study business management, so I am very grateful for the numerous opportunities I’ve had to do so. I’m also thankful for the mutual support and the incredible opportunities I receive every day. Furthermore, I am inspired and stimulated by every single word and deed that I witness from the members of this group. ◆“Realizing a Venture Ecosystem” Sugihara: As stated in the tagline of the website you helped us create, D-POPS GROUP aims to realize a Venture Ecosystem. What would you like to do to help achieve this? Miyahara: There are many things, and they all relate to utilizing the digital domain. First, I want to create a portal site to activate communication within D-POPS GROUP. I feel that it’s a huge waste when the words of President Goto and the advisory team just get lost. I want to create a place where we can archive messages and go back to them whenever we need a reference. I’d also like a space where secondary communication and discussions can emerge from those archives. Sugihara: That would be very helpful. We often hear about shifting from a flow business to a stock business, but valuable internal information and comments still tend to “flow” away. Miyahara: Yes, that’s exactly it. A lot of valuable information just gets washed away, and I think that’s a waste. It’s definitely valuable to D-POPS GROUP, and it will be incredibly valuable to the next generation of entrepreneurs, too, so that’s my first goal. Another thing also relates to communication. Since each group company operates freely with its own unique identity, there’s an enormous number of communication tools being used (email, LINE, Slack, etc.). I think it’s fine for each company to use the tools they prefer, but I’d like to create a communication system that can serve as a central hub and connect to various devices. This is a very interesting problem because other large corporations, manufacturers, and companies with various supply chains also face this issue. It’s a problem everyone is struggling with. Sugihara: A key feature of D-POPS GROUP’s Venture Ecosystem is that each company can operate freely and independently, right? There’s no forced system unification after a company joins the group, and they can continue to run their business their own way. At the same time, if we could create a system where information can move quickly even while using different tools, that would be even better. Miyahara: This is exactly the same problem as the one that Web-tan-san addresses. There are too many tools, too many SaaS, and too many means of communication. When you get to a point where one person is using who knows how many different tools, a significant information divide occurs. There are some good aspects to this, but I think to realize a Venture Ecosystem, we need a platform that can streamline necessary communication. Sugihara: That’s a great point. There’s still so much room for development. ◆10-Year Vision Sugihara: Now, could you tell us your ideal vision for idealump 10 years in the future? Miyahara: To be honest, it’s not easy to predict the future, especially these days, and it’s hard to decide on a fixed vision for 10 years from now. However, as Chairman Semmoto mentioned the other day, we know that semiconductors and AI are the next big thing, and I believe some answers about what’s coming next are already out there. So, for us, it will be about leveraging AI and bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds. There are many other things, of course, but our role will be to become a key digital player in those areas. When we reach a time when everyone uses AI as a matter of course, I believe that idealump’s strengths in digital solutions and service development will be crucial. Sugihara: That’s a great vision. What are the challenges you face in achieving it? Miyahara: There is nothing but challenges, ha ha! In the immediate future, I’m planning to rebrand our company website. The current idealump site was built eight years ago and is quite outdated. The company’s internal structure has also changed a lot since then, so I want to strengthen our branding over the next year or two and rebuild our educational systems. ◆Message to Readers Visiting Our Website Sugihara: Finally, could you share a message for our online readers? Miyahara: “Let’s work together and do our best!” I think there are many people within D-POPS GROUP who love to create things. The fun of being a startup company is creating the next thing that will add a lot of value, so I want to keep collaborating with everyone to create what will become our future culture, values, systems, services—anything, really. Interview conducted by D-POPS GROUP’s advisor Genta Sugihara. ◆Afterword: Group Company CEOs’ Retreat This past weekend, a retreat was held for the CEOs of D-POPS GROUP’s group companies, hosted by D-POPS GROUP’s President and CEO Kazuhiro Goto. The goal of the retreat, which took place in a beautiful location with an ocean view, was to enable the participants to clearly define their business strategies and to achieve personal growth as leaders. President Miyahara’s Insights: Thank you very much for this invaluable learning opportunity in a superb location, with delicious food and guidance from battle-tested professionals, led by President Goto. The fundamental knowledge I gained while basking in the great energy of such a wonderful environment was a precious experience that you can’t get from the internet or books. It’s something that I will cherish for my entire life. I was particularly struck by President Goto’s teachings on: 1. the importance of a CEO’s personal and professional growth, and 2. the need to be able to clearly define business strategies. Out of those, I was deeply impacted by his insights on the “three pillars”, and the three-stage framework of strategy, tactics, and combat. I was filled with a sense of both frustration and a strong desire to grow. For a while after I returned home, I couldn’t stop thinking about our business model, working on it day and night. I want to use what I learned as fuel to propel myself and my company to the next stage. I feel that using our digital capabilities to help realize the Venture Ecosystem will be a crucial turning point for both me and idealump, so I plan to keep pushing forward with everything I’ve got. idealump Co., Ltd Company President and CEO: Hidefumi Miyahara Address: 4F Jingumae Asama Bldg., 6-18-13 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Established: August 1, 2008 Website: https://idealump.com/ Free Site Diagnosis Service: https://idealump.com/webshindan/ Flat-Rate Web Operations Service: https://web-tantou.com/

Group Companies
Interview

2025.01.28

COLUMN

[Entrepreneur Interview #04] Hidetoshi Shimizu & Kenji Kuboshima (The Salons Japan Inc.)

Interview with the CEO & Founder and the Director of The Salons Japan Inc., the company striving for "True independence for beauticians"

1. What inspired you to start the company?

2. Please briefly describe your company’s services.

3. What sets you apart from similar companies?

4. What was the biggest challenge since starting the business?

5. What do you most expect from your shareholders?

6. What is the best part about receiving investment from D-POPS GROUP?

7. What aspects of realizing a Venture Ecosystem resonate with you?

8. How did you two founding members meet each other?

9. What strengths do you see in each other?

10. What is your ideal vision for the company 10 years from now?

11. What are some issues you will have to face before seeing that future?

12. Any closing comments you’d like to briefly share?

The Salons Japan Inc.

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