I learned the mindset needed to take the first step from a Waseda student.
Six years ago (probably). I had dinner with a young entrepreneur in Susukino, Sapporo, at night. It was our first time meeting.
He was the same age as me, 26 at the time. He was from Tokyo and went to Waseda University. Apparently, he started his business right after graduating from university.
As for me, I was from Sapporo, a city 1/10 the size of Tokyo, and I was just proud of the fact that I went to a local "national" university called Otaru University of Commerce. I had just changed jobs for the first time and was working at a human resources venture. I was a salaryman.
We were the same age, but could there really be such a difference just because of where we were born? Or was it a difference in character?
I had been asked by an executive at a company in Sapporo, which was a new sales prospect, to "come up with an innovative proposal," and as a result of trying to answer that somehow, I was introduced to him, the entrepreneur who was the same age as me.
I asked him if he could provide some ideas or products, since it seemed like he was running a trendy business, and he said,
"I'm actually heading to Sapporo, so let's talk over dinner!"
That's what he said.
"Oh, as expected."
So I readily agreed.
We ended up having dinner together in Susukino at night.
From my perspective at the time, he had a mysterious aura about him, and he didn't look like the stereotypical entrepreneur.
I don't know, he was kind of baggy and disheveled. But he had a persuasiveness that came from having been through many tough situations. As of 2022, he is the type of entrepreneur you see occasionally, but he had a mysterious charm that came from his youth and knowledge.
I asked him about his business and his life up to that point. However, I don't remember the details of what we talked about now.
The reason is that, in the end, I never worked with him. To begin with, the request to "come up with an innovative proposal" was tough. The conditions and finding common ground with the executive at the sales prospect were difficult, and the project fell through.
However, there is one thing I still remember from our conversation during that dinner. That is what relates to the title of this article.
He and I were both 26 at the time.
I was a salaryman and he was a business owner.
I simply wanted to ask him.
"Why did you decide to start a company?"
"Weren't you scared when you started the company?"
He had probably been asked these questions a hundred times. Looking back now, I realize they were shallow questions, but he just smiled, ruffled his messy hair, and asked me a question in return.
"Mr. [Name], did you have any hobbies or sports you did when you were a child?"
"Oh, I played soccer."
"I see. Why did you start playing soccer?"
"Well, I guess it was simply because I liked it and wanted to do it."
"Exactly. That is the same reason I decided to start a company."
"I see."
"Because I liked it and wanted to do it."
"I see."
"As for your question about whether I was scared when I started the company, Mr. [Name]."
"Yes."
"When you started playing soccer, did you think, 'What if I get seriously injured?' or 'What if it doesn't go well?'"
"No, I didn't think about that."
"Exactly. It was the same for me when I started my company. I wasn't worried about anything. You figure out how to make it work through trial and error as you go."
"I see. (Gulping down beer)"
I see, that's it.
Here is what I learned from my conversation with him.
・It is a waste of time to think about things that haven't even happened yet.
・You might as well just take the plunge and start.
・Once you start, problems will arise, and then you can think hard about how to overcome them.
・So, stop complaining and just start.
・Just like when you were a child and started a hobby without thinking about failure.
I don't know what happened to him after that, but when I looked him up, it seems he is still running his business properly. He is going through trial and error.
▶︎I definitely recommend this article too