Going independent in my mid-50s. The second term of my corporation has begun.

As of March, I have entered the second term of my corporation.

I established a limited liability company on my own, and with the help of experts and AI, I have managed to keep the company running somehow.
I truly have nothing but gratitude for everyone who has supported me.

Originally, my social circle was limited to like-minded people, and until recently, almost all of my friends and acquaintances were company employees.
I never imagined that I would go independent and work for myself.

In the midst of that, during the COVID-19 pandemic when going out was difficult, I joined an online salon.
There, I met many people living and working in various ways, and I received great inspiration.

Maybe it's okay to be freer and do what I love.

That was the place where I could think that.

It has been a little over a year since I graduated from being a company employee.
I am very comfortable with my current life.

Retiring in my mid-50s.
I don't think it was too early or too late; I believe it was the best timing for me.

In line with the start of the second term, I have:
・Opened a branch office
・Registered for the invoice system
I did this.
Since there will be significant expenses for the launch of the villa in the second term, my tax accountant advised me that it might be better to aim for a consumption tax refund, so I decided to become a taxable business entity.

The head office is for the B2B consulting business.
The branch office is for the B2C vacation rental business.

Within my corporation, I will manage the services separately by department for each store.

When I had a meeting with my tax accountant before the closing of the accounts, I was told, "This is not a deductible expense but depreciation," and I panicked a little.

Thinking it is better to invest in things that will be needed in the future rather than paying it as tax, I have been researching and purchasing various equipment that seems necessary for the vacation rental business.

I mainly chose items that can be fully depreciated at once, such as home appliances, PC-related equipment, and portable power stations.

For example, one of them is a capsule coffee maker.
I also bought a machine to froth milk for cappuccinos, and I was happy to find that these improved my quality of life more than I imagined.

I plan to use the coffee maker at the villa.
However, I am thinking of not using the milk frother, considering the ease of use for guests and the effort required for cleaning.

Regarding the progress of the vacation rental, the basic design is complete, and I have finally entered the stage of preparing the building confirmation application.

Last week, I flew to the site and, together with the architect, placed poles at the planned corners of the building to check its position on the property.

When I actually stood there, I had many new discoveries, such as:
・With this building layout, you can see the sea even from the first floor
・It seems better to change the location of the parking lot slightly

During this site visit, I was able to meet not only with the architect but also with:
・Two financial institutions
・The president of the construction company
・The landscaping (planting) craftsman
・A senior in the lodging business
・The manager of a community house
It was a very productive business trip.

Once the building confirmation application is completed, April will finally be the time for the "formal application" for a loan from the primary financial institution.

During this meeting, I was unexpectedly offered a "loan increase," which was so surprising that I was internally quite stunned.

It has been six meetings since we first met about a year ago.
Honestly, at first, there were times when their responses made me feel like giving up.

However, each time, I reviewed my business plan, redid the income and expenditure simulations, and gradually shaped it into something realistic.

Looking back now, I believe that thanks to that strictness, my own sense of reality has become stronger.
Now, I am truly grateful for their presence.

In the second term, I plan to challenge myself with subsidies and grants as well.
Just maintaining a branch office costs money. I intend to recover those costs thoroughly.

My top two CliftonStrengths are "Ideation" and "Strategic."
I enjoy thinking about the story of the business itself.
I have already started fantasizing about building a workshop building on the land next to the villa I purchased, and wondering if I could turn it into a workation or training facility for companies.

I would be happy if this villa could become a significant added value for my main consulting business as well.