The Decisive Difference Between 'Businesses Driven by a Sense of Mission' and 'Businesses Where You Can't Shake the Feeling of Being Forced'
── Starting a business based on a theme that wells up from within, not from trends or orders
We do not launch businesses by working backward from sales or profits.
If we did that, we would end up imposing quotas on our members, and a force would inevitably work to ensure that sales and profit targets are met at all costs. The goal comes first, and people are made to fit into it. This is the very structure of the 'force' (pressure from the outside) that I have mentioned many times in this series.
Furthermore, we do not launch businesses based on fads or trends.
'This industry is growing right now,' or 'This business model is popular'—businesses started for reasons like these have no roots when the trend fades away.
So, how do we create new businesses?
We call them 'Called Businesses'.
The place where three circles overlap
'Called Businesses' are born where three elements overlap.
The first is the individuality and past experiences of the members.
What that person has experienced in their life so far. The skills they have acquired. The desire to 'try something' that has always been deep in their heart.
The second is what is being requested by customers.
What the customer in front of you is actually struggling with. Needs that have not yet been put into words but certainly exist.
The third is what society and the community need.
New challenges that arise amidst the changes of the times. Themes that someone in the community must address.
When these three overlap, I feel that a business is not 'created,' but rather 'called'.
Instead of forcing yourself to go out and search for it, there is a moment when what is inside you meets what is naturally requested from the outside. You must not miss that moment, and you must give it shape.
The reason why L Real Estate and the Vacant House Immediate Purchase Specialty Store were born
Let me tell you about a concrete example.
L House is a company that has been providing new homes for over 20 years.
Having a history of over 20 years means there are customers who built homes with us 20 years ago. Their lives have also progressed by 20 years.
As a result, we began to receive feedback like this:
'I inherited my parents' house, but I have no plans to live in it. What should I do?' 'I want to sell my current home and move to a more compact residence.' 'Is there any way someone could make use of my vacant family home?'
Simply building new homes cannot respond to these voices.
However, we are not a 'company that sells houses,' but a 'company that stands by you during major life decisions.' These new needs emerged naturally as a result of our customers' life timelines progressing.
That is why we launched the real estate business, L Real Estate. We launched a specialty store for immediate purchase of vacant houses.
This was not a decision made by analyzing the market and thinking, 'Let's enter the real estate business because it's profitable.'We were called by our customers, so we responded. That is all.
A business born from 'If it's about single-story houses, talk to this person'
Let me tell you another example.
In our team, there is a female director who is second to none when it comes to single-story houses.
Through her many years of experience, she has developed deep expertise and passion for the design and proposal of single-story houses. Trust naturally gathered around her from customers who said, 'If it's about single-story houses, you can't go wrong if you ask her.'
Seeing this situation, we did not think, 'Let's create a place where she can utilize her strengths.'
Her own individuality and passion. The trust and demand from customers. And the social need as interest in single-story houses grows.
As a result of these three things naturally overlapping, a website calledSingle-Story House Consultation Room was launched.
It was not ordered by anyone. The company did not decide, 'This is the next business.' Her life, the voices of the customers, and the flow of the times overlapped, and the business was 'called'.
How to identify a 'called business'
So, how do you identify a 'called business'?
There are no special analysis tools or frameworks. However, there are a few things I am conscious of in my daily life.
First, listen closely to your inner self.
'What are you curious about?' 'What moves your heart?' 'When does your energy rise?'—carefully observe these reactions of your own. The self-check of consciousness levels that I mentioned in the 13th installment is also useful here. What is the field where you can operate in the realm of power?
Next, listen to the voices of the customers right in front of you.
Listen not only to the requests customers put into words, but also to the anxieties and wishes that have yet to be voiced. The seeds of your next business are hidden within the voices that say, 'I wish there was a service like this.'
And, do not force yourself to rush.
A business you are called to has its own timing. Your preparation is complete, the customer's needs have become apparent, and the flow of society is heading in that direction. The moment these three things align is not something you find by rushing; it comes naturally as you live your daily life with care.
Not 'Creating,' but 'Responding'
Looking back, none of our nine businesses were started with the intention of 'creating' them.
As our customers' lives progressed, new crossroads appeared. Among our members, there was someone with the passion and ability to respond to that crossroads. Society, too, needed support in that area.
When those three things overlapped, we naturally understood, 'Ah, this is what we should do.'
We do not 'create' businesses; we 'respond' to what is needed.
If you maintain that attitude, the next business will come to you.
Your own life becomes the source of the business
The most important point of a 'called business' is that the source of the business is the member's own life itself.
It is not about executing a business plan that someone else thought up. The business is born from within your own life.
That is why 'living the life you desire' and 'growing the business' do not contradict each other. Enriching your own life leads directly to enriching the business.
In the previous article, I shared our vision of 120 companies and 120 leaders.
The 120 businesses will be born from the lives of 120 members. They will not be launched to fill a gap in the market, but will naturally emerge from the 'desired lives' of those 120 people.
That is why each one has roots. Even if trends fade or the market changes, they will not easily break.
A called business is strong.
This is because the roots of that business are the person's life itself.
Live Our Journeys—There is no dream that cannot be fulfilled; let's obtain the life we desire.
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