The importance of origins, taught by a reunion five years in the making.

Five years ago.

When I started a side business while working as a company employee, a business owner gave me this advice:'You should practice selling your own products.'I was shocked by those words.

Until then, I had only experienced selling other companies' products, and I didn't even have the concept of'my own product'in my mind.

So, I found something I could turn into a product in my own way and proposed it to a customer for the first time.

Yesterday, I met that first customer again for the first time in five years.

I remember how nervous I was back then about proposing my own product.

But that person believed in my product anddecided immediatelyto purchase it...

I still vividly remember the gratitude I felt at that time and my desire to support them as much as I could.

The reason for our reunion was
a single LINE message

I was like, 'What is this LINE message!'but they suddenly sent me a message, and since they happened to be on a business trip to Tokyo, we met up at that time.

Five years have passed, and he has become a wonderful father.

And, to my surprise, he told me that ever since he purchased my product,his motivation and perspective regarding his work have improved, and his evaluation at his company has increased.

'After buying your product, Dongan-san, I thought I had to work hard too! Thanks to that, I've been getting more feedback at work saying that something has changed about me!'

I was surprised and moved by his words...

I was filled with gratitude once again for his existence, as he was the starting point of my entrepreneurship and supported me when I was still a novice. And I was also happy that he told me that. I really have met some wonderful people.

By the way, when we met, we talked about all sorts of things—our work, our private lives—and before I knew it, he was like an older brother, and I was the one being supported instead. Haha.

Among other things, he shared many deep insights with me, such as:

• It is a happy thing to obtain the one thing you truly want, even if it means discarding the other 99.

• If you keep a "tragedy" going long enough, it turns into a "comedy."

• "Luck" depends on how you choose to frame it.

• Good things happen to those who believe they are lucky.

• Just like in Kingdom, the scenery changes because you are riding a horse.

Even though our environments and jobs are different, there aren't many people you can talk to so openly regardless of work or personal life, so it was a truly wonderful time.

"There's no one as interesting as you," he told me repeatedly, which gave me a boost of energy. Haha.

On the way home, while riding the train,
I suddenly found myself reflecting on those days.

Back then, I really didn't know anything at all, and I was just moving forward with the simple feeling of "I want to give this a try."

I fumbled through creating a product, and the existence of the man who said "Yes, I'll buy it" to my very first proposal was truly significant to me.

If I hadn't gathered the courage to take that first step back then. If I hadn't thought of turning myself into a product in the first place.

I might not be who I am today.

"If anything else comes up, just let me know anytime,"
he said, and I was happy to hear it; it is deeply moving that the proof of my past efforts "still continues today."

"Why did you send me that LINE message?" I asked,

"Because I wanted to express my gratitude directly," he replied.

Seriously, thank you so much.

I'm so happy to feel this way. (By the way, they had already become an area manager for sales at a young age...!) I really felt that being passive is a disadvantage, both in work and in life.▼

So, this reunion was a valuable opportunity for me to remember my beginnings was for me.

I will continue to cherish this feeling and make sure to return to my roots.

And it's not just about getting results or succeeding, but rather who I've met and what words I've received that have supported me all this time.

So, I'd love to ask you, who are reading this, the same question.

Who is your very first customer?