To Do or Not to Do

My life is simple: it’s either a yes or a no, to do or not to do. Once I decide to do something, I give it my all. I don’t do things halfway. The criteria for my decisions are whether something is enjoyable or not. If it’s enjoyable, I do it; if it’s not, I don’t. I never engage in businesses that don’t benefit people or that make people unhappy, even if they’re profitable. The notion of a middle ground, where you don’t fully commit, is the mindset of someone who isn’t using their full potential. These people are capable of more but choose not to do it.

A third-rate person is someone who tries but fails. They put in the effort and struggle, so it takes time to see results. However, many of them have the perseverance to keep going, and they don’t collapse even if they don’t succeed. There are people who, despite failing and being mocked, don’t give up. This is common to both first-rate and third-rate individuals.

When people succeed, they sometimes stop aiming for greater heights. First-rate individuals always set new goals, but third-rate people may regress after achieving some results instead of stepping up further. Second-rate people think they’re slightly above average from the start and proceed at their own pace, which leads to a decline over time. Doing nothing and expecting things to improve with time is unrealistic.

Playing the Role of an Entrepreneur

Even if it looks like I’m playing around instead of working, I actually appreciate the gap that arises from doing my job properly. It’s problematic to appear to be working while not actually doing so, but seeming shallow while being competent can be an asset. If people find me interesting, that’s great. This might be something I can do specifically because of my profession. If I were a banker, people probably wouldn’t trust me (laughs).

I see myself as playing the role of a “beauty salon entrepreneur.” I have a Ferrari at home, which acts as a kind of armor for me. I own it because it’s the kind of car you might expect a beauty salon owner to drive, but I don’t actually drive it. While playing the entrepreneur, there’s always another part of me observing this role objectively. Reading various books, I’ve learned that viewing oneself objectively is akin to “detachment” in a religious sense. In the religious context, maintaining a calm mind is fundamental, and excessive display of emotions is not considered good. Personally, I am not the type to have emotional ups and downs. I don’t celebrate when I’m happy, nor do I get depressed when I’m sad. I’m just playing the role of an entrepreneur, so I don’t feel regret over failures, nor do I feel joy over successes.

The Difference Between Success and Happiness

Success, in my view, is about acquiring people, things, and money. My goals are to earn 300 million yen annually, have 100 franchise owners, and operate 200 beauty salons. Achieving these would likely make the world see me as successful. However, being perceived as successful doesn’t equate to being seen as happy. Happiness lies elsewhere. If you can’t step up to happiness after achieving success, you won’t grasp true happiness in life. Those who end with success alone ultimately don’t achieve happiness.

There’s always someone more successful, and there’s no end to success. I think that’s why I don’t feel like I’ve achieved success. Once I reach a certain goal, I set the next one. After nurturing 100 entrepreneurs, the next target becomes 150. Someday, I need to set a ceiling for success and move towards the step of happiness. I believe the definition of happiness is to use what you’ve acquired to enjoy yourself and to bring joy to others. Therefore, despite Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, acquiring people, things, and money, I can’t help but think he didn’t find happiness and passed away without enjoying life.

Systematizing the Mindset

What “EARTH” can achieve hinges solely on addressing the matters of the heart. Technical skills, added value services, and prioritizing customers are fundamental basics. With a staff of around 2600, it’s challenging for everyone to interact with customers with the same mindset. However, this is the crucial point for differentiating ourselves from other stores. Since it’s a person-to-person business, there’s always the factor of compatibility between customers and hairstylists. If the first impression isn’t favorable, no matter how courteous the service is, it might still feel annoying to the customer.

I aim to systematize EARTH’s mindset, but in the service industry, there are limitations to what manuals and systems can achieve, making this a difficult challenge. It’s not something that can be realized immediately, so we must continue working towards it without giving up.

After achieving the goal of nurturing 100 entrepreneurs, I plan to organize that know-how and commercialize it, with the intention of expanding into Asia. At this stage, I’m considering the development of an academy to impart this know-how rather than establishing more salons.

July 2016 at the Earth Headquarters Aoyama First Building.Translated by ILI Inc.