Shoji Okamoto, President and CEO of Mirai Works Co., Ltd.

Creating Japan's future together with professional talent

■ Profile

After graduating from the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University in 2000, he worked for Accenture and a venture company, before starting his own business, where he felt a strong desire to "revitalize Japan" while traveling around all 47 prefectures. After founding Mirai Works in 2012, the company grew rapidly alongside work style reforms and the growing demand for freelancers, and was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers in December 2017.

Mirai Works Co., Ltd. provides professional-level human resources services, solution services, and engages in regional revitalization activities. We spoke to Mirai Works President Okamoto about what inspired him to start his own company, his passion for Japan's future, and his message to university students.

■ Searching for what I wanted to do in my 20s

　I spent my university years at the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University. Most science students go on to graduate school and find employment at manufacturers or research institutions. However, I didn't like the idea of ​​working in research, sitting at a desk all day working alone in silence, so while most of my classmates around me chose to go on to graduate school, I decided to start job hunting.
　
　That said, when I was a university student, I didn't have any particular idea of ​​what I wanted to do in the future. I decided to find out what I wanted to do first, and decided to go to a foreign consulting company where I could see many different industries and jobs. Also, the IT industry was growing at the time, so I chose Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting), which has a strong IT consulting business, as my place of employment.
　
　After joining the company, I worked as an IT consultant, implementing core systems and building IT architecture. After that, I transferred to the Strategy Group and promoted many projects, including formulating business strategies and launching new businesses. I worked at Accenture for about five years and was able to gain a full range of experience in IT strategy and other areas. At one point, I enjoyed consulting so much that it became what I wanted to do. I feel that my horizons have broadened considerably by interacting with various industries through consulting. I have truly gained a wide range of experiences.

■The underlying desire was to make Japan more vibrant

　In 2005, I was inspired by emerging markets and changed jobs to a venture company. However, due to the impact of the Livedoor Shock and other events, I decided to leave the venture company. I felt that neither another job change nor returning to Accenture was right, so I decided to travel abroad to find myself. While I appreciated the charm of other countries through my travels, I also realized how little I knew about Japan. After returning to Japan, I decided to travel to all 47 prefectures, driven by the idea that "as a Japanese person, I should get to know Japan anew." I witnessed truly wonderful cultures throughout Japan, from the food to the towns, people, festivals, history, and scenery. However, in the regions, I also witnessed the current state of affairs, such as the deserted shopping districts in prefectural capitals and the economic decline of many areas. This strong desire to revitalize Japan led me to start my own business. At the beginning, I hadn't clearly decided on the business scope, so I started working as a freelance consultant, leveraging my experience.

　When I first started freelancing, I struggled to find work, but gradually I began to secure consulting jobs. Because I was working alone as a freelancer, there was a limit to the number of jobs I could handle. Gradually, I began to refer the work I received to others around me. This was the origin of my current business. Whenever I hire someone for work, I always ask, "Why did you start a business?" I began to see three major themes that entrepreneurs pursue. The first is "supporting small and medium-sized ventures." The second is "revitalizing local areas." The third is "connecting with overseas countries." These themes all resonated with my desire to "make Japan more vibrant." I wanted to change the current situation where entrepreneurs who want to improve Japan are unable to find work and make a living, and I wanted to support them. So I began working to launch a freelance matching service. This was the beginning of the founding of Mirai Works, Inc.

■ Creating Japan's future

　The era of lifetime employment and seniority-based promotion is over. We are moving into an era where people take responsibility for choosing their own work style and lifestyle. In this context, our vision at Mirai Works is to "create an ecosystem where professional talent can take on new challenges." We aim to "create a society where professional talent can freely choose to become independent, start a business, have a side job, or change jobs depending on their life stage, and work in the place that best suits them," and become a platform that supports future work styles that put the 100-year life into practice.

　Digitalization is still not advanced enough in rural areas that there are still places where one company uses only one email address. This is unthinkable if you work in Tokyo. Conversely, the potential for growth through digitalization in rural areas is immeasurable. Just investing in one professional talent can lead to dramatic growth. Professional talent is truly the beacon of hope for Japan's growth.
　
　At Mirai Works, we want to create a vibrant Japan by increasing the opportunities for professionals seeking individual challenges to thrive.

■Message to university students

　I want you to think about the breadth of your life. I think many of you university students haven't yet decided what you want to do. So instead of trying to find a clear idea of ​​what you want to do now, I want you to make choices that broaden the scope of your life. You won't work your whole life, and your life won't be determined solely by job hunting. I want everyone to think about this more casually.

Interview with Student Newspaper Online on July 2, 2021 by Yusuke Suzuki, second-year student at Hosei University