Shop Blog
How to Start a Slow Business 10 – No Parental Leave for Business Owners
January 15, 2020
I've written 10 blogs so far recommending starting your own business, but of course, making money on your own is not an easy task. Everything comes back to me, not only the reward, but also the voice of scolding and all the troubles. I have been going from company employee to entrepreneur to company employee to amirisu.
If you become a business owner, you will not be eligible for unemployment insurance. There is no unemployment benefits even if you lose your job or close your company. (Though I never received unemployment benefits when I was employed for more than 10 years.) What happens when you don't get unemployment insurance is that you don't get maternity leave. Only the minimum period of time stipulated by law.
I can't help but feel that the law doesn't assume that women run companies at all. Since it is your own company, you may think that you can use the money as you please, but it is surprisingly difficult to pay compensation to managers and directors, and temporary bonuses are not paid arbitrarily. If you take time off during your maternity leave, you will not be able to receive your salary. Well, above all, I can't rest because my work won't wait.
There are many people around me who have gotten married, given birth, and raised children after starting a business, but they are all having a hard time. Hiring a babysitter or having your spouse help is really essential. But it's possible! If any of you reading this are wondering, please take the plunge. It is best to start a business when you have physical strength and are motivated. Although it is a minority, there are people in the world who give birth and raise children while doing the job of president. It's also wonderful.
I have a friend whose goal is to raise a child like this. When we met for the first time and dined in Aoyama, she brought her nine-year-old son. While we chatted, I was honestly surprised to see him reading his favorite book next to him and resting his head on his mother's lap when he got sleepy. But that's how he grew up, always looking at the profile of his mother who was doing business, listening to her conversations. At home, of course, family time and homemade meals are also important. But instead of leaving my child and going to dinner, I take him with me. I was impressed by their determination.
I am working hard on amirisu with great hope that if the number of such energetic women increases, the world will change in a society and legal system where women are not supposed to start and run businesses.
How to start a slow business 9 – Leave it in the data anyway
December 18, 2019
Long time no see. I started with about 15 stories for this series, but it ended in the middle due to magazine submissions and business trips. For the time being, I will do my best to aim for 10 times.
Now about the data.
What I would like to recommend to anyone who wants to start a small business with just one or a few people is to avoid paper-based manual work as much as possible. And don't use computer software, use cloud services as much as possible. For example, accounting, inventory management, sales management, customer management, etc.
For several years after starting amirisu, we worked remotely in Tokyo and Yokohama, and then Tokyo and Kobe. We could not send each other paper, so we exchanged everything electronically. Contact is Twitter or LINE chat (currently using a dedicated cloud system). Evernote for notes. Data is Dropbox. Accounting is cloud accounting. Even if I get a quote or price list, I scan it as much as possible and save it to Dropbox.
You can search for them without worrying about losing them all. And even if the number of people increases, it is easy to share with everyone. Of course, Dropbox and cloud accounting have monthly usage fees, but there is no need to buy new software even if you change your computer, and you can always use new services.
The most important thing to avoid in a company with a small number of people is data entry work. and handwritten receipts. Purchasing, warehousing, inventory management, sales, and shipping, which initially required a lot of manual work, were always looking for a new system and ended up with Shopify. It is now possible to use the same data until sales. In the United States, Japan, stores and online shops, inventory is managed on the same system, so there is almost no manual work. If you want to see the sales data, just open the screen.
Such systems used to be developed by large companies by paying large sums of money to system companies, but now they can be used for a low monthly fee. Most of the services you imagine are probably in the cloud. It takes time to investigate, but its power is tremendous. Before you buy any software, do some research first. I really recommend it.
How to start a slow business 8 - Make money
July 18, 2019
In slow business, it's important to know who you work with and what you do, but of course how you get paid is also important.
I've been using the word "slow business" for some reason, but what is it in the first place? Is it a business that deals with products and services related to slow life, such as hand-crafted items, while valuing the time and lives of oneself and employees, and sustainably follows a policy? I think there is no sense of incongruity with such a definition.
The reason why this is related to the title of "making money properly" is that without money, you can't value the time and lives of yourself and your employees, and you can't do it sustainably.
There are many people in every industry, not only in the world of knitting, who say, "It's a hobby and I don't have to make any money" and do business with almost no profit. I actually think this is a pretty selfish way of doing things. I think there is a deep-seated psychology of wanting people to buy more at a lower price while saying they don't have to make a profit. Or maybe they don't have confidence in the product, so they don't think they can give you much money. Does that mean that they are selling products that are not very good?
And people who say they don't have to make money create people who work at low wages. People who have to make a living in the industry will have no choice but to match to some extent if other shops sell products at too cheap prices. As a result, the staff will not be able to pay their salaries. If you do that, you won't be able to make a living, so the number of people who take that job seriously will decrease. The handicraft industry is one of the industries that cannot be eaten. Employees can't take care of themselves, and there's no sustainability. Do you understand that saying "I don't have to make money" is a selfish attitude?
In order to attract more young people and wonderful people to my industry, to further develop the industry, and for the sake of other shops and artists who are working hard right now, I set the price lower than necessary. I think it is very important not to overdo it. We want everyone to receive a fair price that matches the quality of the product and the amount of work they put into it, so that they can live with peace of mind and time.
For those who want to start a slow business, this is a point that I would like you to think about.
How to start a slow business 7 - First complaint
July 12, 2019
No matter what kind of work you do, if you become a sole proprietor, such as freelance or self-employed, you must be prepared for complaints. It's not fun, but it's an unavoidable topic. (As someone who used to work for an insurance company, a claim is originally a claim for insurance money, so I use this word incorrectly. In English, we don't call it a claim.)
These days, it's not just the phone, it's also the email. Selling goods and services is a fun thing to do, as we often receive words of appreciation from customers, but a certain percentage of customers are not satisfied. Even in places like Amazon where most of the items are managed by machines, sometimes the number of items is wrong. Even more so, the work done by real people can make mistakes, and there can be defects in the product, problems during transportation, and even the response of the delivery person.
I actually started a business in my twenties, and I was running an online shop, which was quite rare at the time. There were many times when it was even missing.
If you are a big company, you have to take the scolding inquiry from the customer, which the call center will take on your behalf. At first, I feel like crying, but I gradually come to be able to take it calmly. Keep it on!
Depending on the customer, there are times when they are really troubled and angry (at that time, I will sincerely apologize and respond as much as possible), but in fact, I tend to get angry easily There are people who do not have it), there are people who have a harsh tone that exceeds their intention when it comes to emails, and there are people who are not good at writing. Rather than being shocked and unable to deal with the situation, being able to calmly come up with the best solution and implement it should ultimately be appreciated. I believe so. In order for new staff to be able to respond without crying, let's think about countermeasures in advance for possible cases.
Another important thing is to draw a clear line from the beginning about what you can do and what you can't do. Declare from the beginning that if you don't have people to provide detailed service, you won't do it. If you start doing what you can't do, and the number of orders increases and you become sloppy, it will lead to complaints and health problems. If you are thinking of selling patterns on your own, please consider this in advance.
In general call centers, I often hear that the people in charge of customer service tend to be mentally ill. Most of them are part-time workers or temporary workers. On the other hand, when I am in the position of the customer, I want to remember that, and I would like everyone to think about it.
How to start a slow business 6 - 1 plus 1 is not 2
July 05, 2019
This time, I would like to talk about hiring people.
“1 plus 1 is not 2” is something we always feel as our staff grows. This has many implications.
But first, let's take a look back at when amirisu welcomed its first staff.
Ever since we started amirisu, it has been our dream to have an assistant. It seems to us that they want to hire someone even though they don't make much money. In the first place, I was working full time, so Tokuko had to do all the little things, and I wished there was someone else.
Since I started the shop, I was only open 3 days a week at first, so I was able to do other work on the remaining 3 days. When the customers came to visit, it became impossible for the two of us to turn. So I decided to ask a friend to help me with shipping. A few days a week, we were given a little freedom from the shop, as they also took care of the delivery. I was able to go out and have meetings.
But the day when I hired my first employee came unexpectedly quickly. While Tokuko went to Tokyo to teach, the amount of work became too much, and it became impossible to turn around. The amount of office work was also considerable. However, this was a crossroads for amirisu. It took a lot of courage to hire a full-time employee when we couldn't even guarantee our own salary. It's a matter of life for that person. I used to jokingly talk about my “dream assistant” all the time, but when it came to actually hiring people, I couldn’t say such a silly thing. I called out to someone who thought this was the case, and asked them to carefully think about it for about a month. Is it really okay to come to such a company?
A few months later, we welcomed our first employee. Thanks to her, I was able to go on a business trip to Tokyo for a while to open the Tokyo store.
The thing to think about when hiring people is that one person will never double your sales. (I don't think "never" is correct. If it's a place like a nail salon, it will be. But it's difficult to sell.) In that sense, one plus one is not two. However, the cost of salary will be for two people.
But with two people, you can do more than double. The synergistic effect between the two of us can generate new ideas, expand our network of contacts, and create opportunities. In that sense, 1 plus 1 is not 2. Sales will gradually decline if you sell the same product in the same way, so I think this expansion is essential.
When hiring people, some people want to have more people who are the same type of people they get along with, but this is dangerous. That doesn't double the number of things you can do, and it doesn't expand your network. If you are good at the same job, it becomes difficult to divide the work. It's worth it because it's different from you. What they can do, their ideas, and the friends they usually associate with (networks) are all different. Diversity has recently become a keyword in business, and I think diversity is especially necessary for small companies with two or three people. Here's another reason why you shouldn't hire a close friend.
With that in mind, if you are a freelancer or self-employed, I think it would be a good idea to hire staff. We often recommend it to many people. Of course it's a big responsibility, but for my health and the next step.
How to start a slow business 5 – Manage your money from the beginning
July 03, 2019
There is a collection of interviews between Mr. Shigesato Itoi and Mr. Yonghan Qiu. I picked it up. So that I don't have to think about it properly, I just put it away that if I spend less than I earn, I'll be fine.
But when it comes to running a business, it's a different story. Anyway, let's do the accounting properly from the first day. If you think you're not good at it like I am, let's get someone who can do it. I was really lucky to have Tokuko who is good at being precise.
Even if you start hiring people and have someone do your accounting, you have to manage your money yourself. If you neglect this, you will be sad when you don't expect it. I have seen many such cases. If you can't do that, I don't think it's suitable for doing business by yourself. Of course, most people will say that they have no intention of starting such a big company. But we didn't even think about doing a company.
Thanks to the fact that I have been doing accounting properly since the time amirisu was launched, when I registered the company and went to the bank, I already had the financial statements for the first half of the term.
I think I'll talk about the division of roles at another time, but when it comes to amirisu, I don't do detailed cost calculations or write business plans (because I was doing consulting anyway) You can. What I can't do is budget properly, pay by the due date, and think about what to do if it's not enough. I'm a person who has been here for 20 years because ``I can do anything if I have extra money.'' So, if I hadn't met Tokuko, I don't think I would have run the company. Or if Mr. Tokuko was not good at it, amirisu wouldn't have become a company.
We complement each other's abilities at such a detailed level. In that sense, I am grateful that the two of us started the company together.
How to start a slow business 4 – Sustainability
June 25, 2019
If you are a company employee or have experience, you will understand well that work is a marathon, not a 100m run. Few workplaces allow you to stay up all night and work too hard and miss work tomorrow. Although there may be. It is out of the question that I can't continue to work because my body is damaged. Such a workplace is called a black company.
I'm going to do my own business, but I'm not going to make a black company by myself. A company is not a matter of 1 or 2 years, but something that will continue for 10, 20, or even 100 years. It's a marathon that never ends. That's why it's important to finish in the 8th minute so that you can work happily tomorrow.
This is actually easier said than done.
First of all, there is the problem of trying too hard. In order to provide even a little better service and products, I will spare no time for dinner or sleep and work.
Then there's the problem of not being able to say "no" to your customers. This is a difficult question. Trying to meet the customer's request as much as possible (of course, it's important), I listen to all the requests. If I refuse, I worry that I won't be able to come to the store again.
Most black companies in the world are made up of this "problem of trying too hard" and "problem of not being able to say no to customers" (and the problem of throwing away employees). Here, you have to draw a line with your heart as a demon. Is it the amount of work you can do with the power of the 8th minute? Is it the amount of work that the staff will comfortably come to work tomorrow?
When Tokuko and I start something, we think about sustainability. I can do it if there are 100 orders, but can I do it even if there are 200? Can this service continue when one staff member quits? Can you repeat 50, 100, 500 times without making mistakes? Can it be continued for 1 year, 3 years, 5 years?
With that in mind, let's create a shop policy. There are many things that we have to refuse, but customers who like our products and want to support us will understand. Believe it and make a decision for your health and sustainability.
How to start a slow business 3 – Starting a company with two people
June 19, 2019
It is often said that there are entrepreneurial people and management people in the world. Entrepreneurial people are those who come up with ideas, and who are smart enough to face the "for real" situations that come up when starting a company. On the other hand, those who are suitable for management are those who are financially strong and who can steadily run the company.
It was generally said, but recently I feel that both are necessary. The speed of business has become very fast, and new businesses that used to take 5 to 10 years to launch now have to be launched in 1 to 3 years. Consistency is very important for the company to continue, but we must always think about the future. I think it would be quite difficult for one person to do this. A typical company has only one manager.
If there are 50 or 100 employees, it might be possible to let the person in charge of solidity and the person in charge of ideas come up with ideas and let the president decide. But small startups don't have that.
I think that having two representatives is actually a very good thing.
When I read books on management and entrepreneurship, I found that there are only bad aspects of having multiple decision makers, and it is generally not recommended to have multiple presidents. What if two people disagree? It's all about it. (This is also said by uncles at banks.) But I think. If you can't persuade your closest partner, how can you persuade your customers? Usually Tokuko is the one who is persuaded, and I want to persuade.
We are careful not to communicate the two policies to the staff. I might do it occasionally.
The best thing about running a company with two people is that at least you're not the only person whose life depends on the company. This is big. It's about 100 times more reassuring than 2 times. I sleep well. It is said that marriage doubles the joy and halves the sadness.
Google is a company started by two people, and there are three representatives of a company that I respect, and there are many companies with names like Brothers. I think it would be nice to have two brothers or something like that. But I guess it's case by case. At the very least, we say to each other every day that we are glad that we are not alone.
It's been a bit of a tough conversation today. See you next time.
How to start a slow business 2 – find a partner
June 17, 2019
Originally, I wanted to do something like an online magazine, but I had no intention of doing it alone. I had no intention of quitting my full-time job, and I just didn't feel like continuing. So when I met someone I thought I could work with someday, I thought I'd start something. If I don't meet you, I won't do it.
In the first place, I didn't even think about doing a knitting magazine. My major in graduate school was urban planning, so I thought I'd like to disseminate information related to cities and architecture. That was my first job, so I knew I couldn't do it alone.
In 2011, when I met Tokuko after the earthquake, I knew that she was very passionate about making a book. If you are such a diligent person, I want to help you. I thought so. There are four reasons why I thought we could work together.
I love reading and am good at writing.
It means that you are a person who can take action to seriously want to change what you are dissatisfied with.
to speak clearly.
that they weren't friends.
Perhaps it is a standard that seems a little strange to ordinary people. Anyway, amirisu started from here.
The first two criteria are common to both of us. I like each other's writing. I'm doing a magazine, so it's natural to be able to write sentences. But for those of us who started working remotely, being able to communicate without fail through chats and blogs was really big. Because I had a habit of sticking to words so as not to cause misunderstanding.
People tend to think that I am calmer than Tokuko-san (laughs), but in fact, I am a person who is very angry with the world, having studied environmental issues in college and urban planning in graduate school. is. After graduating, when I was looking for a job, I didn't like what any of the potential companies were doing, so I ended up starting a business with my sister. Life has gotten a lot easier as I've gotten older and stopped getting angry about things I can't fix. Because I learned that everyone has their own adult affairs. But knitting was different. I couldn't just throw it away and felt like I could do something on my own.
Fourth, they weren't friends. It may seem surprising. Now we have passed over our best friends and have become a family. But when I decided to launch the magazine, we had only eaten together twice. The two of us rarely do direct messages or reply to comments on Twitter, so we really met twice and read each other's blogs. But I started because I thought we could work together.
If you're looking to start a business (magazines sell patterns for free, so it's a fine business), I don't recommend doing it with friends. Business partners who respect each other are the best. Family is number two. Because it will definitely be a fight. It's almost unthinkable that you can be 100% satisfied with each other's performance at work and not have to complain. I can't say what I want to say because friendship is important. If you work with someone like that, the quality of your work will suffer. Above all, I am stressed. I've seen people who started a company with a friend and lost both their job and their friends because they were betrayed. Family members can make up no matter how much they quarrel (already practiced).
And in the last seven years, Tokuko-san and I have never had a fight that looked like a fight. You're surprised. That's because we're always satisfied with each other's work. It is a strange coincidence that the other person is good at what we are not good at. I am always grateful. I think this is close to a miracle.
The tips and criteria for choosing a partner will surely change depending on what you want to do. But if there was such a story, I hope it will be of some help.
How to start a slow business 1 - Create your own title
June 15, 2019
Hello, this is Meri who is a little disappointed that Tokuko's serialization has ended. When I was thinking of writing something after the serialization ended, the time came unexpectedly early.
The title I came up with was "How to Start a Slow Business." Mr. Tokuko's serialization has almost ended with the start of amirisu, and I thought it would be a good idea to talk about this company, which is where we are now, from our current perspective. In the world, there seems to be a utopian word called slow business, which refers to a company that makes and sells particular products, does not grow, and does not generate much profit. There are some overlapping parts of the business, but they are a little different. Let's say it's a business we started to make slow fashion and a slow lifestyle come true.
I jumped into my life wondering if I could survive even if I started a company, and I was able to continue my life for five years. In terms of looking back, I would like to talk about what we usually think while touching on us during the founding period.
The introduction has become longer, but the theme this time is " Let's make your own title ."
Any small step is fine. try something for the first time
One of the things that makes me happy about starting a business before I turn 40 is the wealth of personal connections I have. Thanks to working hard and continuing as a company employee for 14 years, of course I learned a lot in terms of work, but I was also able to meet so many people. Now, there are many people I can talk to about any problem, and that is one of the reasons why amirisu has continued so far.
Networking is not something you can do even if you keep silent. First of all, go out to various places. In times of need, it is the people who have different knowledge and experiences than you who speak up. Even if you go to a gathering of the same industry, there is no spread. Inter-industry exchange meetings are often held, and I think there are many good things to do if you take the plunge and participate.
But when I could only say, "I'm Tanaka from XX Corporation," and I was working in marketing at a financial institution, it was painful to attend such gatherings. There are many confidential matters when talking about work, and there is nothing to talk about honestly. As soon as I started amirisu, it became very easy. No one has ever seen a knitting magazine. Since it starts with "What is that?", there is a lot to talk about.
I've been getting more and more calls from friends saying that I'm doing something interesting. A lot of interesting people are coming, so how about Meri? Said, now you can call the event. Now that I have a two-year-old, I can't go out very often, but even so, I almost never turn down invitations to cross-industrial gatherings. participate anyway. The people I became friends with and who were introduced to me by Imozuru Shiki are the ones who support me today.
Colleagues, former friends and family are, of course, reliable supports. But I can't talk much about the company. The more friends and acquaintances you have who can give you business advice and share the latest information, the better. That's what we feel after continuing amirisu for over 7 years.
First, you need to try something. Make your own title. If you work for a company, make a second business card. It doesn't matter what it is. Then try to make a website. Something might start from there.