Interview with Maiko Okimura and Miki Kobayashi
We spoke with Okimura, representative director of the general incorporated association moko’a, which runs Okeiko.com Okayama, and Kobayashi, its deputy representative director, about Okeiko.com Okayama.
Let’s hear about the philosophy behind Okeiko.com Okayama.
Background to the relaunch of Okeiko.com Okayama
Ms. Okimura, who has long been active in the community, please tell us about the challenges you have encountered through your activities.
Okimura (surname only)
Japan currently faces issues such as a declining birthrate, an aging population, and population decline. Going forward, it will become difficult for the government alone to address them.
For that reason, there is a strong possibility that systems will be needed to sustain community life through the efforts of local residents alone, but the importance of living together as a community is not widely recognized.
Meanwhile, many people in the community have skills but are unable to make full use of them.
I felt that the challenge was that we were not effectively connecting people in need in the community with people who have skills.
How did you come to realize the importance of connecting people and communities?
Okimura
Conditions vary from place to place, even within a community. For example, you can imagine that the issues faced by a remote island in the Seto Inland Sea and the urban area of Kurashiki City are completely different, even though both are in Okayama Prefecture.
The same is true of skills: even people in the same industry have different interests.
Because I had been involved in activities rooted in the community, I realized that the skills and people needed differ from one community to another.
Having worked with communities, I can picture “that person thriving in that place.” I came to want to suggest places where people with skills could put them to use.
However, even if I can imagine how someone with skills could thrive, supporting their business while staying close to them is something I cannot do on my own. I felt frustrated that I had the desire to help but could not turn it into action.
How did you come to run Okeiko.com Okayama?
Okimura
I heard that Okeiko.com Okayama was going to disband at a time when I was feeling frustrated that I could not manage everything on my own.
So I approached Yoko Minato, the representative of Okeiko.com, and asked whether I could become the new operator of Okeiko.com Okayama.
At the time, Okeiko.com Okayama was a community for women entrepreneurs, but Ms. Minato was someone who wanted to cherish local culture.
Ms. Minato says that Okeiko.com is a team community. I agreed with the idea of connecting communities and people, advancing projects as a team, and solving challenges, so I decided to relaunch Okeiko.com Okayama.
Activities of Okeiko.com Okayama
What kinds of things do you start with to help members move their businesses forward?
Kobayashi (surname only)
We ask members of Okeiko.com Okayama to fill out a worksheet asking, “What would you like your life to look like in three, five, and ten years?”
The first meeting after joining is with Ms. Okimura, who runs the organization, to consider what kinds of businesses could be developed based on what they wrote in the worksheet.
When considering “which projects would be good for them to join” and “where they could thrive,” we need to know each member’s skills and values in detail.
We ask members to share their future visions so that we can better understand one another.
What kind of community are you aiming to create?
Okimura
We are aiming to create a team community.
We often hear the word “community,” but communities can be divided into several types.
For example, a content community brings together people with shared interests, such as photography or travel.
There are also fan communities, such as online salons run by celebrities. These bring together people who identify with the organizer’s philosophy.
The community Okeiko.com Okayama aims to create is a team community.
People with different areas of expertise come together to work collaboratively on large projects and complement one another’s knowledge and experience where needed.
We aim to create a team community where people can join forces to tackle and solve challenges that they could not handle alone.
The mindset for engaging with the community
Is there a particular way you would like members to approach their work?
Okimura
I believe that having an entrepreneurial mindset is also important for sustaining a business.
Our members include not only people who have already started their own businesses, but also people who work for companies while being active in their communities.
It is important to pursue what you want to do as a volunteer, but it can be difficult to keep it up when you consider the time and financial commitment.
Okeiko.com Okayama is also a community where members can develop the skills and mindset needed to sustain a business.
Do you do anything to communicate the importance of starting a business and keeping it sustainable?
Okimura
We tell our members, “Make choices that are true to yourself.”
It is exhausting to do only what you are told, and a business will not last that way. When you choose something for yourself, your motivation grows and you are more likely to keep going.
Also, to thrive within a team, individuals need to be self-reliant.
That is why, during the Okeiko.com Okayama membership orientation, we tell members to do what they can on their own, and to ask for advice when they get stuck.
We believe that developing a self-reliant mindset toward business will help members thrive within the team.
Future outlook for Okeiko.com Okayama
How did the event held on February 11, 2023 go?
Okimura
Many people attended the launch event, including students, company representatives and executives, and government officials. Some were already taking action to address social and community issues.
The purpose of this launch event was to share the vision of the relaunched Okeiko.com Okayama and create connections among attendees.
We also wanted to help people gain a deeper understanding of the relaunched Okeiko.com Okayama and put on an event that would help them envision what lies ahead.
After the launch event, we received many specific messages such as, “I’m glad I got to connect with [name]!” We feel that we achieved the event’s purpose.
We hope that the connections made at the launch event will inspire people to take action to solve community challenges.
Once again, we would like to express our gratitude to everyone who attended the launch event. Thank you very much.
How do you plan to develop Okeiko.com Okayama’s activities going forward?
Okimura
There are surprisingly many people, regardless of generation, who want to be active in their communities.
Our goal is to draw out the feelings of people who are attached to their communities and expand the circle of human connections.
To that end, we want to move projects forward with Okeiko.com Okayama members and achieve concrete results as a team.
We hope this launch event will be the starting point for launching new businesses.
From the Writer
Ms. Okimura has been deeply involved in communities throughout Okayama Prefecture and understands the characteristics and challenges of local communities in many different places. Her extensive experience likely helps her envision how to use people’s skills to develop businesses.
When communities and people are matched well, both the people who live there and those who run businesses can lead fulfilling lives.
Okeiko.com Okayama can serve as a bridge between communities and people, helping nurture new people who will play active roles in their communities. We look forward to seeing what comes next.
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