Reflecting Inward, Failing Forward and Innovating Onward

The following is a guest article written by Tamaki Hoshi, a graduate student at Waseda University. Hoshi enrolled in the inaugural SPICE/Waseda Intensive Course on Sustainable Business and Social Innovation which was organized by SPICE and Waseda’s School of Social Sciences and taught by Meiko Kotani. SPICE will feature several student reflections on the course in 2023.

This past spring, I had the honor of participating in the SPICE/Stanford–School of Social Sciences/Waseda Intensive Course on Sustainable Business and Social Innovation. In this brief reflection, I would like to talk about the three main takeaways that I obtained through this experience: (1) always think outside the box, (2) don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and (3) always remember your personal story.

Throughout this program, my idea of the “norm” was broken and challenged in so many ways, and I was reminded to always think outside the box. One of my favorite lectures was by Ms. Satoko Kono, the Representative of the Board of Directors of NPO ARUN Seed. Unlike common expectations, Ms. Kono’s journey in social investments started not from a background in finance, but through her on-site work in Cambodia. While she had no prior experience in finance or investing, she wanted to find a way to support Cambodian entrepreneurs whom she had met through her work in developing the country. This philanthropic motive and a giant leap of faith led her to start a venture capital company from scratch. Ms. Kono’s personal story was so inspiring to me, especially since I had always possessed a one-dimensional understanding of my life as a strictly linear path. As a student in a department of social science with a focus on sociology, I could have never imagined myself pursuing a career in finance or business. However, from the personal stories of Ms. Kono and the other guest speakers who had similarly diverse backgrounds, I gained a more open perspective of my prospective career choices and their limitless possibilities. 

Secondly, I believe that “embracing failure” was a key lesson that I learned throughout the program. I am guilty of always wanting things to be perfect, and I realized that this was keeping me from trying new things. This mental barrier became especially evident during the SKY Labo program by Dr. Mariko Yang-Yoshihara and Ms. Risako Ninomiya who kindly joined from Silicon Valley via Zoom. In this workshop, we were divided into pairs and instructed to create a prototype using recycled materials that would solve a social problem experienced by our partner. Through this hands-on workshop, I was able to experience the human-centered design process and understand the importance of actively and efficiently capturing the needs of our clients. I initially struggled to come up with a product prototype within the short time frame. However, under the restriction of the time limit, I needed to rely on my creative outbursts without prematurely filtering my ideas, and this was effective in bringing out an innovative solution to the problem at hand. I was so surprised by my own capacity to be innovative and by how much the fear of imperfection or failure had kept me from fully expressing my creativity.

Lastly, I learned that all organizations and structures, no matter how big and mighty, are created and run by human beings. It is by humans that these social businesses are established and for humans that they are created. I truly appreciated the guest speakers who shared the personal stories behind their innovative ideas and careers. For instance, one of the guest lecturers, Ms. Moe Kaneko, CEO of Omohibito Co. Ltd., shared her journey of becoming a “young carer” for her father with juvenile dementia and revealed how her personal story led to her innovative entrepreneurship. Her personal struggles as a young caretaker seemed to emphasize the weight of her vision to create a society “where no one is afraid to age.” Such stories inspired me to pursue goals that are close to my heart and identity. It is through our daily failures and struggles as human beings that we can empathize with others, hold a passion for our work, and build a trusting relationship with the community which supports our visions.

Overall, this was an amazing experience. I am thankful for the staff members of Stanford University and Waseda University’s School of Social Sciences who organized this program for us, especially for the head organizer Ms. Meiko Kotani who motivated us all throughout the program. I feel fortunate to have been able to participate with such outstanding, bright, and lovely students who put 100 percent into their learning experience. I will always cherish the lessons I learned through this course in the future, both in times of meaningful failures and unexpected successes. 

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