You’ve got mentor-mail.(Grit & Glamor: Epi.18)

For some things in life, there is no ‘how-to.’ We just have to wait for destiny to work its magic

7.4 My First Seminar

When my blog reached the number one spot in the popular blog rankings, I received an offer from Mr. D to give a free follow-up seminar for attendees of his business seminar. Although the scale was small, I was about to become a seminar instructor. While I had experience in teaching practice, it was my first time organizing my own knowledge into a structured presentation, and I was filled with anxiety. The day before the seminar, I received a call from the only person I had exchanged business cards with at that business seminar.

That person was Mr. I, dressed in a black leather suit, radiating a unique aura of success. Despite living in Osaka, he had come to Tokyo the day before to attend my seminar.

“Your seminar is tomorrow, right? Let me give you some advice on how to deliver effectively.” His words gave me a sense of reassurance. At a bustling Starbucks in Shinagawa, filled with businesspeople, he shared the principles of giving a seminar.

On the day of the seminar, as I looked at the participants gathered in Mr. D’s office, I felt a wave of nervousness. However, thanks to the warm and welcoming atmosphere, I found myself speaking smoothly for 50 minutes. From being a participant to becoming a presenter, I couldn’t help but marvel at my own growth.

During this time, I was also concerned about an email from Mr. Kanai. Although I felt uneasy about the lack of response, I kept reading his books and writing about what I learned in my blog. As my blog’s popularity grew, I also experienced unexpected events, like what is now known as “getting flamed.” Back then, the term didn’t even exist, but I learned a lot from the experience.

Then, a week after sending a thank-you email to Mr. Kanai, the long-awaited reply arrived. “Thank you for the other day.” My heart leapt at those words. As a follow-up, I asked more about the “color analysis” that had piqued my interest during my first haircut, and Mr. Kanai kindly recommended some books. I was deeply moved by how this charismatic hairdresser took the time to respond so thoughtfully. I decided to be a bit bold. “Lately, I’ve been experiencing a lot of synchronicities,” I wrote, knowing that Mr. Kanai had also studied astrology. At the end of the email, I added a heartfelt message: “I really respect you, Mr. Kanai. Please continue to teach me! I look forward to learning more.” Little did I know that pressing the send button would bring about a significant change in my life.

7.5 Preparing for the Summer Sale

At the end of June, the store was filled with excitement as we entered the final stages of preparation for the July 1st sale. “Alright, let’s exceed 50 million yen!” I encouraged myself internally. Dressing the mannequins in SALE tank tops instantly transformed the store’s atmosphere into sale mode.

As before, staff from the shopping mall helped us hang handmade banners using ladders. Additionally, the giant SALE banner made by Mr. K, whom I met at Mr. D’s seminar, featured red and white with the SALE letters inverted — a special design. I was sure it would catch the customers’ attention.

The florist, who regularly created window displays for us, arrived to set up the display for the sale. Trees evoking a summer highland, arranged in vases, brought a fresh breeze into the store.

This time, the highlight was the arrival of a DJ! Ms. N, a surfer-style staff member from the Ginza store, came to the Shibuya store. She confidently took her place at the DJ booth, which had never been used before. As the music started, the atmosphere in the store completely changed.

It wasn’t just about playing music. Ms. N read the mood of the place, selecting one track after another. The perfect music for the moment brightened the customers’ expressions, and I could feel the energy in the store rise.

When the first day of the sale ended and I checked the sales figures, I almost shouted in surprise. The revenue had even surpassed the New Year’s sales. My heart was filled with gratitude. This success was not solely due to my efforts. It was the result of the collaboration of many people.

I suddenly remembered my past self. The version of me who tried to do everything alone could never have imagined this current reality. The world unfolding before my eyes now feels like a dream. There are benefits that come with being employed by a company: the company covers the expenses, and all I need to do is pursue my vision. Realizing this, my heart swelled with emotion.

“Being a company employee is actually an incredible opportunity,” I suddenly thought. It allows you to create a much larger flow of money than running a business alone, and yet you still receive a salary. It seemed strange that I hadn’t noticed this fortunate environment before. I realized I had been making the most of this situation, and that’s what created my current reality. “Thank you.” To the staff, the company, everyone who supported me, and to myself.

7.6 Enter the mentor

One morning, as I turned on my computer as usual, an email from Mr. Kanai caught my eye. My heart raced as I hurriedly opened the message.

“Synchronicities can happen anytime. Before you go to bed, ask yourself this question: ‘If a miracle were to happen tomorrow, what kind of miracle would you want to occur?’”

The message was short, but it struck me like lightning. As someone who had been studying coaching, I had never encountered such a captivating and dream-like question before.

And then, the miracle truly happened. On July 6, 2005, I received an email from Mr. Kanai.

“What excites you?”

This simple sentence marked the beginning of a profound change in my life. It was as if the door to destiny had opened, and daily email exchanges with Mr. Kanai began. A mentor had appeared in my life!

With excitement causing my hands to tremble, I set up my work computer to forward these emails. This setup was essential to read Mr. Kanai’s messages in real-time. Staff members would call out, “You have an email from Mr. Kanai!” A new daily rhythm naturally developed. Mr. Kanai would send emails in the morning, and I would reply at the end of the day. This routine accelerated my transformation. Each morning began with a question, and each evening ended with my answer. Despite his busy schedule, Mr. Kanai consistently sent me questions daily, and I was deeply moved by his dedication.

Every night, after writing my response and reporting on my progress, I felt a small sense of achievement. And I found myself eagerly looking forward to the next morning. This cycle brought new possibilities into my life.

Around this time, Mr. I, the man in the full leather suit from the business seminar, said to me, “You’re good with the internet, so why not team up with someone who’s good at product creation and try selling something online?” At that time, online sales mainly meant Yahoo! Auctions. However, this suggestion sparked something in me, and suddenly, inspiration struck: “That’s it, let’s go to Bali!”

I asked Mr. Kanai for his recommendations about Bali, and it seemed that the dry season would be ideal, possibly in late July. With trembling hands, I opened my planner to check the dates. Coincidentally, a colleague who was transitioning to a new job was experienced in product creation, handling buying, and liaising with manufacturers. We decided to use our summer vacation to go on a “buying trip” together.

After booking our flights to Bali, just days before the trip, my former hairdresser’s boyfriend, who had a local contact in Bali, offered an introduction. Surprisingly, this contact also offered to provide transportation. Once again, synchronicity was on my side. It felt like everything I needed was coming to me effortlessly, and, feeling confident that I was on track to achieve the 50 million yen goal, I went ahead and booked my trip to Bali with peace of mind.