Embracing Challenges in BtoC Business for 20 Years Across Four Secondments: Value Discovered with Customers on the Front Lines

Please tell us how you came to join the Lifestyle Business Group.

Right after joining the company, I was assigned to a department engaged in development and sales of industrial parks in Southeast Asia. I found that work very rewarding, but at the time, there were safety restrictions that limited which countries female employees could be assigned to. When I thought about my career options, I began to wonder whether there might be opportunities elsewhere where I could make better use of my strengths.

It happened to coincide with the launch of Sumitomo Corporation's internal job posting system. When I asked myself "What am I really passionate about?", what came to mind first was consumer goods – products closely connected to everyday lives. I thought this field, with its nature and the products it handles, complemented my own interests well, and that it might be a place where I could truly thrive. For these reasons I applied to transfer to the Lifestyle Business Group.

You've had several secondments. Could you share any particularly memorable experiences?

My first secondment was to the catalog mail-order company Otto-Sumisho. That was my introduction to the BtoC world. Compared with development and sales of industrial parks, both the scale and nature of the business was completely different. I went from handling investments worth billions of yen to working with products priced at 980 yen, sometimes even calculating down to the last 10 yen. I was also doing data analysis for sales for the first time, which was bewildering at first.

At my next secondment, Coach Japan, not only were the job responsibilities different, but so was the business culture typical of a foreign company. In that environment, a secondment was synonymous with sending in an expert, and you were expected to perform as one from day one. In this setting, answering "I don't know" simply wasn't an option. I was mainly responsible for store operations and inventory management, and I spent countless hours studying textbooks and manuals. In a short period, I was able to establish internal processes and systems.

My secondment to Hearst Fujingaho, a publishing company, was a chance to pursue something I had long wanted: not to join an established organization, but to build a new business from scratch.

Together, we launched an e-commerce site to sell apparel. At that time, e-commerce was just emerging, and there were virtually no precedents in Japan for selling apparel online. We asked ourselves, "What can Sumitomo Corporation, with its retail experience, uniquely bring to this space?" Seeing successful cases overseas, I believed we could make it work in Japan too. We handled everything from merchandising (deciding which products to sell to which audience), to sales forecasting, procurement, system and logistics design, call center setup and recruitment. I had to first think through every practical aspect involved in launching the e-commerce site on my own, while also moving things forward by gaining cooperation from those around me.

Just before the site went live, I was probably working the hardest I ever have in my life. We'd already announced the launch date, so there was no room for delay. Looking back, it’s hard to imagine working that way now, but there were several months when I only slept two or three hours a day. It was exhausting, but the joy of seeing sales come in on the very first day made it all worthwhile. I remember thinking, "Tonight, I'm going to sleep!" (laughs). It was a grueling process, but being involved in every stage – from conception to operation – was an invaluable experience. That's when I made perseverance my personal credo: Never give up until the job is done.

It sounds like each experience has built on the last to shape your career.

After becoming a manager and leading a team, what kind of management style did you focus on?

At Jupiter Shop Channel, I served as Executive Officer and Head of the Marketing Division, overseeing a team of 80 people. Of course, it wasn't possible for me to manage everyone directly, so I focused on creating an environment where the division and section managers reporting to me could fully exercise their leadership. What I paid most attention to was presenting a vision in clear, accessible language. To align the organization's direction, I made sure to communicate frequently about company policies and the goals we were collectively aiming for.

I believe that every job has something enjoyable about it. To help raise each team member's motivation, I make a point of explaining why their individual tasks matter. For example, if a new hire feels frustrated doing what seems like repetitive system work, I might say, "This content is something every customer sees when making a purchase, and it directly affects the buying decisions of millions." That perspective encourages people to approach their work with real understanding and conviction.

In terms of mindset, I constantly ask myself what it means to be a leader who inspires trust. One key is consistency between words and actions. Rather than trying to appear larger than life, I believe in staying authentic, in having the courage to move forward without losing your balance or pretending to be someone else. Another is trusting your team and giving them autonomy. I try to delegate as much as possible and observe, stepping in only when I sense things veering off course. Striking that balance is difficult, but failure is often the best teacher. Ultimately, I approach management with the resolve to take full responsibility.

You also took maternity and childcare leave twice while in demanding roles. How did you strike a balance?

After your four secondments, what kinds of initiatives are you currently involved in?

In this era of constant change, it's not easy to continuously generate new business ideas that stay ahead of the curve. Within the Lifestyle Business Group, we're working to strengthen our ability to envision the future – refining the kind of thinking that allows us to anticipate change. One such initiative is a series of workshops that develop creative thinking through art, conducted in collaboration with universities and experts. These programs are already proving valuable for launching new businesses that require imagination, as well as for enhancing the value of existing ones. We've also developed our own in-house AI training program to help employees improve their business conceptualization skills using digital tools.

How do you envision Sumitomo Corporation's BtoC business 10 or 20 years from now?