This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
KrASIA (Kr): What does HEART CATCH do?
Mariko Nishimura (MN): HEART CATCH is a company that cross-pollinates. It connects established Japanese companies with startups, artists, and creators. Japanese culture is very focused on the legacy of a company. I want to change that perception. Cross-pollination is when you have companies and startups engaging in collaboration projects. Through this, bigger companies like IBM and Microsoft could look into collaborating with smaller businesses or artists, bringing a fresh perspective to them and giving a boost to startups.
I started this company because I thought that we could not stick to this rigidly capitalist economy. Pure financial growth should not be the key performance indicator (KPI) for the future. In 2014, I realized that we need to care about people and humanity, even in the business domain. It is about taking into account what a business is or can be passionate about.
Kr: How do you create business plans that balance both passion and revenue?
MN: The most important thing is to have a budget. Then, I work with the client to see what their passion is. To do this, I engage them in an art-thinking workshop so that they are able to brainstorm and think of ideas they’re passionate about. For our service to work, clients have to gain a new perspective. I get a better idea of their direction, and am then able to engage an appropriate startup or independent artists that suits their needs. I understand that passion is critical, but it is also crucial to survive in this business domain.