Crossing Thresholds: Three Months at Tokyo Innovation Base

An oni mask, dried soybeans, and ehomaki. Traditional elements the setsubun observance.

Today is Setsubun in Japan, the seasonal divide where we cross the threshold of winter and begin our ascent into spring. It is a time for alignment. We face the year's lucky direction, eat ehomaki (sushi rolls filled with ingredients representing the Seven Lucky Gods), and perform the ritual of casting out demons to welcome in happiness.

This day also marks a personal milestone: just over three months as a Community Manager at Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB). As I reflect on this transition and my own alignment, I am drawn to the theme I have set for myself for 2026: Steadiness.

From "Connection" to Career Evolution

Last year, my guiding word was "Connection," and 2025 certainly delivered an abundance of it. It was actually a reignited connection that brought me here. Through my board activities at Startup Lady, I gave a talk at where I reconnected with Ryusuke Komura and Rui Nagamori at Venture Café’s Thursday Gathering. That interaction eventually led me to join the TIB team.

Around Christmas, I took time to reflect on my entrepreneurial journey and what is right for me in this new phase. I realized how much I was enjoying the community and my colleagues at TIB and Venture Café. Simultaneously, I was navigating significant, often painful shifts in both the world and my personal life that impacted my business direction.

Driven by deep respect for the authenticity of the team and the mission of Venture Café, I requested a deeper, more stable collaboration. This has resulted in an increase in my hours here at TIB. I am officially "all in," and I invite you to come by anytime for a chat!

Navigating the Transition

Akiko Maeda, Yumi Maekawa, and Yume Towidha are some of my dearest colleagues (we need a pic with Rui as well)!

The shift has not always been smooth. Having been a full-time entrepreneur for five years and a natural leader my whole life, I am used to setting my own rhythms.

Transitioning from "solopreneur" to a team environment brought up natural concerns:

Adaptability: Could I perform in a way that adds value to such an amazing space and team?

Language: The role requires using Japanese on demand daily.

Workflow: Adjusting to institutional systems after years of moving at my own pace.

I have made mistakes and felt overwhelmed at times, but my colleagues and the entrepreneurs have been incredibly supportive. Many of them share that same entrepreneurial spirit and are builders in their own right, and the organization is quite flat. Bit by bit, I am finding my footing and discovering unique ways to contribute my skills to this ecosystem.

What is Next for My Business?

For my coaching and facilitation clients: I am still here. I am continuing to prioritize my long-term clients and partnerships, such as my work with Helen Iwata. Coaching lights my soul on fire in a different way than community building. It is an essential part of my life’s calling.

The change is simply one of focus. By being more selective with the coaching projects I take on, I can ensure that the time I dedicate to training is high-impact and deeply intentional.

Aligning for 2026

While the lucky direction for Setsubun this year is technically south-southeast, my personal alignment is toward Steadiness. I am lending my strengths toward building a stable, sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports my clients, my colleagues, and my community.

As winter passes into spring, I am optimistic about what we will build together.