"Bankruptcy is not over" June 6, 19:19

Many people think that "if you go

bankrupt, your life is over" .

However, bankruptcy is one of the valuable experiences, and some people are struggling to spread such ideas.

I interviewed the thought "to Japan that is tolerant of failure"

.

(Hiroki Okaya, Reporter, Ministry of Economic Affairs)

The one who responded to the interview

"I didn't know anything scary at the time,"

says Hideji Shimizu, 57 years old.

Seven years ago, the company he started went bankrupt and was cornered until he thought of suicide.

He responded to the interview, saying, "I have caused trouble for various people, but I hope I can change the negative image of bankruptcy as much as possible by telling the experience of bankruptcy."

Mr. Shimizu started his career as a beautician at the age of 15.

The turning point was when I was 33 years old.

He developed a black shampoo that utilizes the ingredients of charcoal.

If the cleansing power is high and the rough skin is suppressed, I will try to sell it, but at that time, the black shampoo did not handle it because "it seems that dirt will not be removed".

However, it was an explosive hit when it was featured on TV.

It has reached sales of 300 million yen a year.

Mr. Shimizu:

"I didn't know anything scary at the time. By selling through the opposition around me, I got a strange confidence that I was right, and I started to ask for numbers more and more."

Fall from NY expansion

Mr. Shimizu will take the plunge into New York in 2000.

I moved with my family as I couldn't speak English.

The rent is 500,000 yen, and all around are expatriates of major companies.

She recalls that she felt like a "successful person."

Mr. Shimizu

"I was looking down on people who work in the field and people who make little money. I didn't listen to the stories around me."

However, from here, the business goes downhill at once.

Airlifting a product from Japan costs $ 50 a bottle and is too expensive to sell.

Then, I asked a local manufacturer to manufacture it, but I couldn't get the product of the expected quality at all.

In the end, I returned to Japan in three years without being able to do anything.

"I thought I was going to die"

Shampoo was still selling in Japan, but it had lost momentum.

Therefore, the shower head was developed with a comeback.

We managed to introduce it on TV by selling the strength of the cleaning power by causing convection in the head.

Mr. Shimizu

"The TV broadcast day was my second daughter's birthday. I felt fateful that" this is going to sell "and thought it was my last bet, so I invested money in inventory preparation."

However, the shower head did not sell as expected, and the inventory I had was a burden, and I was forced to go bankrupt in 2015.

There are no more employees than 20 when there were many.

It is said that it has caused trouble for many people such as business partners, banks, customers, and personal acquaintances.

Mr. Shimizu

"It was caused by lack of management skills, negligent management, and accumulation of misjudgment. At that time, I could not sleep properly. I was really scared of rent, salary, payment for purchases, and the end of every month."

Under such circumstances, Mr. Shimizu developed depression.

He will stay at his home for a year.

She weighed 75 kilograms and lost her weight to 55 kilograms.

I heard her hallucinations of debt collection, and the days of trembling in the corner of the house continued.

Mr. Shimizu:

"I was afraid that even the garbage in the morning would go out. At that time, I thought I was going to die, and my eldest son said,'I was prepared for my dad to die.'"

Recovery New business start

About a year later, the turning point comes suddenly.

One morning, the moment he went out to take out the trash, he suddenly felt "Oh, it feels good."

I think I can work somehow now.

Mr. Shimizu returns to the origin again.

She decided to work as a beautician because she had only this.

Once again, I noticed while facing each and every customer.

At that time, I was working at a store in Shinjuku, a major chain, and many foreigners visited it.

Mr. Shimizu made his own pointing table while the words didn't make sense.

She cut her hair while communicating with the customers, such as what kind of hairstyle she wanted, and it was very memorable that she was grateful.

In 2019, we created a new company and launched a business to support haircuts for foreigners.

Mr. Shimizu was moved by the desire to show to the children who showed painful appearance that they can recover even if they make a mistake.

The closing rate is low, but the opening rate is also ...

"If you go bankrupt, your life is over."

Mr. Shimizu, who had the experience of going bankrupt himself, said that he thought so at that time.

In Japan, there is a strong negative image of bankruptcy, and once it fails, it is difficult to get a loan, and it takes mental energy to recover.

Another issue is that it is difficult to obtain information for a comeback.

According to the summary of the Small and Medium Business Administration, Japan's "closed business rate" is 3.3%, which is less than half that of the United States and the United Kingdom, and it seems that it can be low at first glance.

However, the "opening rate" is less than half that of the United Kingdom and other countries, at 5.1%.

In other words, even if management is difficult, it is difficult to get out of business, and new companies will not come out instead.

The SME Agency also needs to close the business to revitalize the economy. It can be said that it will become more and more important in the future. "

Government support also started Challenge even after bankruptcy

Under these circumstances, support from the government has begun.

This March, a business plan presentation was held by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

"I want to make a dress that even pregnant women can wear with peace of mind."

"I want to realize a nail salon that not only prepares nails but also reduces stress."

All the presenters on this day experienced bankruptcy and business failure in the past. Those who are.

This meeting was held as part of a project by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to support managers aiming to start a new business.

When participating in the project, I will start by changing my perspective and way of thinking by looking back on my past experiences such as bankruptcy and reflecting on what I lacked.

Based on our past experience, we provide assistance to managers who are aiming to start a new business, such as consultations on business plan formulation and interviews with investors.

The person in charge in Tokyo said, "I have a strong negative image of failure in bankruptcy or business closure, but I want people who have such experience to do their best. By creating an environment where they can re-challenge, more people are trying to start a business, and as a result. I want to improve the momentum of starting a business. "

By increasing the number of people who think, "If you can fail, let's challenge", we want to increase the number of start-up companies and help revitalize the economy.

Over the last two years, 40 people have taken the program.

About 10 people have already relaunched.

We have secured a budget of about 200 million yen this year as well, and have begun recruiting participants from May.

Mr. Shimizu's new challenge

On the other hand, Mr. Shimizu, who has re-established himself as a beautician, is also active as a supporter by making use of his experience of bankruptcy.

Three years ago, we also set up a volunteer organization to help former bankrupt managers re-challenge.

Mr. Shimizu:

"At that time, I couldn't say" help "and I was in the vain of the president. I don't have much skill, but I have experience of bankruptcy. The manager wears armor, the president. Armor, strong husband's armor, men's armor. While talking, take off the armor one by one, and the really good old man cries at the end. Listen to the story to start over. It's important to have someone to give it to me. "

This group is also a place for managers who have experienced bankruptcy to discuss new business plans with each other's experiences, and Mr. Shimizu himself is working on the next challenge.

"Everyone is experiencing the failure of bankruptcy, so it will be the best wall hit," says Shimizu.

In April, we started a new business with our colleagues to reduce customer harassment such as customer abuse and relentless complaints.

Mr. Shimizu

"Bankruptcy causes trouble for various people, and I have a hard time myself, so I don't think I have to do it. However, in the old days, I was really one-man, and I couldn't talk about people at all. I didn't, but I think I've experienced bankruptcy and I've grown a lot. I want to tell you that it's not the end of bankruptcy, but that you can start over from there. "

"To Japan that is tolerant of failure"

During the interview, I was impressed by the words Mr. Shimizu said, "I want Japan to be tolerant of failure."

Bankruptcy and recovery from it require a lot of energy, but it is possible to grow because of the experience of bankruptcy.

It's not just about business, it may be about taking exams or romance.

I hope that the experience of failure will be positively accepted and that the society will be easier to take on the challenge of moving forward.

Hiroki Okaya ,

Reporter, Ministry of Economic Affairs Joined in 2013 After working

at NHK

Kumamoto Broadcasting Station, he is currently

in charge of the information and communication industry.