All in Women Leaders

Celebrating Diversity and Difference at Copenhagen Business School (CBS) in Denmark — A Poem About Challenging My Identities, Norms, and Stereotypes by Julie Taeko

Celebrating Diversity and Difference at Copenhagen Business School (CBS) in Denmark — A Poem About Challenging My Identities, Norms, and Stereotypes by Julie Taeko

Julie Taeko
Female Empowerment, Empowerment, Women Leaders

This past February 2019, I was very fortunate to attend a conference on International Women’s Day at Copenhagen Business School (CBS) in Denmark called “Fight the myths about gender at International Women's Day 2019.” Not only were there fantastic speakers such as Nima Sophia Tisdall of Blue Lobster App, who was recently featured by the Obama Foundation, but also we all participated in a GenderLAB experiment, where we were asked to identify our various, unique identities and the stereotypes that surround them. For example, I distinctly remember writing down that “I am a woman, but I cannot cook, and I don’t want to be a housewife.” This innovative and compelling exercise, stimulated my creative juices and got me thinking about other areas where norms, identities, and stereotypes all collide.

The Choice — A Conference to Empower Japanese Women & Give Them More Choices! By Julie Taeko

The Choice — A Conference to Empower Japanese Women & Give Them More Choices! By Julie Taeko

Julie Taeko
Female Empowerment, Empowerment, Japan, Women Leaders

In late November 2018, I had the great fortune to attend the 1st ever Choice Network Conference in Tokyo about women’s empowerment, personal branding, and entrepreneurship. For half a day, I listened to top women in various industries such as the Chief Editor of a popular women’s magazine — Oggi, a female founder of a Women’s Empowerment Consulting Company in Japan, the General Manager of LVMH Group, and the Founder of the Choice Network.

An Outstanding Example of Overcoming Insurmountable Odds to Create a Thriving Business

An Outstanding Example of Overcoming Insurmountable Odds to Create a Thriving Business

Julie Taeko
Female Entrepreneurship, Women Leaders, Japan, Entrepreneurs

An Interview with Female Founder, Sachiko Okamoto

Seamlessly switching back-and-forth between Japanese and English, Sachiko Okamoto and I had a delightful conversation in a vibrant room filled with captivating books, games, and pen pal letters. The founder of Willpower Learning Institute — an English School with more than 100 students and 4 teachers in Kameoka, Kyoto Prefecture — Sachiko truly adores her job!

Due to her kindness, passion for the role of teaching, and devoted attention to her students, Sachiko's students have stayed by her side, wherever she was teaching, for over 13 years. And even some of the children of her previous students, are now attending her school. Although Sachiko ran into many obstacles along the way, everything led to her current success and fundamental happiness with the way her life turned out!

How This Female Entrepreneur Plans to Change the World

How This Female Entrepreneur Plans to Change the World

Julie Taeko
Women Leaders, Japan, Female Entrepreneurship, Female Empowerment, Entrepreneurs II

If I only had one word to describe her, I would use — visionary! Yes, it's a cliché, especially when attributed to entrepreneurs, but there's no better word than this, to describe Mariko Fukui.

Currently, Mariko is the Founder and CEO of Aalto International —a global branding and public relations company. With a number of accomplishments already under her belt (i.e. CEO by the age of 25, learned English on the job in Singapore, has traveled to over 20 countries, etc.), Mariko has now set her sights on creating the world's first global sustainability solutions platform.

Let's Bring on the Sunshine & Positivity!

Let's Bring on the Sunshine & Positivity!

Julie Taeko
Japan, Expat Life, Women Leaders, Life

I. Why Do You Blog?

Originally, I built my website as a portfolio of what I planned to accomplish, if I were fortunate enough to earn the Monbukagakusho MEXT Scholarship. Fortunately, I did receive the scholarship, and decided to make this an online resource for Japanese women who are thinking about starting their own business. And now, it's evolved into a collection of inspirational stories of Japanese female entrepreneurs, plus my musings of living abroad as an expat in Kyoto!

A Captivating Role Model for Future Female Entrepreneurs in Japan

A Captivating Role Model for Future Female Entrepreneurs in Japan

Julie Taeko
Female Entrepreneurship, Women Leaders, Japan, Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurs II

On a sunny day in Tokyo, I visited Kazuyo Saka's high-end women's fashion store called Kana. A warm, sociable, social-media friendly Japanese entrepreneur, Kazuyo struck me as a woman I could truly look up to as an inspirational role model.

Kazuyo always had a profound love for fashion, and quickly began working for a small design company right after finishing school, similar to entrepreneur Yukiko Yamamoto. While there, she developed a keen sense of discovering high-quality and inexpensive raw materials, and finessed her design skills.

Why This Professional Networking Service is Excelling in Japan

Why This Professional Networking Service is Excelling in Japan

Julie Taeko
Female Entrepreneurship, Japan, Women Leaders, Entrepreneurs II

Confident. Transparent. And approachable. These are the 3 words that I would use to quickly describe Akiko Naka, founder of Wantedly — the game-changing, professional networking service in Japan that offers two unique services.

One, Wantedly allows candidates who are interested in a particular company to visit the offices of the potential employer — a highly unusual service in Japan. Two, Wantedly’s mission is to create: “A world where work meets passion.”

How This Female Founder Spearheaded Innovative Kimono Accessory Designs

How This Female Founder Spearheaded Innovative Kimono Accessory Designs

Julie Taeko
Female Empowerment, Female Entrepreneurship, Japan, Women Leaders, Entrepreneurs II

A stunning, fashionable, light-hearted, and fun woman, Yukiko Yamamoto happily shared her personal trajectory. Now at the age of 67, she runs a design studio for kimono accessories called 紅小梅 (べにこうめ)・京都 (きょうと) in Kyoto and Shanghai with 4 full-time employees. Yukiko creates custom-made and personalized goods for her customers based on their wishes.

Fundamentally optimistic and warm, you would never guess that Yukiko has overcome betrayal and embezzlement of a former employee, surmounted huge piles of debt, and been the target of constant gossip. But she has

Harue’s High-end Women’s Fashion Store in Kyoto

Harue’s High-end Women’s Fashion Store in Kyoto

Julie Taeko
Japan, Female Entrepreneurship, Women Leaders, Entrepreneurs III

Meet Harue — a unique, captivating, and extremely warm individual. She’s different. She’s fashionable. And she’s strong! Over the course of multiple meetings including a dinner and a few visits to her store, I got to know this remarkable woman.

Launching her first store at the young age of 21 in Aichi Prefecture and running that business for 12 years, Harue has now been overseeing a high-end women’s fashion business in Kyoto called Hodge Podge for the past 18 years.

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