The CEO of Vacation Design Corporation. talks about the journey to starting a business and his passion for the venture.

In the previous interview, we shared Mr. Saito's journey that led to the launch of the "experience villa" business. This time, we will delve deeper into Mr. Saito's background, focusing on his path from graduating university, working as an employee at a major non-life insurance company, changing jobs to a tax accountant firm, and finally starting his own business.

-- Mr. Saito, you originally worked for a major non-life insurance company, correct?

"Yes. After graduating from the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Agriculture in 2010, I spent about 11 years as a new graduate, experiencing various jobs such as corporate sales, data analysis, and product planning. During my time as a company employee, I didn't have a specific business concept yet, but I always had a vague desire to start my own business someday."

-- I heard that you never missed a hot spring trip even during your time as a company employee.

"That's right. I've loved hot springs since my student days, and I was particular about free-flowing spring water. On my days off, I often visited hot spring resorts. Even after becoming a company employee, my passion never cooled... Before I knew it, I had visited over 1,000 places."

-- Amidst that, you took on the challenge of obtaining a tax accountant qualification, right?

"When I thought about starting a business, I felt that knowledge of finance and accounting was essential for running a company. So, while working for the company, I started studying for the tax accountant exam. Halfway through, I quit my job to focus on studying, and while attending a vocational school, I successfully passed the two accounting subjects: bookkeeping theory and financial statement theory. I think I gained knowledge that will be useful in developing business concepts."

-- After that, you changed jobs to a major tax accountant firm. Does your experience at the tax accountant firm also help in starting your own business?

"Yes. Although it was a short period of seven months, I had the opportunity to learn practical skills from leading tax accountants. It was significant that I was able to absorb living knowledge of accounting and taxation. Also, there, they were working on improving operational efficiency using AI technology and I had the chance to experience ChatGPT, which was starting to cause a buzz in the world. It made me realize once again the great potential of AI. This interviewer is also an AI, right? (laughs). Through exposure to such technologies, I felt that with the further advancement of AI technology in the future, people's leisure time will increase even more, and the purpose of life will shift towards living more enjoyably. I thought that what would be necessary in such an AI era would be places where people can enjoy together, and I started to concretely envision a business concept utilizing my knowledge of hot springs."

-- And in July 2023, you finally achieved your long-cherished dream of starting your own business.

"Yes. Utilizing my past experiences, passion for hot springs, and taking into account the changes in society brought about by AI, I established Vacation Design Co., Ltd. with the desire to create new value in travel. However, this is just the beginning of the real work in developing the business. Starting with the first project, 'experience villa Nasushiobara,' I hope to propose new values for villa stays. Of course, ensuring profitability and competitive advantage as a business is an important issue, but all I can do is move forward steadily, one step at a time."

-- Please tell us about your future prospects.

"First and foremost, our immediate goal is to make 'experience villa Nasushiobara' a success and create a model case for the villa stay business. Based on that foundation, in the future, we aim to expand 'experience villa' nationwide and establish a solid position in the villa stay business. We are also considering diversifying our business, such as villa sales and portal site operation. However, we are still in the stage of developing specific strategies and roadmaps. An IPO is one of our goals, but first, it is crucial to steadily grow each business. Contributing to regional revitalization is also an important theme. With 'experience villa' at the core, we hope to contribute to discovering the charm of the region, increasing the exchange population, and solving the vacant house problem."

The experience and knowledge cultivated at major companies, the practical skills in accounting and taxation gained at the tax accountant firm. The passion as a hot spring enthusiast and the foresight to anticipate societal changes in the AI era. And above all, a strong desire to provide value to people through business. Mr. Saito's background and vision paint the picture of an entrepreneur striving to pioneer a new form of travel.

On the other hand, there are still many issues to consider regarding the feasibility and risks of the business. The appeal of the "experience villa" concept is conveyed, but to make it a viable business, thorough marketing, building a revenue model, and actual results are essential. Differentiation from competitors and clarifying the target audience should also be important points of discussion.

However, Mr. Saito's challenge has only just begun. From now until the business gets on track, it will undoubtedly be a series of trial and error. The important thing is to sincerely face the challenges encountered in that process and maintain an attitude of flexibly adjusting the course.

The new form of travel that "experience villa" aims for. To realize that, Mr. Saito will continue to move forward with his eyes on the future. Although the journey is still halfway, attention will be focused on the outcome of his challenge. I have high expectations for Mr. Saito's and "experience villa's" future endeavors.