[Nantoka Entrepreneurship Diary] Vol.1 Setting a Rough Timeline.

Hello, I'm a Creative Director working at a creative agency in Tokyo. In this "Nantoka Entrepreneurship Diary," I will be documenting the process leading up to starting my own business, along with my observations, lessons learned, and failures, as content to share.

Provisional Decision on the Timing of Entrepreneurship

First of all, I roughly determined the "timing of entrepreneurship." The book I referred to for guidance on starting a business mentioned a preparation period of six months to one year. So, as a target starting from the present date of July 2023, I tentatively set it as "March 2024." That's approximately nine months. (I will explain why I chose this timing in another article.) Of course, if it becomes challenging, I can always adjust it later. However, by setting this timeline, I can start seeing the concrete "to-dos for preparation" and understanding their priorities. Moreover, I must also make decisions about the form of the company, taking into account practical aspects such as how the people who will join me will be involved and how many potential customers there might be.

Serendipity and Timing I believe that entrepreneurship involves elements of serendipity and timing.

There have been instances when my clients told me, "If you become independent, I'll give you work." However, there were also several occasions when I missed the timing because those individuals were no longer in a position to offer projects. I've also experienced moments when I felt ready to start my own venture, only to be chilled by major earthquakes or the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, I consider timing to be crucial.

Rather than rushing into a risky venture in an incomplete state, it is important to prepare while waiting. I believe the key point is to view "entrepreneurship itself as not the goal, but rather the success after entrepreneurship." Of course, if we keep waiting and observing without taking action, we will never achieve independence. It requires the courage to take that first step. By enhancing our own creativity, we can reduce the uncertain factors of serendipity and timing.

Thank you for reading. Until next time!