Thinking about "We Co-Build Business" with Manabe-san

Monosus's tagline, " We Co-Build | Creating Together, " is followed by eight words: Relationship, Team, Community, Narrative, Brand, Eco System, Business, Today and Tomorrow. In the fifth installment of this series, in which the CEO himself speaks about "We Co-Build," we interviewed him on the theme of "We Co-Build Business."

Sugimoto, last time, when we were talking about "We Co-Build Community," you said that you felt like you were "engaging with society and people through business." In "We Co-Build Business," it's written as "a mechanism for engaging with society and growing together."

Manabe: That's right. I think I'm really interested in getting involved with society together with creators and chefs, with a proper business foundation at the core.

In Japanese, the word "business" often conjures up images of economic activity solely for the purpose of making money. However, I've come to see business as a tool for engaging with society, and I think that's why communities based on that have developed. There was also a time when I felt I had to become someone who could create work that engages with society. Even now, as a producer, I still have a desire to work with creators with ample budgets, and I know I need to work harder to become a good client. But being able to engage with society through the lens of business has definitely made it more enjoyable. I certainly never expected to end up taking over this company (Monosus), though.

It's been three years since I took over from Representative Sugimoto .

Manabe: It's been tough, but we're finally starting to get through this phase. I've realized that just working on interesting projects on the ground wasn't enough. Running a company is a whole other world with a lot of depth. I still have a lot to learn. I started from the question, "What is management?" and now I'm starting to understand what management is like, and this year I feel like I've been able to seriously engage with the concept of management.

Mr. Sugimoto looks much healthier than when he first became the representative.

Manabe has also changed the structure of his company, handing over responsibilities where necessary. Mr. Arai says that there are three layers in which a manager is involved: "management," "operation," and "operations." His theory is that you can do two, but not three. Right now, I think it's best to hand over management to someone else and focus on management and operations.

Regarding on-site direction, I'm good at using my experience and making predictions, so I hope they'll skillfully draw on and utilize those strengths. As for management, I've entrusted it to the managers of each business unit, and they're currently working on a five-year medium-term plan. Based on that, I've started to engage with them as a manager, spending more than six months doing so.

Sugimoto : Somehow, the time frame I use when thinking about things has become longer.

I was invited by Yoshiaki Manabe and Nishimura to visit Hodaka Yojoen in June. It had been 11 years since I last went there with Hayashi (the former representative) and others in 2015, and I think I felt something was off back then, which is why I didn't go back afterward. But this time, the experience at Yojoen was fantastic. The owner, Shunsaku Fukuda, is 80 years old this year, and Hodaka Yojoen is celebrating its 40th anniversary. It's being passed down to his sons' generation, but seeing Mr. Fukuda and the current state of the wonderful Yojoen, I thought that the future of Yojoen from here on out will be interesting, it looks promising.

Foodhub is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and if it reaches its 40th anniversary, I'll be 79 years old. It's roughly about the same. I thought to myself, there's a possibility I might see it in 30 years. Whether I want to do it or can do it that far is another matter, but I have the right to look at the state of Foodhub in 30 years. Until now, all I'd thought about was retiring early (laughs).

Sugimoto: That's true (laughs).

Manabe Monosus will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 30 years. Chez Panisse is celebrating its 53rd anniversary, and its founder, Alice Waters, is 83 years old. Isao Yamada of Kamiyama also spent 40 years creating the Gakujin no Mori (Mountain Climber's Forest). Kaoru Shirato, co-representative of Food Hub, is currently 41 years old, and her father, Shige, is 72. They are exactly 30 years apart. When you think about it that way, 30 years from now seems like a long way off, doesn't it? That's the feeling we're getting at Food Hub. When you think about it that way, you can imagine what 30 years from now will be like, and if you can spend 30 years on it, then you should just get started without hesitation.

I've been thinking about what we've been doing for the past 20 years, and what kind of value we can extract from Monosus today that will still be relevant 30 years from now. For example, I think it would be good for people who want to think about what Monosus will be like in 30 years to try thinking about it. It could be a backcasting approach, where you envision what it will be like in 30 years and then think about the steps needed to get there.

Sugimoto: Ten years ago, I felt uncomfortable with the Yojoen (health retreat), but now I find it interesting. I think Manabe's experiences over the past ten years have had a big influence. Because you established a food hub in Kamiyama, bringing farming and food closer to you, and changing the everyday landscape, I think the view you see at Yojoen is also different now. It's like your imagination expands to what it will be like 30 or 40 years from now.

Manabe: That's right. It's not like I suddenly had an epiphany, but rather, I've started to think that maybe I should live my days a little more carefully, instead of living them so haphazardly. If I have 30 years to go, I feel like I have more time to face each thing with a little more care. It's starting to get quite interesting. For about a month since I went to the health retreat, I've had this feeling of "I see."

In fact, the first thing Ms. Manabe talked about that day was Hodaka Yojoen. After discussing business in general, she returned to Yojoen and then expanded on it to Monosus and Food Hub 30 years later. I think the image she gained at Yojoen has been resonating within her like a basso continuo all this time.

Finally, a quick note. While the Japanese word "business" is often associated with economic activity, the English word "business" isn't necessarily limited to economic nuances. Rather, it can mean "something that concerns you," as in "None of your business" or "Business as usual."

Incidentally, while "businesslike" in English carries negative connotations such as "lacking in humanity" or "cold," the English word "businesslike" is actually a compliment. It has a positive connotation and is used to mean "to handle things professionally." When Ms. Manabe says "business," she is referring to the English meaning.

Next time, we'll be discussing "We Co-Build Narrative." Please look forward to it.