During my university days, I learned about the fascination of corporate finance through an internship and joined a major Japanese securities firm in search of an environment where I could grow. As a junior banker in the investment banking division, I was involved in the execution of M&A and IPO proposals for assets held by PE funds. Later on, I was involved in the execution of M&A for PE funds and telecom, media, and technology companies. Then in 2021, I switched to a foreign securities firm.

While I found fulfillment in my work, it mainly involved creating documents, so I decided that I needed to change my environment to achieve significant growth. Foreign firms have fewer employees compared to Japanese companies, and I thought that the scope of work would be broader, so I decided to switch jobs. At my new job, I was responsible for proposal document creation and execution of M&A, similar to my previous role, and I spent a total of four years working in investment banking.

I had been walking the path of a career in investment banking with the expectation of rapid growth in a short period. Indeed, there was an environment where I could grow very quickly with a sense of urgency, and I acquired hard skills such as document creation, corporate finance, and accounting in a short period. On the other hand, as a junior banker, I did not have the opportunity to develop soft skills because I did not hold clients or revenue responsibilities. I began to feel anxious that I might age without being able to create something, so I started looking for a new job.

While applying mainly for CFO positions at startup companies, I met Ken Inoue, who is now my boss. Many CFOs at other companies were from investment banking backgrounds, but I was surprised to learn that Mr. Inoue had worked at an auditing firm since his student days before gaining experience in IPOs and buyouts at startup companies. I had a gut feeling that I could take on various challenges under his leadership. Also, during the interview, he managed to draw out the source of my motivation, which was to "be popular" (laughs), and it was the first time I had been so candid about myself, which left a strong impression on me. At the same time, I felt a strong desire to work with Mr. Inoue, so I decided to join the company.

I didn't know the company name, but I was familiar with services like Menu and Dragon Egg. Also, I was a fan of TV producer Nobuyuki Sakuma, so I was surprised to learn that it was the company behind NOBROCK TV. Before joining, I felt that Reazon was an environment where I could challenge myself, but when I talked to CEO Watanabe after joining, I realized that it was even more challenging than I had imagined. As the top management continues to lead the way in taking on challenges, I am inspired every day. Also, I had a strong sense of working as just one piece of the organization in large companies, but at Reazon, I feel that I can take on any challenge and work proactively. By switching to Reazon after acquiring basic skills at a large company, I have been able to accelerate my growth.

Shortly after joining, I was tasked with launching a startup investment business and took on the role of owner, responsible for setting up and expanding the organization. Startup investment involves supporting the growth of venture companies by investing in them to earn returns. Therefore, it was urgent to find high-quality investment targets. To build connections, my colleague and I attended events where investors gathered, one after another, to promote Reazon's name. Additionally, we directly contacted CEOs on social media, among other things. From companies we saw potential in, we gathered detailed information on their business and made decisions on whether to invest. From this fiscal year onwards, I have been assigned to a team specializing in value creation for invested companies.

We provide financial support to increase the market capitalization of our investment targets. Since many venture companies do not have CFOs, I act as a pseudo-CFO, updating business plans for the next financing round and creating presentation materials for investors. Currently, since I am the only member of the team, I plan to expand the team in the future to introduce alliances and talent, and broaden the range of services.

With menu becoming a subsidiary of KDDI, there was a mission to establish a corporate management department as a PMI. I volunteered to lead the setup and worked with the CFO seconded from KDDI for about six months to create the organization and processes. Since accounting skills are required for this job, I have been able to enhance both finance and accounting skills by concurrently working in this role.

Being able to contribute to the business at a speed of growth that is unique to a startup in a matured startup investment market is rewarding. Recently, I launched a brand called "REAZON CAPITAL" to further promote the investment business. By continuing to contribute to the value creation of our investment targets, I aim to spread the recognition that "Reazon is strong in value creation" and attract more investments.

Achieving early closure of Menu's financial statements was impressive. Originally, due to having multiple businesses at Reazon, it always took some time to finalize the financial statements. However, with the JV with KDDI for menu, we decided to establish a system to close within five business days to make agile business decisions and report smoothly to the listed company, KDDI. While traditionally we had to wait for transactions to be finalized before calculating, we changed the policy to estimate the figures first. Since I didn't have a CPA qualification or experience in accounting, I consulted various people, including Mr. Inoue, and collected the necessary information to make it happen. As a result, we divided the numbers that could and could not be obtained within five business days, and we established a system to estimate the unobtainable numbers, and put in the confirmed numbers a month later. Establishing a system to close within five business days gave me the confidence and initiative to take action towards achieving results.

I'm working on my job while constantly asking myself where I should apply my unique edge to be known as "Terata is good at X" by others. In a venture company, I feel that specialists who excel in something rather than generalists can achieve significant growth. Many directors and executive officers at Reazon have a recognized edge, and I feel that they are known for something specific. I tend to be more of a generalist, so to make a breakthrough in my career, I want to find and polish my own weapon.

In the startup investment business, I have many opportunities to create equity stories to explain the business plans of investment targets, and creative thinking is also required. Since I enjoy discussing with investment targets and investors to draw out the growth story of the company and support its realization, this field may become my strength in the future.

As a company, I think our strength lies in our sincere aim to become the best in the world. Led by CEO Watanabe, it is a company that continues to take on unconventional challenges, and employees can challenge themselves seriously. Reazon launches many new businesses every year to approach large markets and find winning strategies by combining our strengths. Even in the startup investment business, it is Reazon for a business company to make so many investments in a short period. It is because we are all tackling challenging things as a company that each employee can overwhelmingly grow.

My goal is to become an executive officer at Reazon. Since joining the company, I have been working on numerous challenges, such as the startup investment business, the establishment of the corporate management department in "menu", and the formation of the value-up team. I feel that I can continue to take on challenges and grow at Reazon, so I want to find and polish my own weapons and aim for career advancement. I also want to become a trusted person who is in great demand from our investment partners, saying "we want you to come to us". By putting all my effort into my daily work, I want to spread the reputation that "Reazon's startup investment business is amazing" and contribute to the expansion of the business.