Kotaro Kashiwai, CEO And Founder, Workhouse Co. Ltd.
What can be a nobler thought than using the latest trend in technology in changing the face of everyday human needs? At Workhouse Co. Ltd., The CEO and founder Kotaro Kashiwai is geared up to set an example by applying AI, and Metaverse technology to designing high-tech virtual platforms. The company offers services in the sphere of telemedicine, beauty, human resources, and life.
A snippet from Kotaro Kashiwai’s biography allows us to delve deeper into his illustrious career and understand his intent of such a unique business idea. In 1995, he went to Keio University to study medicines in cranial nerves and develop AI technology. Later, his association with an IT company for the publication of a specialist magazine gained him good knowledge about advanced technologies. Meanwhile, he also tried his hand at the mobile phone content business, which went public. After completing his post-grad in Management from the Welsh School of Management, UK, Kotaro Kashiwai strongly felt the urge to explore his talents and unleash the power of AI and Metaverse.
Kotaro’s ardent interest in medical science and his affinity with cutting-edge mechanisms, made him conceptualize the idea of developing full-proof virtual clinics. With the assistance of around 600 engineers and the best IT experts from all over the globe, the Workhouse is now leading the contest of becoming the world’s no.1 development company.
Overcoming challenges and paving his path to success
Great visionaries often enjoy navigating through the toughest terrains of life, which many a time leads them to the most beautiful destination. Guided by this philosophy and propelled by his ingenious instinct, Kotaro Kashiwai forayed into developing a 3D Metaverse using smartphones, which none ever dared to think before. But, unfortunately, Kotaro faced a huge loss in his 1st business venture and the business which cost him several billion yen had to be shut down. Yet, undeterred by such crushing failure, Kotaro stood strong in his mission, and believed in cherishing the spirit of not giving up. Later, he used the same technology in the contracted development of smartphone apps and online medical platforms, which turned profitable and Kotaro could finally overcome the loss incurred in his first business.
The initial journey of an entrepreneur and the tale of unfurling possibilities at Workhouse. Co. Ltd
Kotaro Kashiwai’s story of rising from scratch is an immensely inspiring life of an entrepreneur. He initially started his business of developing smartphone applications with three friends and five developers from Vietnam, in a small room of just 10 square meters. His office consisted of a shared meeting room within a shared office that came with a common shower room on the same floor. During this period, Kotaro and his team had to follow a rigorous routine of incessant hard work and struggles. From taking care of their colleague’s child to managing the business on a daily basis, they had to do everything from pillar to post. But despite this, Kotaro neither succumbed to the hardships in life nor did he quit his dream.
As we all know destiny smiles on the one who never fears to take risks, Kotaro’s success as an app developer serving 40 famous Japanese companies, probably laid the foundation stone of his grand business empire in 2014 and Workhouse was formed. Today, Tokaro serves some of the world’s best corporate giants like Recruit, Inc., Google, Apple, Panasonic, Hitachi Ltd., and DJI in software and cryptocurrency Web 3.0 development. The company announced a massive turnover of 2.3 billion yen in 2021, which skyrocketed by 350% in the current year.
Hallmark of a true leadership
We can never designate a person with true leadership, nor it can be awarded; it comes only by revealing your true self, the image that can influence many. In the opinion of Kotaro Kashiwai, the head of an organization must imbibe and nurture certain values to be a true leader. As a judicious leader, Kotaro guides us through the qualities of true leadership. In his words, a good leader is one who “Never forgets their initial intentions, never gives a treat, always be at the forefront and keeps running, and never says it’s impossible.” He further advises, “scold employees when you scold them and praise them with all your might when you praise them, do the big vision more concretely, and, always put yourself in the same line of sight as all your employees.” For this entrepreneur, the most important thing in leadership is the entrepreneurial spirit of the leader which motivates his employees to think and act in his direction.
The culture that drives one to action
The culture that intimidates workers to action is essentially the corporate values that encourage, foster and promote individual growth and team spirit. At Workhouse, Kotaro strives to maintain a healthy and competitive work atmosphere. For this, he has introduced some protocols that would go into making Workhouse the leading development company that shares a strong bond with its colleagues and associates across the globe. Some of them are, “Don’t talk behind people’s backs, and if you’re going to fight, do it openly and to their faces. Do everything together with our colleagues. Share with everyone what we do alone, regardless of whether they are bosses or subordinates.” Kotaro further adds, “Let’s be willing to help each other, let’s all take a higher salary than any other company”.
Future roadmap and message to the young entrepreneurs
Kotaro Kashiwai, at present, is pursuing his dream of setting up an online medical platform of 100 clinics with seven real clinics in Tokyo and Kansai. The company is also planning to incorporate cosmetic medicines in Japan. The entrepreneur looks forward to developing a web3-based NFT gaming platform for virtual currency and a medical x virtual currency model using NFT. The app would be extremely beneficial in addressing infectious diseases like Covid-19.
In his message to the budding entrepreneurs, the leader persuades his followers to focus on a single point, i.e. never to lose focus or give up. He insists, “If you give up, it will end there. You can definitely do it without money or anything else. If you don’t give up, you can do it.”