{"id":9870,"date":"2022-12-20T13:51:47","date_gmt":"2022-12-20T04:51:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/global.typica.jp\/?page_id=9870"},"modified":"2024-08-07T15:00:59","modified_gmt":"2024-08-07T06:00:59","slug":"akiyo-azuma","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/akiyo-azuma\/","title":{"rendered":"Giving Your All in the Present: A Back Office Manager\u2019s Relentless Self-Challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Unwavering confidence<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In the summer of 2019, after a year-long job search, Azuma finally found a company that sparked her interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt the information session, I was struck by how high the president sets his sights,\u201d Azuma recalls, referring to Masashi Goto, CEO of TYPICA. \u201cI knew that working there would help me reach new heights. too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During her interviews, Azuma faced tough questions about her ability to handle the demands of the job. Her response was bold: \u201cNo one knows if I can do the job until I try. What matters is that I\u2019m confident I can outperform everyone here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Azuma\u2019s strategy was clear. \u201cI was there to pitch myself as a product,\u201d she explains. \u201cMy theory was to highlight how I differed from others and where I excelled. I\u2019d only worked at one company before. I did have some experience in accounting, but that was in a different sector. There could\u2019ve been someone better suited for the position. But I knew that I could improve myself step by step, day by day, then in a few years, I would outperform anyone. That\u2019s the point I wanted to sell.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The power of self-discipline<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Azuma has a personal mantra she constantly reminds herself of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cComplacency is dangerous. The moment you become comfortable and let your guard down, mistakes are bound to happen. I always tell myself that today could be that day. What I despise most is losing focus halfway through a task. Even with routine work, I strive to add something extra, whether it\u2019s finding ways to avoid repeating mistakes or double-checking my work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This vigilant attitude radiates from Azuma, creating a palpable sense of intensity around her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy older sister once asked me, \u2018Why are you always fighting so hard?\u2019\u201d Azuma recalls. She explains how her sister, who makes bead crafts, was puzzled by Azuma\u2019s suggestion to time and improve her crafting speed. \u201cShe told me, \u2018What are you fighting against? If you\u2019re enjoying it, isn\u2019t that enough?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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But for Azuma, this driven mindset has been second nature since childhood. In high school, where many of her peers aimed for respected regional universities, Azuma stood out. Her academic performance was so exceptional that teachers exempted her from regular classes, allowing her to study independently and even tutor other students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t competing with others so much as challenging myself, studying diligently day by day. I\u2019ve never been particularly interested in what others are doing. I believe I would have achieved similar results even in a less academically rigorous environment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This self-reliant philosophy extended to her time as a college tutor. She would tell her students and their parents, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe school you attend doesn\u2019t matter as much as how you apply yourself. If you stay focused and motivated, you\u2019ll succeed regardless of your surroundings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Azuma\u2019s unwavering self-confidence guided her university choice as well. Despite her parents\u2019 objections and suggestions to aim for more prestigious institutions, she chose to study Design Management Engineering at Kyoto Institute of Technology. \u201cUniversity is for learning,\u201d she asserts. \u201cI believed the right path was to study what truly interested me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This pursuit of personal interest led her to work at a seafood wholesale market after graduation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe dynamic pricing and negotiations fascinated me,\u201d she explains.  \u201cIt was a world of strategy and quick thinking. Though my main role was in accounting, the small company size allowed me to experience various aspects of the business, including acting as a middle man in negotiations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, even Azuma has faced periods of discontent. Reflecting on her diary entries, she realized she had spent about two years feeling stagnant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was so fixated on the idea that I needed to be doing something, anything, that I lost my way,\u201d she admits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognizing that inaction was the root of her dissatisfaction, Azuma cultivated a habit of immediate action. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf I wanted to go somewhere, I\u2019d make concrete plans instead of just daydreaming about it. If I decided to do something, I\u2019d start right away, refusing to use busyness as an excuse to procrastinate.\u201d This shift in mindset led to a more fulfilling year and a valuable lesson: \u201cI realized that personal growth truly depends on our mindset and habits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Giving your all is enough<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

When asked about her goals, Azuma reflects on a poignant moment from her job interview at TYPICA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur CEO, Mr. Goto, asked us if we were happy. That question stuck with me,\u201d she says. \u201cTYPICA\u2019s mission is to protect the livelihoods of coffee producers worldwide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s an incredible drive here to continually aim higher without self-imposed limitations.\u201d Azuma sees her role in the back office as crucial to supporting this mission. \u201cI want to ensure that everyone can fully utilize their potential. As we bring in new team members, my current responsibility is to expand our foundation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than setting long-term goals, Azuma focuses on adapting to changing circumstances while staying true to her core motivations. \u201cWhat\u2019s most important is to consistently pursue what I\u2019m passionate about. If I can do that, the results will follow naturally,\u201d she explains. \u201cUltimately, I\u2019ll be satisfied if I can give my all as part of something that\u2019s constantly expanding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photos\uff1aKenichi Aikawa<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Unwavering confidence In the summer of 2019, after a year-long job search, Azuma finally found a company that …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":11877,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-staff.php","meta":[],"acf":[],"toolset-meta":{"template-staff-narratives":{"staff-name":{"type":"textfield","raw":"Akiyo Azuma"},"staff-outline":{"type":"textarea","raw":"After graduating from university, Akiyo Azuma spent a decade at a seafood supplier, negotiating fish prices at wholesale markets. Then, driven by a desire to aim higher, she made a career change that would lead her to take charge of the back office of TYPICA, a company that has \u201crealized the seemingly impossible in quick succession,\u201d she says. This is the story of Azuma, who has become the crucial backbone of TYPICA."}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9870"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9870"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9870\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11878,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9870\/revisions\/11878"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11877"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9870"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}