Waseda WeeklyWaseda Weekly

"I want to be someone that gives something to others."

Reika Koike, 3rd year School of Law

At the Entrepreneurship Center (Waseda Campus Building No. 19-3)

Reika Koike is the President of Cinderelax Co., Ltd., which develops and operates the app "BU(ビーユー)" that makes it easier to watch makeup videos on YouTube. Reika says that one of the reasons she started her business was because she received the highest rating in a business contest sponsored by Waseda University. We asked Reika, who is working hard to run her company with the desire to create a world where people can love themselves, about how she became interested in starting a business, about "BU'', the members of the company, and her future prospects.

--Please tell us how you became interested in starting a business.

I had the experience of losing my mental balance during my time as a student who failed entrance exams, and even before I entered university I wanted to help many people who were suffering in the same way through counseling services. When I thought about starting a business to provide services, I realized that I needed knowledge of both law and commerce. I entered Waseda University's Faculty of Law in order to deepen my knowledge of law by taking required subjects, and to gain School of Law of commerce by auditing other faculties.

--What was it like actually enrolling at Waseda?

I feel like I'm taking undergraduate classes at rondom(lol), but a big turning point for me was taking a class in the Business Creation Course (GEC program), where you can learn practical things about starting a business. At first, I just had a vague feeling that I wanted to create a counseling service, but as I learned more, I started to enjoy trying new things and found the life of an entrepreneur interesting.

A photo with Professor Toru Asahi

I was also able to meet many mentors such as Toru Asahi (Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering), Hironori Higashide (Professor, Faculty of Commerce), and Tomoharu Inoue (GEC Lecturer). I was the first to raise my hand in each class, and my initiative seemed to catch the attention of the teachers. They said to me, "You're interesting, so you're suitable for starting a business!"

With this realization on my part and the support of my teachers, I decided to change my direction and instead of focusing on counseling services, I wanted to start my own business.

--You have won many times in the many business contests you entered between entering school and starting your own business. Please tell us about the most memorable one.

There are two. One is "Rocket Pitch Night," which is one of the largest pitch contests in Japan (*) that will be held in 2022. By winning here, I was able to rent an office in Toranomon Hills, which gave me more opportunities to meet various people. Some of them were investors, and this became a stepping stone for the formation of a human network that continues to this day.

The second project was the WASEDA-EDGE Gap Fund Project, which was sponsored by Waseda University and participated in the same year. This is a contest for Waseda University students and researchers who are interested in commercializing ideas, and I proposed a business model that I had been thinking about for some time, and received the highest evaluation. I decided to start Cinderelax based on the funds I received from this time, and being able to participate in this contest with the founding members was also very important. For example, Hosoya, who is currently participating in Cinderealax in a CFO-like position, is one of the members I met in a university class and competed together.

(*) An event where startups and entrepreneurs who have just started their business or are in the growth stage give presentations about their businesses to investors and other parties, and conduct business matching.

Presenting at the business contest “WASEDA-EDGE Demo Day” in 2023

--What kind of mission does Cinderelax, which you founded, pursue in its business?

Our mission is to "create a world where people can love who they are." Originally, I didn't like myself very much and had low self-esteem, but when I spent time doing makeup, I started to like myself. When I thought about the reason, I realized that makeup not only allows me to face who I am, but also allows me to express it freely. Just as I was able to love myself through makeup, I strongly want to increase the number of people who can love themselves in some way, and that is my company's guiding principle.

Looking back, the idea I had for counseling services before entering the university was based on my desire to help as many people as possible. Although the services we provide are different, I think they are fundamentally connected to the company's current mission.

--Cinderelax's current business is the operation of "BU", but what kind of app is this?

"BU" is an app that collects trending makeup videos on YouTube and makes them innovatively easier to watch. Specifically, there are buttons for the makeup process such as "base makeup," "foundation," and "eyes" under every video, so you can jump to the scene you want to see with a single tap and watch only the makeup scenes that interest you. It is also possible to save each scene. Furthermore, below the process button, there is a list of cosmetics that appear in the video. Clicking on the list will display recommendations for each personal color, links to sales sites, and usage examples from other Youtubers, which will definitely expand your makeup range.

We post a lot of makeup videos that are trending right now, so it's recommended for beginners who don't know what kind of makeup videos to watch. It can be said to be a one-stop app for everything from viewing to searching for and purchasing cosmetics.

Image of the app (click to enlarge)

In the future, we would like to include functions that emphasize even more personalization. By diagnosing your face type and making suggestions based on that, we plan to help you communicate your unique charm, rather than applying make-up just to make you look pretty.

At "Waseda Festival 2023," an event was held where celebrities were invited to share the appeal of "BU." A photo with Tomomi Itano (left) and ROLAND (right)

--I'm sure there are many challenges when running a company, but how did you overcome them?

As expected, the support of the members is great. Each person has a different way of thinking and areas of expertise, so the company relies on each person leveraging their own strengths. When I was having a tough time mentally, they not only encouraged me, but also encouraged me to take responsibility for each task, and sometimes gave me harsh words. I'm really grateful to the members who say no when things don't work out, and they always save me.

With members of Cinderelax. People often say that the diversity of the members is interesting. Reika is in the back left

--Please tell us about your future goals.

Our goal as a company is to increase the number of people who value their individuality, so first of all, we want everyone to know about and use "BU.'' Going forward, we plan to focus on the makeup business, but we will also expand the service to include videos of various content, such as sports and cooking, by taking advantage of YouTube's patent-pending "click-to-jump to the scene you want to see" feature. I would be happy if I could create a world where people can love who they are in fields other than makeup.

Personally, I want to improve my character. I have been told by many presidents that "the company cannot grow beyond the president's capacity.'' Practically, I have been experiencing this more and more these days, and I am actually seeing people who have the ability to make decisions and have a sense of responsibility. I think the members of the company will follow the person. And those who can give something to others should receive a reward in return. When I was in my first and second year of university, I was always receiving things from people, but as the phrase "give-and-give" suggests, I want to become someone who can give something to others, even if I'm still immature.

861st

Interview/text/photography: Waseda Weekly Reporter (SJC student staff)
Shino Watanabe 2nd year School of Education