Erika Umino (Representative of Tabeedge)

Tabeedge
This brand was created to gently encourage women to take on challenges, based on the idea that travel is a switch that helps you grow.

This time, we spoke to Erika Umino , CEO of umigon Inc., the company behind Tabeedge, about the background to the brand's creation and the thoughts she puts into travel.

From "Sales Agent Me" to "Tabeedge Me"

―― First, please introduce yourself and tell us about your current job.

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I am Erika Umino, the CEO of Umigon Inc. This year marks the company's third fiscal year.
In the first and second fiscal years, our main business was sales agency services for both consumer and business.
In the middle of the second fiscal year, we started our current apparel business, "Tabeedge."

Before going independent, I worked as a physical therapist at a university hospital for three years.
He was in charge of medical practice, mainly in orthopedics, and also wrote academic papers on classical ballet.

A bitter experience that ended with just an introduction

- Please tell us the background behind starting Tabeedge.

There are several reasons, but the biggest one is
"I wanted my own identity."

One day, there was a drinking party with a very interesting group of people.
An investor, a professional soccer player, an IT company president, an influencer, and me.
It's like, "Who is this group of people?" (laughs).

Since it was my first time meeting
"Nice to meet you. I'm Umino, and I work as a sales agent."
I said hello, but then, over the course of about two hours of eating,
That was my only "turn."

That made me extremely disappointed.

Of course, being a sales agent is a great job.
But I think something just didn't feel right for me.
At that time,
"I want to do a job that people will remember in conjunction with my name."
I began to feel this strongly.

If this person can do it, so can I.

- Out of all the options available, why did you choose apparel?

When I was thinking about what field I should go into,
One of my classmates from junior high and high school was the president of an apparel brand.

Looking at it,
"Hey, if this person can do apparel, then I can do it too."
That was the honest trigger for me to think that. (Sorry for being so over the top lol)

The other thing is the small stress I felt when traveling myself.

Whenever I meet Japanese people overseas, I always feel like their clothes are kind of unfashionable.
I realized that I would be prone to being pickpocketed.

Also, when you go to Hawaii, you arrive there early in the morning.

I saw people at the airport proudly opening their suitcases, taking out their change of clothes, and changing in the restroom. (I did the same, haha.)

At that time
"I wish there was a single piece of clothing that could be both stylish and comfortable, from the plane to sightseeing."
With this in mind, the idea for Tabeedge was born.

No experience in apparel. Teacher is ChatGPT

- How did you take your first step with no prior experience?

In fact, I have never worked in the apparel industry, nor have I ever run a business in it.
I didn't even know apparel terminology. I was a complete novice.

So the first thing I did was
Ask ChatGPT, "Teach me how to start an apparel business."

I just kept moving forward following the steps that came up (laughs).

From concept creation, persona design, to fundraising,
At first, I had the AI ​​teach me everything.
But I just felt like, "Let's just give it a try."

- Were you not worried or unsure?

To be honest, I wasn't worried about being too scared to sleep.
However, until now, we have only dealt with intangible products,
Managing tangible products that require financing and inventory was an unknown world to me.

So, I spent the whole train ride calculating profit and loss with the AI ​​(laughs).
I kept asking questions like, "At this cost, how many items do I need to sell to make a profit?"

Reduce the fear of the unknown

-- Why did you focus on "clothes for travel"?

I think travelling helps you grow as a person.
So, whether you're studying abroad or traveling,
I truly believe that everyone should visit a different country at least once.

But in reality,
-There are many reasons why you might want to go but can't, such as fear of the unknown, financial worries, or not being able to take time off work.

The latter two (money and work) are difficult for me to solve on my own right now.
However, I thought that the "fear of the unknown" might be reduced.

There was a time when I was traveling around the country and abroad with just one suitcase.
Among them, "When traveling abroad, bags and clothes without zippers are really scary."
"The cabin is so bright I can't sleep at all"
"It's hot outside, but isn't the air conditioning too strong inside the building?"
I have experienced many of the stresses that come with traveling, such as:

They can be made much lighter with the help of clothing.
If so,
"As long as you have this one piece, you'll be fine wherever you are."
I decided to create travel clothes that would make people think this way.

Women are amazing after all

- What do you value as a brand?

Tabeedge is
We want to be a brand that supports women who take on challenges .

When I talk to a lot of women, I think,
"Women are amazing after all."

Each of them has their own brilliance and is very smart.
But what are the ingredients you actually use to make a decision?
Often, we are only able to choose from the world we know.

The options are too limited.

So, especially for women,
I would like them to be exposed to more different countries and values.

Seeing a world you don't know,
My knowledge and experience has expanded rapidly
You will see options that you could never have imagined before.

Isn't that really interesting?
And surely, the next world and the next generation will also make a leap forward to that extent.

Tabeedge is
"That's the kind of combat gear that gives me courage. It makes me a badass woman."

I want my clothes to make people think that way.
I value that feeling more than anything.

The first flight where I got a good night's sleep

- What was it like using a hoodie on your actual trip?

I've never been able to sleep well on a flight before.
It was dimly lit around me and the neck pillow wasn't stable...

But when I flew wearing Tabedge,
I slept soundly for the first time in my life (lol)

Big Food makes it all dark.
I didn't need an eye mask and was able to sleep without stress using just the mask and hood.
The neck pillow also fits inside the hood, providing added stability.

"This hoodie is amazing," I thought to myself, even though I made it myself (laughs).

I forgot my sunglasses when I was in Saudi Arabia.
The dust and sunlight were so strong that I thought, "This is the end..."
If you wear the hood deep, it will cover your face,
It also worked great as a sunshade.

When you go to the nearby supermarket,
Just put your wallet, passport and room key in your pocket and zip it up.
I can now go out without even carrying a small pouch.

Travel has the power to develop human potential

- What does "travel" mean to you, Umino-san?

I believe that travel has the power to cultivate human potential.

The world I live in now,
It's actually very narrow.

In some countries,
There are people who don't lock their doors when they leave their homes, and they don't lock their cars either.
When I asked why,
"Wouldn't it be a problem if someone came to share some food and couldn't fit it in?"
That's an impossible feeling in our daily lives.

In another country,
The other person cannot speak English.
I can't speak the language either.
In other words, there is no common language between them.
Plus, there's no signal, so I can't even use translation apps (lol).

I was really in a helpless situation,
At that moment, I suddenly thought of something.
"Ahh, maybe this is what a baby is like (laughs)."

It's very stressful when you can't communicate with others,
That's why I can't survive without relying on someone.
When I actually asked for help, everyone was really kind.

It was so warm,
It was a moment when I truly felt that I wanted to give back to someone in return for the kindness they had shown me.

This kind of experience,
This is something that is difficult to achieve just within Japan, where we have a common language.

That's why I,
I would like to say loudly, "Try going out more! (Preferably alone)."

The world opens only to those who take action

--Finally, please give a message to women who feel like they want to change.

Change is scary, of course.

Homeostasis is often referred to as
It's a function of the brain and body that makes us prefer to maintain the status quo when we are trying to change, saying, "It's fine the way it is."

but,
It would be a shame to end your life without doing it.

If you're scared,
I'd like to hear from someone who has been down that road.
Just getting advice and listening to their experiences
You may come across solutions that you would not have thought of on your own.

and,
It's up to you whether you take the first step or not.

It doesn't have to be perfect.
It's okay if it's small.
Just decide to give it a try,
You'll probably find yourself thinking, "Wow, that's surprisingly easy."

The world,
It will only be opened to those who take action.

Apparel is just the beginning

- What kind of future do you envision for Tabeedge?

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I want to create a future where many people can overcome their fears and limitations and take on the world.

Traveling is truly a wonderful thing.
But in reality,
-There are various hurdles, such as fear of the unknown, financial worries, and work restrictions.

That's why,
Tabeedge can help alleviate these issues,
I want to be someone who encourages women to take on challenges abroad.

Apparel is just the first step.
from now on,
I would like to continue to create systems and projects for women who take on challenges .