In a recent interview, a reporter friend asked me, “Who do you think is the most important person who has influenced your life? ”
I replied, “I think it would be Mr. Walt Disney!”
My reporter friend probably didn’t expect me to answer this way; she was a bit surprised and seemed to be processing the answer. I then added: “Because he showed me that anything you can imagine is possible, and our only limitation is our imagination.”
When I first stepped into Disneyland in Japan in the fifth grade, it was like stepping into a magical world for me—Mickey waving enthusiastically, gorgeous castles, amazing roller coasters, and the joyous “It’s a Small World” ride … Everything that seemed to exist only on TV was right in front of my eyes. At that moment, I realized how powerful imagination can be, and the belief that “if you can dream it, you can do it” has been deeply rooted in my heart ever since.
Looking back on my experience from start-up to investment, I realize how important imagination is for entrepreneurs.
Consider this: a successful company usually takes about ten years of nurturing to grow from its inception stage to maturity, undergoing dramatic changes along the way. If the dream that ultimately succeeds is big enough to change people’s habits, or even change the world, then it must have sounded pretty crazy ten years ago.
Before the iPod, people didn’t think they could carry a thousand songs in their pockets. Before ChatGPT, no one thought a dialog window could be a jack of all trades … Without sufficient imagination, you won’t be able to break the mold and become the next great company to disrupt the status quo.
When faced with challenges throughout the entrepreneurial journey, imagination helps guide entrepreneurs in exploring the unknown at every step. When a company grows from two partners to twenty, two hundred, or even two thousand people, and when there is no established path to follow for the product you want to build, every decision needs to be imbued with imagination because, at that moment, no one has the right answer. It is interesting to note that many successful and unexpected solutions have been realized at such moments.
In leadership and management, imagination can also help entrepreneurs paint a moving vision, create a cohesive corporate culture with common goals, and attract talented people with the same aspirations to join the team.
Therefore, I believe that imagination is also a superpower of entrepreneurship, and I encourage all entrepreneurs to open their minds and imagine boldly. Perhaps in ten years, these imaginings may become unexpected realities!
