Her Journey So Far
After earning her bachelor's degree, Nishimoto began her career in an administrative role at a major general construction company before moving on to work as an executive secretary.
Driven by a desire to explore opportunities beyond borders and conventional boundaries, she eventually decided to pursue an independent career. Guided by her belief in "Connecting People," she has worked across a wide range of fields, including inbound tourism as a tour guide, training and mentoring guides, serving as a liaison for international conferences, and managing a language school.
In this interview, we explore the values Nishimoto has developed through the people she has met and the experiences she has gained, as well as her passion for opening up new possibilities at Yodo Labs.
Carrying What People Leave Behind Into the Future
Q. Why did you decide to join Yodo Labs?
A. I was drawn to the company's unique worldview, where every member seems to be "living in the future." They take the social problems in front of them seriously while genuinely trying to build the future that lies beyond. What struck me most was how each person brings passion to the work and enjoys it. I was also attracted by the team's strong technical skills, flexible thinking, and proven ability to deliver. For example, with tree inspections, rather than sticking with the usual approach of using GPS, they found a solution from a different angle. I was amazed by that convention-breaking creativity and the drive to actually turn ideas into reality. What sealed my decision was wanting to create a new future together with the people at Yodo Labs.
Q. What do you value in your work?
A. Getting to the heart of a problem and broadening the other person's perspective to create new possibilities. With the challenges our customers face, I try not to look only at the surface problem but to dig deeper and ask, "Why did this problem come about?" and "What really needs to be solved?" The same goes for our internal team. Even when someone finds something difficult, changing perspective or thinking about it from a different angle can reveal a new path. My goal is not simply to hand over answers, but to engage with people in a way that helps them discover new possibilities for themselves. When people's mindsets change, options that were invisible before start to appear, and that leads to new challenges. Creating that kind of change is what I find rewarding about my work.
Q. Is there an experience that has had a big impact on who you are today?
A. I've been fortunate with the people I've worked with, but meeting one particular boss changed my attitude toward work in a big way. I lost my father when I was a student, and I respected this person like a father. They combined kindness with real inner strength, faced every hardship with integrity, and stayed true to their beliefs to the end. Rather than being taught through any special words, I feel I learned a great deal simply by watching the example they set. Even now, when I feel like giving in, I ask myself, "What would they do?" That example is still the foundation of how I approach my work. This experience made me realize how much our encounters with others matter and how great an influence each person has on the people around them. I think that feeling is at the root of my work today "connecting people with people." Precisely because AI and technology are advancing, I want to preserve the paths people have walked, the experience they've built up, and the feelings they hold, and carry them into the future.
Carrying the Trust Each Person Has Built Into New Connections
Q. What have you been working on since joining?
A. My focus is marketing, along with building external networks, conducting market research, and working to create new business opportunities. My main role is to expand Yodo Labs' possibilities outward while valuing our connections with a wide range of companies and people. Alongside that, I also handle back-office work, improving our internal systems and work environment. I'm working to contribute to the company's growth from both sides: "expanding outward" and "getting things in order inside."
Q. What has left the strongest impression on you since joining Yodo Labs?
A. All the warm support we receive from people outside the company. Recently, when I went to a networking event on my own for the first time, simply introducing myself as being from Yodo Labs led many people to say, "Oh, Yodo Labs! You've been doing great lately. We're rooting for you." I was surprised and also really happy, because I don't think there are many companies that so many people have high hopes for and cheer on. That's no coincidence. I believe it comes from every member, starting with our CEO and CTO and including our business development staff and engineers, approaching their work with integrity and carefully building relationships of trust over time. Trust in a company comes from the attitude of each person who works there. This reminded me of that, and I want to be someone who carefully carries on that trust and helps it grow even further.
Different Personalities and Expertise Add Up to More Than You Can Imagine
Q. What do you respect about the people you work with?
A. What I respect most is their sharp ability to gather information, the deep expertise each person has, and their diverse backgrounds. Everyone brings experience and insight built up in different fields, and I'm always inspired by how they look at things from multiple angles and quickly pinpoint the information they need. I also truly respect that they don't just know a lot. They turn that knowledge into flexible ideas and concrete solutions, and then put them into action. Working with people like this is a learning experience every day and a great source of inspiration.
Q. Was there any gap between your expectations before joining and what you found?
A. The office atmosphere is much more relaxed than I imagined. There's a calm, easygoing vibe, yet when it comes to work, things move surprisingly fast and the results keep coming one after another. That contrast really surprised me. Above all, everyone genuinely enjoys their work. They have deep expertise, take on tough problems in a natural way, and enjoy the challenge itself. I feel this combination of composure and high performance is exactly what makes Yodo Labs who we are.
Turning the Potential of Technology Into Value for Society
Q. What do you want to take on at Yodo Labs going forward?
A. I would like to become someone who can identify the value society truly needs and bring that potential to more people and companies. First, I want to deepen my understanding of various industries and frontline sites so I can accurately grasp the essence of the problems society faces. Looking beyond surface issues, I want to think about "What problem really needs to be solved?" and "What value can we create there?" and create opportunities for Yodo Labs' technology to be used in ways that are truly meaningful for society. Not just having excellent technology, but properly delivering it to the people and sites that need it. My goal going forward is to serve as that bridge, expanding Yodo Labs' possibilities while contributing to society.