Always With Our Customers — Past, Present, and Future
A Harsh Wake-Up Call from the Market
When I started Earthcare in 2000, I was full of confidence. I believed that if I created a product I truly believed in, it would naturally sell online. I had no store, just a homemade website built with books and a cardboard desk — and all my passion.
But reality hit hard. The products didn’t sell. My savings dwindled. I worked late-night restaurant shifts to stay afloat, sleeping only every third day. For someone who had never truly failed before, this was devastating.
The turning point came when I decided to be honest with our customers. I explained our situation in a newsletter, expecting to be abandoned. Instead, I received overwhelming support. “Don’t give up.” “I’ll buy 10 bottles.” “I’ll tell my friends.” That moment changed everything. It taught me that true business isn’t about pushing products — it’s about building trust.
Listening, Learning, and Realizing the Essence of Business
To serve our customers better, I dove into marketing — even though the concept was barely known in Japan at the time. Through trial and error, advice from mentors (some I didn’t even realize were experts), and one pivotal visit to a local milk delivery company, I discovered a core truth: great customer service comes not from theory, but from real human connection.
That experience helped me “complete the puzzle.” I even added a few heartfelt lines to the last page of our website — and sales began to rise dramatically. The shift was not just in business, but in my personal values. I no longer wanted to “win” alone; I wanted to grow with our customers.
Today, we still don’t chase mass production or investor approval. Earthcare remains unlisted because I want to focus solely on our customers — not shareholders.
Radical Transparency and Shared Growth
We believe in being completely open. On our weekly Instagram Live sessions, we talk directly with customers — even when it’s uncomfortable. Once, I mistakenly announced a new product would cost ¥5,000, only to realize it would actually cost ¥6,800 due to ingredient upgrades. I came clean on the next livestream.
To my surprise, customers responded with encouragement: “If it’s good, raise the price!” That response reaffirmed our approach — building trust through honesty.
In the end, we still launched the product at ¥5,000. Maybe it was my stubborn pride, but more than that, it was our promise to customers: Earthcare will always be transparent, heartfelt, and committed — just like the people who believed in us when no one else did.
— Ryoya Inoue, CEO