Bootstrap Through Regulars, Not Location

"At the next bank, there was a stroke of luck as a regular at Mutsu was acquainted with the loan officer, and we managed to secure a loan. However, even with the maximum loan, funds were still insufficient. Remembering another regular customer who once said, “Contact me if you ever decide to start your own business,” I boldly gave a call. Although they had already returned to Japan, they agreed to help, allowing us to overcome the greatest hurdle of fundraising."

"By this time, the shop was operating centered around regular customers, so we weren’t too particular about having a prime location. I told Liz, “I prefer somewhere less conspicuous,” but she seemed a bit unsure about what I meant. “Why somewhere not conspicuous?” she wondered. “In Japan, there’s something called a ‘hideout style,’ where even prominent shops don’t have signs,” I explained, but she had a complex expression that suggested she understood yet didn’t."

"A café with the unlikely name “Sweet Surprise” had previously occupied the location, and it was hard to say it was in good condition when we saw it. However, since we would be taking over the lease contract the previous owner had signed, the rent was very attractive. It was a story from over 20 years ago, but the monthly rent of $485 was exceptionally low."

"(We should find someone influential with Stanford University, which owns the hotel, and get their support). By researching Stanford affiliates and focusing on whether any customers in the shop might turn out to be supporters, a candidate was found before long."