A circle of friends connected by goo touch! The “FIST BUMP” corner of the radio program “GRAND MARQUEE” features people who live and enjoy Tokyo in a relay format.
On November 7, Fumitaka Takebayashi, owner of the golf select store “RUFFLOG,” will appear. We asked him about his career to date, the similarities between business and golf, and the appeal of the NBA, which he is addicted to.
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How he opened his golf select store
Celeina (MC): Let me introduce your profile. Fumitaka Takebayashi joined CyberAgent as a new graduate in 2010, and after serving as the representative director of a subsidiary, he became independent in 2016 and founded LOB Inc. He opened a golf select store “RUFFLOG” in Daikanyama in March last year.
I would like to ask you many questions. You started your career as a businessman after graduating and joining CyberAgent, but the company you created after becoming independent was golf-related?
Takebayashi: It has nothing to do with golf. I was originally in the advertising business at CyberAgent, and as an extension of that, I created an Internet advertising company.
Celeina: How did you get into the golf business?
Takebayashi：That company was acquired by a major Japanese e-commerce company through M&A, and I decided to do something completely different. In my 20s, I was thinking of starting a business using what I was good at, but in my 30s I was thinking of challenging myself to do something I liked. I was into golf at the time, so I started my current company in the golf-related field.
Takano (MC):When did you get hooked on golf?
Takebayashi: It was during the period after we sold LOB Inc. I worked for the company we sold for about three years, and I played golf as a hobby throughout that time.
Celeina: Why golf?
Takebayashi: When I went to buy a car, I saw the manufacturer’s original carry bag and remembered how fun golf was. I had played golf when I was a new graduate, but I didn’t have the money or time to continue. But I thought I might be able to continue now, so I bought one and started.
Celeina：Your score improved a lot from there, didn’t it? Did you go to the driving range every day?
Takebayashi: Yes, I did. I went every day to practice.
Celeina：I see, I should learn from you. I only go to the range once a week.
Takebayashi: I might have hit about 500 balls every day. My hands were covered with blisters.
Celeina: I get tired even if I hit 100 balls.
Takebayashi: It would be amazing if a woman hit 100 balls.
Celeina: I was praised. But hitting 500 balls a day is serious, isn’t it?
Takano: You’re doing business at the same time, right?
Takebayashi: Part of it is because I am not good at drinking, so I didn’t have anything to do.
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Similarities between business and golf
Takano: But I feel that many business owners play golf.
Takebayashi: Quite a lot.
Takano: Is there any connection between the two?
Takebayashi: I think there is quite a bit. Golf is clearly a game of competing for scores, so it tickles my desire for achievement and growth. Also, there are clubs and the environment is different every time you play, so there are quite a few challenging elements, and I feel that the desire to grow and become more and more addicted to the game is quite similar to the qualities of a manager.
Takano: It can also be a communication tool. Also, the fact that it leads to results seems to be similar to business.
Takebayashi: Sometimes you work hard and it leads to a score, and sometimes it doesn’t at all, but I feel like that is very similar to work.
Takano: That’s interesting. It seems like there are things to notice in business as well.
Takebayashi: That’s right. Golf shows a lot of personality.
Celeina: I was getting nervous when I heard that it shows your personality.
Takebayashi: When you play golf together, you can tell who this person is.
Takano: By the way, was there a reason why you chose apparel in the golf business?
Takebayashi: I am still in my 30s, but when I wanted to make the image of golf more casual and cool, I thought fashion would be an easy stepping stone. I would like to do more than just apparel in the future.
Celeina: Recently, there are so many different styles of golf wear.
Takano: It is a little different from the so-called golf image.
Takebayashi: That’s right. My brand also offers golf wear with a bit of a street style.
Takano: I’d love to hear more, but let’s interrupt for a song. I asked Takebayashi-san to choose a song that we would all like to listen to together on the radio at this time.
Takebayashi: Besides golf, I really like basketball and watch the NBA a lot. The Golden State Warriors are my favorite team, so I chose “2Pac feat. Roger Troutman & Dr. Dre” by California Love, which is also used as the entrance music.
Takano: Let’s listen to it.
