A Global Perspective as the Norm: Becoming a Growth Partner Across the World | Reimi De
Reimi De is a growth partner who aims to make her mark on the world stage. She shares the story of how she joined the company and what her work looks like today.
We want to improve our own services and deliver real value to our customers
— Tell us about your career background.
I joined a SaaS company that handled social media analytics tools straight out of university and worked there for about eight years. After experiencing the company's IPO, I felt a desire to work with more speed and ambition again at a startup, so I moved to a foreign-affiliated SaaS company that handled SEO tools. After working there for about four and a half years, I was considering quitting to become a full-time homemaker for a while. But that lifestyle didn't suit me at all, and through a fortunate connection I joined a recruitment agency focused on foreign-national and overseas-based engineers — a bit of a different industry. Shortly after I started there, the world entered the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to prolonged border restrictions, the company's performance was affected and it was forced to restructure. That was when Kurose, our CEO who had looked after me during my SaaS days, invited me to join StoreHero.
— What were you thinking about each time you made a career change?
At the core of my values is a desire to improve our own services and create value by delivering them to customers. I think what often happened was that as a company grew or the environment changed, the ability to deliver on that value would weaken, and I'd find myself moving to a place where I could actually make it happen.
— Why did you decide to join StoreHero?
During the COVID pandemic, I had a lot of time to think. I've always had a strong sense of hometown pride, so I started wondering how I could bring my hometown of Saga to the world's attention — I tried creating media, researched Japanese products that appeal to international audiences, and gradually started thinking about a career in physical product sales. I also had the chance to talk with an entrepreneur doing cross-border e-commerce, and that conversation was really exciting — that was another spark for me.
I also realized that working in product sales would allow me to be deeply involved with various countries, industries, and business models. It's not limited to the web, and I believed I could contribute even more by bringing web expertise into it. I started thinking I could leverage the experience I'd built up in the web industry, which made product sales feel even more compelling. And right at that time, Kurose — who I'd known for a while — reached out to invite me, so joining felt like an easy decision.
— How has it been since joining?
I've been able to get involved in a wide range of industries, just as I had imagined, so I feel very satisfied with my work. Also, since StoreHero has an in-house development team, we can continuously improve our services in close collaboration — that's both a strength and something I genuinely enjoy. I had always wanted to improve services from within, so having a structure that actually makes that possible has been very fulfilling. On top of that, something that personally surprised me was the strength of the team culture. In my previous roles I often worked independently, so I didn't have many opportunities to experience real teamwork. But at StoreHero, the whole team is thoroughly committed to doing things together, and it's made me deeply appreciate just how valuable that can be.
— What kind of people would thrive at a company like this?
I think it's a great fit for people who get bored quickly after achieving a goal and always want to tackle the next new challenge.
Shopify itself keeps evolving, and e-commerce looks different in every country, so the company, the services, and the market are all constantly evolving too. People who find it exciting to keep conquering new frontiers and growing alongside all of that would be a really great fit, I think.
— Finally, what are your aspirations for the future?
I really want to keep growing our overseas projects. I want to be at the forefront of that effort myself, and since the company is aiming in that direction too, I want to contribute as a member of the team by steadily increasing our international work.
— Why international?
That's almost a silly question (laughs). The moment you choose Shopify, there are no limits — it's not just domestic. I suppose it's because having a global perspective is simply the natural default.