Appearing at “The BAZAAR at WORK SUMMIT” as a woman carving out the future! What is the management work for entrepreneur Makiko Kawamura, who has a specialist contract with SUNNY SIDE UP?

Hello everyone. I am Jun Sakata from the Public Relations Business Division 2.

While SUNNY SIDE UP’s management may often be associated with athletes, we also manage individuals across a wide range of fields, including businesspeople and entrepreneurs.

In this article, as the manager for entrepreneur Makiko Kawamura—who has a specialist contract with SUNNY SIDE UP—I will report on her appearance at “The BAZAAR at WORK SUMMIT,” the first part of the “Harper’s BAZAAR 10th Anniversary Event” held on October 17, 2023, at The National Art Center, Tokyo (Minato-ku), along with highlights from her interview.

Who is Makiko Kawamura?

Entrepreneur. She spent her childhood in Singapore. After returning to Japan, she enrolled in a Japanese university but withdrew to transfer to the University of California, Berkeley. After graduating, she worked at a U.S. investment bank for 20 years. The financial column she started on Instagram at the time quickly spread through word of mouth, and she now operates “Holland Village Private Community,” one of Japan’s largest online salons and a unique hub for the latest information.

In September 2022, SUNNY SIDE UP signed a contract with her as a role model for promoting and realizing women’s empowerment and as an embodiment of diversity.

What does management work involve?

While SUNNY SIDE UP operates as a PR agency and in sports promotion, we also manage individuals across various genres—including athletes, entrepreneurs, and artists—from the perspective of “PR for people.”

In addition to PR for products and events, the ability to support human activities from a PR perspective is a major and unique strength of SUNNY SIDE UP.

Here, we will introduce the activities of a manager during “The BAZAAR at WORK SUMMIT.”

First, we coordinate the project details with the media to form a clear image of the event during the planning stage. From there, we adjust schedules and decide on the topics for pre-meetings based on the theme, in consultation with the individual.

Additionally, as the wardrobe for this event was sponsored by Max Mara, we coordinated with numerous parties—checking and delivering clothing samples and arranging hair and makeup for the day—leading up to the event.

Throughout the process, I focus on ensuring that the information shared during the event and in interviews truly reflects Ms. Kawamura’s unique personality and values.

Then came the day of the event!

For the event celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Japanese edition of the global luxury fashion media “Harper’s BAZAAR,” her younger sister, Mayumi, also joined her on stage!

Mayumi turned her passion into a career as a jeweler. In 2019, she launched “LK Salon,” which offers a high jewelry collection using natural and lab-grown diamonds.

Having spent their student years in the United States, both Kawamura sisters built their careers at foreign financial institutions. Now active as entrepreneurs, they participated in a 40-minute interview on the theme of “Women Shining in Second Careers.”

What was surprising was that fans of the two sisters were also in the audience! They had successfully won the lottery for an event limited to only a few dozen participants.

Here is a brief excerpt from their interview!

When asked if there was any conflict about resigning to pursue a second career…

Ms. Makiko Kawamura

“I felt a fear of losing my identity as a ‘finance professional’ and becoming a ‘nobody.’ That is why I never neglected thorough preparation. From my 30s, I focused on meticulous information gathering and networking to develop a business on social media. I only resigned after building a strong relationship with my followers.”

Ms. Mayumi Kawamura

“Since finance is not a job where you give something back to someone, I never intended to stay in the industry for a long time. I wanted to start something new once I had a certain amount of savings.”

Although the sisters have completely different personalities and current professions, they share a common desire to provide “added value” that exceeds the price of what they offer.

When asked for a message to those considering starting a business, they shared: “The important thing is to notice things faster than others and to have the power to believe in yourself.”

In closing.

Management does not end with the event itself; we continue to check the coverage in the web and print editions of “Harper’s BAZAAR.”

Although our work is entirely behind the scenes in what appears to be a glamorous world, there is joy and stimulation in providing that support. Above all, I believe it is a privilege of being a manager to witness Ms. Makiko Kawamura’s character from such a close perspective!

▼ Click here for more details from the interview:
“Harper’s BAZAAR 10th Anniversary” Event Report Link

SUNNY SIDE UP handles PR for many individuals across a wide range of fields! If you are interested in our management services or other communication services, please feel free to contact us. ✏️

See you in the next article!