Community Highlights: Meet Toshihiro Iwasaki of Phiaro

Today we’d like to introduce you to Toshihiro Iwasaki.

Hi Toshihiro, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started in 2002 working in a motorcycle modeling shop in Japan, getting my hands dirty sculpting clay, molding carbon fiber, and welding. As I continued to develop those craftsmanship skills, I have taken on roles such as guest worker at client shops and assisting in sales, project management, and coordination among the member companies of Phiaro. In 2013, I moved to the USA and took on a full-time management role at our facility there. Our projects at the time were overwhelmingly from the major Japanese automakers, but because we’ve been honing our skills and technology, we’ve secured several partners in North America. We’ve even made inroads with the EV startup scene. More recently, we’ve been working to differentiate our brand by building models with heavy emphasis on human-machine interfaces (HMI) and UI/UX. As always, we play to our strengths as much as possible, and we firmly believe that the best craftsmanship begins with each of us. Looking a few years down the line, we are looking towards expanding our work past more traditional passenger vehicles, such as RVs, electric VTOLs, and hypercars.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’ve found that before I could be effective in this industry, I had to understand the fundamentals of building models at any scale and what it really takes for a team of builders to assemble and paint them. Once I had that foundation, I studied vehicle design and UIUX. I’m always thinking about how I can bring in new ideas to challenge myself and my colleagues.

We all have a lot of fond memories of overcoming challenges and complications. I think the greatest key to achieving this is ensuring that we stay in regular contact with one another and that we always communicate in good faith. Communicating effectively is often a struggle for many people, so I’ve told myself that it’s always important to always approach people honestly and earnestly. I’ve found that this makes interactions fun and above all, constructive. Other than that, I take on problems one at a time, tackling hard problems head-on. I know I’ll be doing that every day for the foreseeable future. Such is life.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Our main business is the production of concept cars. However, we don’t simply make flashy or futuristic passenger cars, we’ve also made motorcycles, RVs, trucks, robots, and we’ve been involved in many similar projects about the future of mobility. We’re also expanding into more software-based feature development, such as advanced human-machine interfaces and virtual and mixed reality. We also don’t simply build these vehicles according to the designer’s concept and specifications, we believe that the human touch is crucial to creating these marvels of design and technology. I believe that Phiaro’s greatest strength is our ability to deliver that breathtaking moment when a client’s design is unveiled to the world.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
We started a social media campaign right as people started avoiding in-person meetings due to the pandemic. After weeks of sharing what we do and what we’re working towards online, we’ve made new connections. We learned that regular sharing is key, and after we brought an online marketing specialist aboard, we’re starting to see some great results. I firmly believe that we are unique in the automaking industry, unknown to the vast majority of Americans, so putting ourselves out there is an important first step to having prospective clients know about us. The new connections you make will show you that your hard work is paying off, so my advice is to be yourself and keep engaging.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://phiaroinc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phiaro.inc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phiaroinc/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/phiaro-incorporated/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnEcgSXy2My5Wcu6Q-GeMnA
• Other: https://www.phiarouiux.com/