Today we’d like to introduce you to Lillian Hanako Rowlatt.
Hi Lillian, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Aki, my co-founder, and I first met a few years ago while I was visiting Japan on business. A mutual friend thought we would hit it off given our similar careers in finance and our passion for health and wellness. We met over dinner in Tokyo and spent most of the time talking about how we believe food is the biggest driver of our well-being and that there was so much we could all learn from traditional Japanese philosophies surrounding food, seasonality, and agriculture. We kept in touch and Aki was actually the first person to visit me when I moved to LA. We were at a point where both of us wanted to do something more rewarding than our current jobs in finance and the idea behind Kokoro Care Packages slowly started to form. We took a leap of faith, left our careers and launched what turned out to be a successful kickstarter campaign that was the starting of journey as entrepreneurs. We’ve been in business for almost three years now and since then have been delivering our artisanal products from Japan to people in 35+ different countries, all while sharing the philosophies and stories of our local farmers and producers.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It certainly hasn’t been a smooth journey! Delivering food to 35+ different countries can definitely present its own logistical and regulatory challenges, but then to run into a pandemic a year and a half into launching our company – this was definitely not a downside risk we could have forecasted. Japan Post, our international carrier, suddenly announced that they would stop shipping to certain countries, included the US – our largest customer base. We had to scramble to find alternative methods for delivering our packages. Thankfully we were able to work out solutions for each country and had the support of our wonderful community to keep us motivated.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Kokoro Care Packages?
Kokoro (written as 心 in kanji) translates into “heart” in Japanese yet has a much deeper meaning. It represents the “spirit”, “soul” and “emotion”, and is the foundation of each of our Kokoro Care Packages.
We deliver premium-quality, artisanal Japanese food made by local farmers and producers in Japan while sharing their stories and supporting their centuries old traditions that sadly face the threat of disappearing due to the declining and aging population in Japan. Through the English brochure included in each Care Package, we bring you closer to Japan, its culture and community, and its philosophies around eating, wellness and agriculture.
What sets us apart is our focus on community. We believe in connection and hope that each of our Care Packages brings people together over a shared meal while also connecting them to local farmers and producers an ocean away.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Being open to learning but also realizing that you have something to offer is probably my greatest advice and learning when it comes to mentoring and networking. Everyone has a story and skills they bring to the table so even in a traditional mentor/mentee relationship, both sides can benefit by sharing their opinion and ideas.
Pricing:
- Monthly subscription – $55 (lower with a multiple period subscription)
- Seasonal subscription – $95 (lower with a multiple period subscription)
- Permanent Collections Care Packages – $60-65
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.kokorocares.com
- Instagram: @kokorocares
- Facebook: @kokorocares
- Twitter: @kokorocares
- Other: Pinterest: @kokorocares
