Aaron Mollin is from Toronto, Canada, and is currently the CEO of IPDefine Ltd. Aaron graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law with a Juris Doctor in 2015. In Toronto, he was often exposed to other Japanese students and Japanese culture, which allowed him to grow an appreciation for Japan. Aaron has lived and worked in Japan for a combined 15 years.

What I put the most effort into • my most memorable experience in university

• Study Abroad

  During my undergraduate at Victoria University - University of Toronto, I went on a one-year study abroad program at Kyoto University, and there wasn’t a moment that wasn’t memorable. I think that this single experience had the biggest impact on who I am as a person. I spent many nights out interacting with locals, joined various activities, met people from different universities, and tried to make the most of the time I had there. The circles were interesting, and I tried to join a tennis circle at one point, but it was too structured for me. After getting a taste of going to Japan, all I wanted to do was go back and I didn’t care how I was going to do it. Even though it is not the perfect place, there is a lot of consistency in terms of day-to-day life in Japan–which I really appreciate.

Things that I regret not doing during my university life

• Startups and Entrepreneurship

  These days, I see a lot of university students who are involved in startups and doing a lot of amazing extracurricular activities outside of the typical clubs or circles. It blows me away because I started my own business at 34, but I know there was always an entrepreneurial side to me, which I would dabble in but never in any formal capacity. Seeing these students, I realized that I didn’t have that type of exposure when I was in university. I wish I had people around me to inspire me so that I could start my own business as opposed to the typical student activities, like partying or drinking. It was not for lack of drive or motivation, but I just didn’t have anyone around to guide me, so I wish I had a mentor to help me understand my capabilities. 

• Law School

  I regret going to law school. It is a massive time and finance drain, and when you come out you have to choose where you want to get licensed, and subsequently work. There are so many restrictions in a world that is becoming more borderless every day. The good news is, even if you become a lawyer, you don’t have to stay in law. I’m living proof of this. Sometimes you must try something and fail before you learn.

• Consider Your Future

  Take a good look at your life now, and what your life is going to look like 10 years from now. Make sure you find something that’s in line with your future expectations. You want to work in a career that will be of benefit to you a few years down the road. Anything people-centric will get you far, as building relationships is something very hard for technology to replicate. The human element can serve you well in your work but also lead to other interesting opportunities in the future. Be open to meeting new people. While it may not provide a tangible benefit at that moment, those connections could be helpful 10 years down the road.

• Recruiters

  Consider using headhunters who have access to roles in the market that you are not aware of. Not all of them are great, but for market research, make sure to leverage their services and knowledge.

• Communication skills

  Japan is a relationship-driven country where relationships can be compared to fruit, they take time to ripen which will mean it might take months or decades. You have to be patient.

• Sales, Marketing, and Human Resources

  Experience in sales and marketing can just about take you anywhere. It is so applicable and transferrable in so many ways. HR is such a broad function: talent, compensation and benefits, business partner, there are so many different facets. So if you’re not sure what you want to do, and want to build up a robust skill set, HR might be a great base because you can go into anything from there.  

At IPDefine Ltd., my main responsibility is global business development and client/partner management. I am also involved in strategic planning, legal process management, and marketing.

My own company, Ichijiku, started 4 years ago when I was gifted a collection of kimonos. I was looking for ways to find unique types of Japanese craftsmanship that I could rework to be more applicable to international audiences. It just so happened that I acquired a bunch of kimonos and I was blown away by how incredible they were, and the history and background of each kimono that was provided by the person who gave them to me. The first thing that I did was find someone to make a few accessories from the kimonos. Then from there, it progressed slowly, then moved to apparel, suiting jackets, and full suits on any kind of scale. I started this while I was doing my full-time job which is the reason why I moved to headhunting (more flexibility). We established our formal Japanese KK (Kabushiki Gaisha) last year and we will be opening our flagship shop this year in February. This has become something more than I imagined because I was never in a position where an idea of mine produced something tangible. My goal is to be the world’s first sustainable luxury brand, starting in Japan and then spreading worldwide.