Hello, this is Matsubara, CRM Evangelist.

Let me tell you a little about myself.

After graduating from high school, I was homeless.

There was a time when I had nowhere to live and was barely able to make ends meet.
But strangely enough, during that period, I didn't think "I have nothing," but rather "I have nothing to lose, so I can give it my all."

Fighting with my back against the wall—that was my starting point.

I studied intensely and got a job as a programmer. After gaining experience as a systems engineer and systems architect at a domestic systems company, I joined Accenture Technology Solutions (now Accenture) as one of its founding members.
From high school graduate and homeless to becoming the youngest person ever to join Accenture.
From an outsider's perspective, it might look like a "major comeback."

But I myself didn't think of it as a "major comeback."
I simply kept giving it my all.

I believe this is at the root of my approach to CRM.
I now realize that supporting clients in their self-realization journey and helping them unlock their potential stems from my own life experiences.

"Infragistics Era" - Microsoft MVP Award Winner

After leaving Accenture, I moved to the United States alone and joined Infragistics, a US software company, and later participated in the establishment of its Japanese subsidiary.
As an executive officer, I was in a position to oversee the management, sales, marketing, and internal IT departments simultaneously.

During this period, I became the first Japanese person to receive the Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award in the Dynamics CRM/Business Solutions category .

The Microsoft MVP award is given to experts whose technical contributions, knowledge, and expertise regarding Microsoft products are recognized at a global level within the community.
Being the first Japanese person to win an award in the Dynamics CRM category is a source of personal pride for me, and I believe it demonstrates that "there are world-renowned experts in the Japanese CRM market."

At that time in Japan, CRM was not properly understood.
Many companies refer to SFA and MA as "CRM," and the true essence of CRM—"creating a system that encourages customers to buy"—was not understood.
Receiving world-class certification in such times has strengthened my conviction that I want to make CRM in Japan a reality.

With Infragistics' business entering a stable phase, I will be moving on to the next stage of my career by joining Microsoft Japan, where I will be working as a pre-sales engineer (solution specialist) and a founding member of the Dynamics CRM team.

"CRM 2.0 (xRM)" - An extension of the CRM concept

At Microsoft Japan, I led a service team specializing in CRM, supporting the implementation and adoption of CRM in various companies.

It was during this period that I devised xRM (eXtended Relationship Management) —a concept that I would later define as "CRM 2.0."

Traditional CRM (CRM 1.0) was constrained by the definition of "managing relationships with customers."
However, xRM fundamentally expands that framework.
"X" stands for eXtended, meaning that relationship management is not limited to customers only.This includes all parties with which a company or organization has a relationship, such as suppliers, agents, partners, employees, government agencies, and non-profit organizations.It expands to include [something].

I have been deeply involved in the development and popularization of this CRM 2.0 concept.
Having encountered CRM at Accenture, the company that invented it, and having conceived and popularized CRM 2.0, I have the confidence to say that I am "the only legitimate successor and leading expert on CRM in Japan."

This idea is the origin of "entity design that can handle all business processes without coding" in EMOROCO CRM Lite today.
CRM allows you to manage not only customer relationships, but also all kinds of "relationships"—business partners, projects, staff, and partners.
I have always held onto that design philosophy.

Establishment of "ARCUS JAPAN" — ARTists for CUStomer Success

In 2014, I joined Artisan Co., Ltd. as Executive Vice President and Head of CRM Business Unit.
Then, on July 1, 2020, the CRM business unit was spun off into a separate company.Arcus Japan Co., Ltd.Was born.

I incorporated my aspirations into the company name, "Arcuss Japan."

ARTists for CUStomer SuccessS — "Artisans for customer success."

We insisted on calling ourselves a "group of craftsmen," rather than a "CRM company" or an "IT consultant."
A craftsman is someone who has mastered their skills and uses those skills to the fullest extent "for the success of their customers."
We don't want to be "people with the skills to sell," but rather "craftsmen with the skills to help our customers succeed."

This self-definition as a "craftsman" forms the root of the CRM 4.0 concept of "shifting from 'management' to 'co-creation'."

The decision to establish a three-office structure—Osaka (headquarters), Tokyo, and Hiroshima—was also intentional.
Instead of concentrating everything in Tokyo, we want to promote regional revitalization and development, and deliver the benefits of CRM to small and medium-sized enterprises in rural areas.
"Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises with top-of-the-line CRM. Aiming for regional revitalization and economic revitalization"—this is our mission.

"CRM is hospitality" - Why Japan can lead the world

"We value the pride of being a world leader in the CRM business and we carry out our business with that in mind. In Japanese terms, CRM has many similarities to 'omotenashi' (Japanese hospitality). We want to spread omotenashi all over the world. We want to bring smiles to everyone around the world."

This is something I actually say quite often.

What is the essence of hospitality?
I believe it's about "sensing what the other person needs before they even put it into words, and taking proactive steps."

This is precisely what we define as "ICX (Implicit Customer Experience)" in CRM3.0/CRM4.0—resonance with the experiences, emotions, and values ​​that customers do not put into words.

The Japanese have the world's best hospitality culture.
By combining that culture with CRM technology, we can create a CRM system from Japan that can compete on a global scale.
I truly believe that. "The key to Japan's revival must lie in CRM"—I mean that with all my heart.

Many Japanese business leaders have little understanding of CRM.
Too many companies are investing heavily in ERP systems but neglecting CRM.
Core systems are "defensive IT" that build the present from the past.
However, CRM is "proactive IT," something that will shape the future.
That's why I continue to raise awareness about CRM.

"Versatylist" - What I wanted to convey

In June 2024, I published my first book, " Versatylist: How to Become a Top Performer (One in 10,000) by Age 35," through Kodansha.

A third path—neither a "specialist" nor a "generalist"—is the "versatility-teller" (a person who possesses deep expertise in multiple fields and combines them across disciplines).
SE → Accenture (Consultant/Architect) → Infragistics (Management, Sales, Marketing, and Internal IT) → Microsoft Japan (CRM Specialist) → And now a business owner — My own career path is that of a versatility specialist.

My motivation for writing the book is simple.
"Even though I was a high school dropout and homeless, I was able to get this far if I had the right approach. I wanted to convey this message to people who have similar potential but have given up because they don't know how to go about it."

The kind of talent that CRM 4.0 requires is precisely that of a versatility specialist.
Sales skills alone, data analysis skills alone, or IT skills alone are not enough.
A person who possesses "empathic intelligence (EI)," "insight (SoI)," and "relationship building skills (CRM 4.0)" across disciplines—that is what we call a "CRM Doctor (CRM Consultant)," a versatile specialist in the CRM field.

"EMOROCO CRM Lite" - The culmination of our philosophy

In 2026, we released EMOROCO CRM Lite along with CRM 4.0 .

"Making the design philosophy of enterprise CRM simpler"—this product was born from my experience at Microsoft Japan, where I grappled with the latest Dynamics CRM, confronted the CRM 2.0 (xRM) concept that I myself advocated, and supported the implementation of CRM for hundreds of companies.

We're translating the sophisticated CRM design philosophy for large corporations—a system of emotional visualization, narrative accumulation, and insight (SoI)—into a form that small and medium-sized enterprises can use starting from ¥1,500 per user per month.
That was our challenge.

Currently, EMOROCO CRM Lite is registered as an eligible tool for the Digital AI Introduction Subsidy 2026 (formerly the IT Introduction Subsidy) (Tool number:DL07-0022934).
By utilizing subsidies, you can further reduce the actual costs in the first year and get started.
Implementing EMOROCO CRM Lite with the Digital AI Implementation Subsidy 2026 — A Complete Guide to Application Procedures, Subsidy Amount, and Eligibility Requirements

Even now, I still take pride in the fact that Arcus Japan is "the only specialized company in Japan that has the most in-depth knowledge of CRM in the world."
It might sound like an exaggeration.
But I'm serious.
By focusing entirely on CRM, Arcus Japan aims to become a globally recognized group of experts, just as "Microsoft is software, Google is SEO, and Apple is devices" would define "Arcus Japan is CRM."

I've come this far from being homeless, so please believe me.

If you put your heart and soul into it, a path will surely open up for you.

To unlock the potential of our customers' businesses together—that is the raison d'être of ARtists for CUStomer SuccesS (ARCUS Japan).
EMOROCO CRM Lite Product Page

Arcus Japan Company Profile

Related article: [What is CRM 4.0? — The latest CRM philosophy and practices that realize "co-creation" with customers]

Related article: [The philosophical gap between CRM 3.0 and CRM 4.0: A shift from "analyzing customers" to "resonating with customers"]

Related article: [EMOROCO CRM Lite has been registered as an eligible tool for IT implementation subsidies]