REQUIREMENTS
ENTRY

OWNDAYS SUMMIT
IN JAPAN 2019

OWNDAYS SUMMIT ─ the annual festival of dreams held around the world. On 23rd April 2019, the grand finale to the OWNDAYS SUMMIT season, OWNDAYS SUMMIT 2019 IN JAPAN, kicked off again at ageHa@STUDIO COAST. Meticulous planning and preparation had been put into making the event, now in its 6th year, the best one ever.

The theme for this year was “Beyond the Future”, a sentiment implying that we create our own destiny and the OWNDAYS SUMMIT sets the stage for one to challenge the present and rise up beyond the foreseeable future.

Some rejoice while others grieve. That is the OWNDAYS SUMMIT, a time filled with numerous heart-warming moments and unforeseeable turn of things. What would it bring to us this time? OWNDAYS SUMMIT, the biggest entertainment event refreshed every year, had unveiled its 2019 edition!

11:25 RECEPTION

Over 600 guests had come together at the ageHa@STUDIO COAST for the summit this year. They included staff from Japan and other parts of the world as well as OWNDAYS fans from around Japan who bought tickets to the summit.

When doors opened, the guests entered through a set of gorgeous red curtains and were greeted by a medley of light display which bounced off the glittering mirror ball hung in the middle of the main floor. The adrenaline in the house had amped up as guests began to stream into the hall.

In the backstage, it was a different atmosphere among the 7 final round Area Manager Election candidates. The tension in the air was particularly high as the candidate prepared themselves for the upcoming individual presentation.

We welcomed the official opening of OWNDAYS SUMMIT 2019 IN JAPAN amid a sea of eager anticipation and varied emotions.

12:25 OPENING

After the opening announcement, a man showed up on stage. It was Okunoya Keisuke from P.I CO., LTD., also known as “Short Pants CEO”.

Short Pants CEO had lent his support to many OWNDAYS events such as SNS trainings and year-end parties. This time, he was invited to do a prelude address again by the Group CEO and there he was, appearing on stage in a sharp suit jacket and short pants.

After the fun, light-hearted opening monologue by Short Pants CEO, lights in the hall dimmed and the opening video played on the giant screens at the front of the hall. First up, it was a series of numbers, each with different significance to OWNDAYS.

One of British rock band Queen’s most popular songs, We Are The Champions, then rang through the speakers. Photos of OWNDAYS’ journey from past to present flashed on the screens in sync with the song. While everyone was engrossed in walking down the memory lane, Freddie Mercury appeared in the middle of the stage, catching everyone by surprise!

It seemed like he was much chubbier and rounder at his waist… That was actually Massa Mizoguchi of the customer service department! He is the legendary MC of the OWNDAYS SUMMIT who is eloquent in 3 languages and one who has witnessed the history of OWNDAYS on this very stage!

MC Massa assumed the persona of Freddie Mercury this summit and got the audience all warmed up!

Next up on stage was Assistant MC, Miki Nowatari, also from the customer service department. She had gone for a head-to-toe beauty treatment right before the summit so she could pass off as the pretty woman of OWNDAY.

The opening declaration was given by Okuno san, a board member with many fans and one who was a key character in the highly-raved book “Story of OWNDAYS: The Revival” written by the Group CEO.

“An event with tears and excitement. The best event ever. I hereby declare the OWNDAYS SUMMIT 2019 IN JAPAN open!” Okuno san, clad in a hakama kimono, spoke in a loud and clear voice.

A fanfare followed the opening declaration. A new chapter in the history of OWNDAYS had finally come to light!

12:40 PRESIDENT'S MANAGEMENT POLICY FOR 2019

“Are you ready?! Let’s welcome this person for our first programme tonight!”

Upon MC Massa’s cue, the song “Scary” by The Mad Capsule Markets blasted from the speakers and colourful lights danced about in the hall. OWNDAYS Group CEO, Tanaka Shuji, made his appearance on stage with the book “Story of OWNDAYS: The Revival” in his hands. As he struck his signature pose at the camera, the audience went wild in cheers. With that, Tanaka san began his presentation on the 2019 management policy.

Tanaka san explained the different stages of OWNDAYS. “OWNDAYS 1.0” refers to the period from the founding of OWNDAYS to the time when he bought over the company. “OWNDAYS 2.0” refers to the period of business revival documented in “Story of OWNDAYS: The Revival”. And now, along with the beginning of the Reiwa era, it’s “OWNDAYS 3.0”, a time we aim to be a well-liked global brand and the introduction of a new project.

That project is “ONE VISION PROJECT”.

OWNDAYS Eye Camp is a corporate social responsibility project in which OWNDAYS distributes glasses to people in developing countries and those living in places affected by natural disasters. It was started in response to the Tohoku Earthquake that struck Japan on 11th March 2011. The new ONE VISION PROJECT is an extension of the OWNDAYS Eye Camp.

In Japan, there is currently a shortage of guide dogs. Public facilities and social acceptance of guide dogs are also lacking. In order to improve the situation, OWNDAYS will be supporting the Japan Guide Dog Association in their initiatives aimed at creating a safe and inclusive society for the visually impaired individuals and their guide dogs.

The philosophy of OWNDAYS is to enrich the life of everyone associated with OWNDAYS. Tanaka san reiterated his determination to secure improved profits and to continue business growth in order to enrich the lives of the customers, employees, business partners and everyone whom we might cross paths with in the future.

“OWNDAYS 3.0” signifies the rise of a new era. We could feel the boundless growth potential in OWNDAYS upon hearing Tanaka san’s presentation.

13:15 AREA MANAGER ELECTION 2019 – FINAL STAGE

In the darkness, a spotlight shone brightly across the hall onto a man on stage. It was MC Massa.

His voice echoed in the silent hall.

“The people of OWNDAYS
Eyeing to be at the top of shop operations…
C’mon out…!”

This was a time when history would be re-written, year after year. Along with MC Massa’s opening declaration and his traditional Japanese drum performance, the 9th Area Manager Election had begun!!

7th place in the qualifying round

Current Supervisor of Kyushu Area

Atsushi Kumano

6th place in the qualifying round

Current Supervisor of Kanto Area

Ohno Shogo

5th place in the qualifying round

Current Area Manager of Okinawa Area

Nakada Shoya

4th place in the qualifying round

Current Area Manager of East Japan Area

Kotaki Saori

3rd place in the qualifying round

Current Area Manager of East Japan Area

Sugawara Tsukasa

2nd place in the qualifying round

Current Area Manager of Kyushu Area

Hirabayashi Masayuki

1st place in the qualifying round

Current Area Manager of West Japan Area

Hiroshi Sogihara

Standing tall on the stage were the final 7 candidates out of the 12 in the qualifying round. It was time for the final stage of the 2019 Area Manager Election.

The final stage was held in a Q&A format. Candidates would have to answer 5 questions within a time limit of one minute for each question. Questions such as “What are your thoughts about operations and sales?” and “How do you approach your everyday work?” gave everyone better insight into each candidate’s guiding principles and career aspirations.

Unlike the past years, points from the first round would not be tabulated into the final scores. Since the final results would be dependent on this Q&A segment entirely, it was evident that the 7 candidates were all tensed up during the Q&A segment.

The tense atmosphere in the hall rose and fell in tune with the turn-up and turn-down of the spotlight. The 7 candidates responded to the questions one by one, trying their best to relay their opinions and beliefs within the short one-minute time frame.

Without a doubt, there were answers that ran over and there were answers that fell short of the one-minute time frame. With the time ticking away every second, the audience were even more attentive in listening to the candidates this year.

After an intense Q&A segment, it was voting time. Based on the votes of the staff in attendance during the summit, the top 5 would be elected area managers, forming OWNDAYS’ engine of growth in 2019. Which 5 would be the area managers elected by OWNDAYS staff? We would find out shortly.

14:40 OWNDAYS I.R.A.C WORLD MAX 2019 – SEMI-FINAL

OWNDAYS INTERNATIONAL RIMLESS ASSEMBLING CONTEST, also known as the OWNDAYS I.R.A.C., is a contest of skills among OWNDAYS staff around the world. The one who can make the most perfect pair of rimless glasses will take home the World No.1 title, a pair of golden pliers and the prize money of 1 million yen.

Now in its 5th year running, contestants from 12 countries were vying for the champion title. In fact, over 700 staff had signed up for the contest and the 15 representatives who won the respective national final in each country had come together here on the stage of OWNDAYS SUMMIT 2019 IN JAPAN.

Could the Philippines which defeated 3 times champion, Singapore, defend the title this year? Or could Singapore reclaim the World No. 1 throne? Could this be Japan’s first world champion title? No one could tell how this battle would eventually unfold…

To ensure upmost fairness, this contest was held under the close supervision of a panel of trusted judges which included:

Osawa Sakae, World Trainer

Steven, World Trainer

Peggy, Trainer of OWNDAYS Taiwan

Ken, Trainer of OWNDAYS Thailand

Nagatsu Kazutaka, head of skills training in OWNDAYS, took on the role of the chief judge.

The judges would be scoring the rimless glasses at the end of the contest.

Contestants were separated into the red corner and the blue corner. One winner from each corner would move on to the final to vie for the World No.1 title.

In the blue corner:

Ohno Shogo, from Japan

Nagasawa Hidekazu, from Japan

Ervin, from Indonesia

Lai, from Malaysia

Nila, from Cambodia

Joycelyn, from Singapore

Trevor, from Singapore

In the red corner:

Alex, from Taiwan

Wayne, from Taiwan

Sally, from Vietnam

Deepak, from India

Herman, from Hong Kong

Jib, from Thailand

Chris, from Australia

Joseph, from the Philippines

All of the 15 contestants were very meticulous when it came to checking the frames, tools and equipment that were set on the table. They were organising and re-positioning the tools and adjusting the height of the drilling machine to the level most comfortable to them. Some took deep breaths; some stretched their arms to warm up; some said silent prayers.

When everyone was ready, the countdown timer sounded off and the contest began. All the contestants went straight into assembling their rimless glasses without the slightest pause.

The time limit was 15 minutes. Which two contestants could assemble the most perfect pair of rimless glasses in such a short time frame and move on to the final round? Only God would know. We couldn’t wait to find out the results!

15:30 OWNDAYS GROUP INTRODUCTION

As of April 2019, OWNDAYS had attained a retail presence in 12 countries and was on the road to becoming a global eyewear brand. Representatives from the 12 countries, namely Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and India had gathered on the stage of the summit.

Suddenly, the theme song of Pirates of the Caribbean played on the speakers and two men, donning the iconic Captain Jack Sparrow look complete with dreadlocks and long black robes, appeared among the country representatives. They were the two forerunners who led OWNDAYS onto the global front!

Mr Koga, Executive Operating Officer of Overseas Business Development

Mr Umiyama, OWNDAYS Group COO

These two key people gave us a recap of 2018 and shared the outlook for the coming year.

Next, we welcomed a special guest on stage – Mr Norbert Leuret from LVMH MOET HENNESSY LOUIS VUITTON JAPAN, the company which announced its investment in OWNDAYS last year. Mr Leuret had taken time off his busy schedule to join in the OWNDAYS SUMMIT!

Mr Norbet spoke about the huge possibilities that OWNDAYS would have in the future even though we had already achieved tremendous growth in recent years. We look forward to the accelerated growth of OWNDAYS around the world moving forward!

What kind of scale would the OWNDAYS SUMMIT be next year? Stay tuned!

16:05 INTERMISSION

The AM election candidates and I.R.A.C. contestants could finally take a breather from the tensed state they were in since the beginning of the summit.

Food and drinks were served. The guests had a great time catching up with others while enjoying the delectable spread. We could hear happy chatters all around.

Guests were all toasting to one another, taking photos together and chit-chatting. With staff from over 20 nationalities and people chatting in different languages, the scene right there was a true testament to the global reach of OWNDAYS today.

16:40 2019 NEW STAFF INTRODUCTION AND BEST ROOKIE AWARD PRESENTATION

Spring is the season of fresh beginning. It’s the time when we have the OWNDAYS SUMMIT and also welcome new members joining the OWNDAYS family! This year, there was a total of 77 new members.

The number of new staff members has been increasing year by year. Don’t you agree that such a big jump in staff number comes to show the growth momentum of OWNDAYS?

MC Massa approached the newcomers in the audience and interviewed them one by one. The newcomers were not daunted by the impromptu attention on them and even countered MC Massa with witty, sharp responses. It seemed like no hurdles could set this new generation of OWNDAYS members back!

Following which, we had the Best Rookie award announcement. This was when the newcomers had their first try at the voting system, an important culture in OWNDAYS.

Everyone had to vote on a person with the greatest potential among them. The criteria taken into consideration included the person’s ability, attitude and effort shown during training.

Lights were dimmed and the sound of drumroll rang from the speakers.

2019 Best Rookie went to…

Ino Minami!

She received her award from Kim Doyeong, the 2018 Best Rookie winner. The award also included a company holiday trip to Bali.

We can’t wait to see the newcomers shine in each of their own arenas!

17:10 OWNDAYS I.R.A.C WORLD MAX 2019 – FINAL ROUND

Scores of the semi-final were tabulated and it was time to announce the results. One winner from the red corner and one winner from the blue corner would head into the final round. The hall was enveloped by a tense atmosphere as the results came on.

First up, we announced the results of the blue corner. The last two contestants left standing were Ohno Shogo from Japan and Trevor from Singapore. Coincidently, this I.R.A.C. marked both contestants’ return to the World Stage after their debut 4 years ago. Only one of them could move on to the next stage.

Japan VS Singapore

Victory in this fateful battle went to…

Ohno Shogo of Japan!!

Japan, the founding place of OWNDAYS, had finally returned to final stage after a 2-year hiatus!

Results of the red corner were next. The last two contestants left standing were Jib from Thailand and Joseph from the Philippines. On one side was a nation which had seen tremendous progress in scale and technical capabilities while on the other side was the reigning world champion in 2018.

The victor among the two fast-growing nations was…

Joseph of the Philippines!

The final battle was one between two nations of different agendas - Japan eyeing the honour and pride as the world champion and the Philippines hoping for better lives after taking home the prize money.

The stage was turned into the battle ring with the two finalists eyeing on the campion title as they prepared themselves for the final fight. Joseph said his prayers while Ohno Shogo played the fool to mask his nervousness. The setup on stage was done. It was time to bring on the final battle.

With a mere 10-minute time limit, it was a real test of the two finalists’ skills. MC Massa led the countdown to the start of the contest. The flame was lit and the final battle had begun!

Both finalists started working on their rimless glasses immediately. Joseph focused on assembling the rimless glasses quietly but steadily while Ohno Shogo appeared to be working on the rimless glasses with much ease.

Despite the contrasting auras, the two were both warriors with solid track records and the battle only got more intense as time passed by.

Time slipped away quickly and the first to complete his glasses was Joseph from the red corner. He had his full concentration on his rimless glasses throughout the contest. However, as soon as he completed his rimless glasses, his expression turned into one mixed with confidence and anxiousness.

Ohno Shogo completed his rimless glasses several seconds after Joseph, marking the end of the final round. Stage crew collected the completed glasses and handed them to the judges consisting of World Trainers, Osawa Sakae and Steven as well as Trainer Manager, Aileen from the Philippines.

The two finalists stood in the centre of the stage under spotlights with chief judge Nagatsu between them. He held onto their hands tightly, waiting for the moment to raise the hand of the world champion. Whose hand would be raised? It was time for the two young warriors to embrace their destinies.

Judge Osawa favouring Joseph of the red corner!

The final verdict was based on the judgement of three judges. A change of tide could happen unless one finalist had secured votes from two judges.

Judge Steven favouring Ohno Shogo of the blue corner!

The second judge was in favour of Ohno Shogo.

The air seemed to freeze at this point in time.

Judge Aileen favouring Joseph of the red corner!

Winner was Joseph from the Philippines!

The Philippines managed to defend the throne, becoming the world champion in the 5th instalment of the OWNDAYS I.R.A.C. World Max 2019!

With tears flowing down his cheeks, Joseph hugged the Philippines team on the stage. Meanwhile, the audience congratulated him with applause and cheers. Besides the OWNDAYS World No. 1 title, Joseph also received a pair of custom-made golden pliers and 1-million-yen cash prize. His OWNDAYS dream had finally come true!

Ohno Shogo was presented with a trophy and a certificate. Although being World No. 2 was still a commendable feat, he was clearly drowned in regret. Sliver confetti filled the stage as if to celebrate the end of a good fight, marking the conclusion of the OWNDAYS I.R.A.C. WORLD MAX 2019 and the rise of a new world champion!

18:40 RESULTS OF AREA MANAGER ELECTION 2019 – FINAL STAGE

From application in February to the final stage at the summit, the long election was finally at its finale. It was time to unveil the results of the 2019 Area Manager Election.

The 7 candidates had returned to the stage. Their faces clouded with anxiety, spilling an air of anxiousness over the hall. For the candidates, this was the moment to find out where they would stand in the coming year. For the staff in the audience, this was the moment to find out who their new leaders would be.

The top 5 candidates would be elected as the new area managers. An uneasy silence blanketed the hall as everyone waited for the results.

We started off with the 4th place, in other words, a successful candidate.

In 4th place was...

Kotaki Saori

The spotlight shone brightly on Kotaki Saori. There was a tinge of regret behind her smile. Since becoming area manager for the first-time last year, she had been trying her best to learn the ropes. As such, she was disappointed with her standing in this election. The audience applauded warmly as Kotaki Saori vowed to do better in the next election.

The next was 7th place ― when some win, others lose.

In 7th place was...

Kumano Atsushi

This was the first time the current Supervisor of Kyushu Area had successfully made it to the final round. Despite constantly delivering results in the two terms as a supervisor, Kumano Atsushi was unsuccessful in his vie to become an area manager. He stood on stage with regret written all over his face.

“I accept this outcome and I’ll try again,” said Kumano Atsushi while trying to suppress his disappointment.

Life has its ups and downs. Heartened by Kumano Atsushi’s fighting spirit, the audience cheered him on, hoping to see his return next year.

Next up was 3rd place.

Securing the area manager position was...

Nakada Shoya!

He had made a huge leap forward in the last election, rising from a shop manager of a flagship store to area manager. This year, he had levelled up yet again from 5th place last year to 3rd place!

Even though he was new to the role of an area manager, Nakada Shoya had put in a lot of effort in his work, earning huge support from the staff in Okinawa Area. In fact, the staff were overjoyed that he could retain his position this year.

The next set of results was one of the climaxes. Coming in 5th signified success whereas 6th meant defeat. Lights were dimmed and drumroll rang from the speakers. The results shown on the screen were...

In 5th place, Ohno Shogo!

In 6th place, Sugawara Tsukasa!

Supervisor Ohno Shogo had defeated current Area Manager Sugawara Tsukasa! He had shown huge improvements over the years since joining OWNDAYS in 2010 and was credited for raising the sales of the stores he had been assigned to. He had managed to win the hearts of the audience even though this was his first time on the election stage.

On the other hand, Sugawara Tsukasa had fallen from the area manager position. Although daily sales in his area had been spectacular, he failed to appeal to the audience during the Q&A segment. He was visibly disappointed with the results. We do hope he would continue to challenge himself and return to this stage stronger than before.

Finally, results were in for 1st and 2nd place. Sogihara Hiroshi was eyeing for a 5th win. Could he achieve this remarkable feat? Or would he be replaced by Hirabayashi Masayuki who had learnt the ropes of an area manager under Sogihara Hiroshi’s mentorship since his successful election in 2017. The fateful showdown between the two was finally put to an end.

Following the drumroll of fate, the light of victory was cast on...

Hirabayashi Masayuki!

Hirabayashi Masayuki had beaten his mentor Sogihara Hiroshi, the 4-time 1st place record holder, to progress from 4th place last year to 1st place this year!

From merely a part-time staff, Hirabayashi Masayuki had made huge improvement and even overcoming setbacks to rise above his seniors. This come-from-behind victory was indeed very iconic of OWNDAYS.

Sogihara Hiroshi congratulated Hirabayashi Masayuki for his win. Although filled with disappointment, he was heartened to see the impressive growth achieved by his junior. The audience cheered the two candidates on for putting up a great battle.

With this, we concluded the 2019 Area Manager Election with the 5 new area managers being Hirabayashi Masayuki, Sogihara Hiroshi, Nakada Shoya, Kotaki Saori and Ohno Shogo. Let’s look forward to them leading OWNDAYS to greater heights in the upcoming year!

19:10 OWNDAYS BY OWNDAYS

We were nearing the end of OWNDAYS SUMMIT 2019 IN JAPAN with excitement and heart-warming sentiments lingering in the air. Suddenly, lights were dimmed and the hall became so quiet you could hear a pin drop. As audience waited eagerly for the next programme to come on, the voice of MC Nowatari reverberated in the darkness.

“Last but not the least, we will have just one more award presentation here today. Among all the OWNDAYS staff in the world, there is one person who has shown the most OWNDAYS traits in the past one year. This person will be awarded OWNDAYS by OWNDAYS from none other than the Group CEO himself.”

The winner of the 2019 OWNDAYS by OWNDAYS was…

Tonohara Ami, the supervisor of Okinawa Area who was appointed the role only last year.

Tonohara Ami covered her face in astonishment upon seeing her name on the screen. The staff around her cheered and congratulated her as she made her way to the stage, overwhelmed with emotions. Group CEO Tanaka san welcomed her on stage with a big, wide smile and presented her the award certificate.

In addition to the award certificate, plaque and a company holiday trip, winners of the award would now receive a diamond encrusted champion ring from this summit onwards.

“There are staff who return to work in OWNDAYS after quitting. Tonohara is one of those who have returned and she has actually moved on to become a supervisor. She has always looked very happy at work and that’s why I’ve decided to award her with OWNDAYS by OWNDAYS,” Group CEO Tanaka san shared the reason for awarding the accolade to Tonohara Ami.

A sofa was set at the centre of the stage just like the past years and Tonohara Ami sat down to watch a surprise video prepared by the committee. On the screen was a main door, the same, nostalgic one in the house where Tonohara Ami was born and raised and where her parents still lived.

In the video, her parents shared memories of Tonohara Ami as a child. We could feel their brimming love for her and their hope for her to excel in her career. Tonohara Ami burst into tears watching her mother read a letter to her in the video and at the words of encouragement from her colleagues. The audience gave her their loudest applause when the video ended.

“There were tough times this year but thanks to the support from the staff in Okinawa, I’m able to come this far. I’ve realised how much I love OWNDAYS after coming back to work. I’ll continue to challenge myself and work hard to become a role model for everyone.”

The audience clapped warmly to Tonohara’s thank you speech.

19:30 CLOSING

OWNDAYS SUMMIT 2019 IN JAPAN came to an end after an eventful day filled with excitement, tear-jerking moments and an unexpected turn of things.

“I almost cried watching the OWNDAYS SUMMIT this year. Even for me, as the Group CEO, there are tough times. However, seeing how hard everyone works really gives me the drive to push on. Let’s keep going so we can organise an even bigger OWNDAYS SUMMIT next year for more people!”

After Tanaka san’s closing speech, the finale of the night was our usual event tradition – the OWNDAYS cheer.

“Yeah! Yeah! OWNDAYS!!!!”

The audience united as one and joined in the OWNDAYS cheer as gold confetti danced in the air.

“Lastly, let me introduce the committee members who have helped to organise this summit. Please give them a big round of applause!”

One after the other, the summit committee members appeared on stage for curtain call. They stood in the middle of the stage and gathered all the audience for a group photo, marking the end of the OWNDAYS SUMMIT 2019 IN JAPAN.

19:45 DJ Dainoji Live Special

Just when everyone thought OWNDAYS SUMMIT this year had ended, DJ Dainoji burst onto the stage!

“Hey, hey, hey! We’re not done yet! We’ve been waiting so long for our turn to come onstage! Hello, we are DJ Dainoji!”

The first song “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by JET was a classic performance of Daichi, who won the Air Guitar World Championships 2006. The audience were amped up instantly!

The area managers were so hyped up by the upbeat music that they decided to join DJ Dainoji on stage. Seeing the area managers on stage, the staff also joined in and eventually, everyone, including the Group CEO and business partners, was dancing together on stage.

It was a great, sweaty finale to the summit with everyone dancing away on stage for over an hour!

With that, OWNDAYS SUMMIT 2019 IN JAPAN came to a splendid close.

OWNDAYS is set for huge growth in the upcoming year. How would the next summit unfold? We can’t wait to bring it on!

OWNDAYS SUMMIT IN JAPAN 2019!

This was OWNDAYS SUMMIT 2019 IN JAPAN, a happy time and a great memory we shared!