The DNA of Entrepreneurial Mindset: A “Quiet Fire” Within Our Hearts / Masatoshi Kana, trifa Inc.

Written by the Universe Editorial Team

In “The DNA of Entrepreneurial Mindset,” we pick a startup entrepreneur who is in the limelight to find out their current values and mindset from various angles.

This time we welcomed Masatoshi Kana, CEO of trifa Inc.

Masatoshi Kana
As a student, Masatoshi Kana experienced an internship at Sun* in Vietnam. After returning to Japan, he joined Zeals as an engineering intern. He officially started working at the company full-time after graduating from university in 2019. At Zeals, he experienced project management and headed an overseas development center. He founded trifa Inc. in 2020 and released the service “trifa” in 2021.

──What made you start a company?

I had the idea of starting my own business when I was in university.

During my student years, I went to Vietnam for about a year and did an internship at a company that runs a startup studio business.

Interacting with Vietnamese students and listening to them talk passionately about changing society with the power of technology made me feel that I was thinking too small. The idea of running my own startup started to form in my mind.

I decided it would be best if I could build my own product and began teaching myself programming. After coming back from Vietnam, I joined a company that offers chatbots as an intern and continued to work there full-time after graduation.

However, what triggered me to actually start my business was my visit to a war memorial museum.

Reading the wills of young people my age who lost their lives in wars really made me contemplate deeply about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. That was when I said to myself ”I want to create a product in Japan that can go global. That is what I am going to use my time for.”

──How do you face failures and setbacks?

“Tough times bring opportunity.” This is how I see things. I try to think about what I can do as the next step whenever I face failures or setbacks.

All I need is a few days to forget the feeling of failure. Most of the time I find myself thinking I had a good learning opportunity.

──What are your non-negotiables?

Having a good cause.

I tried and failed at several businesses before starting the one I have now. None of the businesses worked out because I did not have a good cause that justified I had to be the one to do it nor did I have the excitement to keep going.

However, I felt I had three good reasons to start trifa Inc.

(1) It is based on my foundational experience.

My turning point in life was my trip abroad, so I wanted to launch a service in this domain. Based on my own pain points I came up with “trifa.” Because I am a user myself, I can always have a sense of ownership and enjoy developing the service, which is one of the reasons I can continue running the business.

(2) We can turn “trifa” into a platform.

We all agree that telecommunications is indispensable for travelers going abroad. This alone gives a good enough cause to the service. In addition to that, although we come across many services that improve customer experience “prior to traveling” such as online travel agencies, there is still white space in the market for the customer experience “during their travels.” “trifa” is only a telecommunications service for now, but it has the potential to be expanded to include various new services within the app. I felt there was significance in turning this service into a business.

(3) “trifa” can go global.

“Whether I can create a global service based out of Japan” was important for me when starting my business. “trifa” uses a communication logic that is common in any country and we can aim to expand overseas. We are already offering our service in Asian countries and hiring foreign members. I am very excited to imagine a future where “trifa” is widely known to and used by people abroad as a service that represents Japan.

──Can you explain your team in one word?

“A quiet fire.”

Our team members are all very sincere and kind. However, whenever I communicate with them one-on-one, I can see the passion within their hearts. I respect them for their grit.

──How do you recharge yourself when you feel tired mentally and physically?

I go to the sauna or go on a run to let go of whatever is on my mind. It helps clear my mind and I can move forward with a refreshing feeling.

I also enjoy traveling abroad. Meeting different people and acknowledging how big the world is helps me restore a positive mindset. This relates to what I mentioned earlier, and I think this kind of experience is what made me start a service in the tourism sector.

──What drives you forward?

I guess “the feeling that I am very small” motivates me.

This feeling is actually what made me start my own business. I feel motivated whenever I feel I am not giving enough impact to society.

──What does it take to become a CEO?

Having a resilient mind, not being arrogant, and having big ambitions.

By having a resilient mind, I do not mean you have to build mental strength. What you need to have is a metacognition of your own feelings which means “knowing how you feel in specific situations and being prepared.”

Also, whenever things are going well I attribute it to good luck. It is at such times you need to be prepared to take the next step. “Not being arrogant” is very important to me.

Lastly, about having ambitions. Big ambitions help you have long-run views instead of short ones. How big your ambitions are is important for you to stay on track without losing sight of your stance or decision-making standards.

──Lastly, please share your aspirations.

I created the name “trifa” by combining the words “trip” and “infrastructure.”

Our first focus is to solve the pain points our users face with eSIM while traveling abroad. From here onwards, we want to grow the business to create a world where people will say “all you need is ‘trifa’ and your passport.”

I also have aspirations for the company. I am eager to create a world where Japan takes the initiative as the leading country and create a company that can make this come true. I have big visions and ambitions not just for the business but for the company’s future.

trifa Inc.

“trifa” is an eSIM (a digital SIM embedded into smartphones) service that enables users to communicate overseas with just one single app. “trifa” can be used in 200 countries and regions around the world, and it is expanding its user base as a Japanese eSIM app. The company plans to expand its business overseas and start offering eSIM services to the growing market of inbound customers.