Inside the World of appcycle: A Day in Business Management

Please introduce yourself

Hello, my name is Midori Matsunaga. I joined appcycle in October 2023. I live in Tokyo but I was born in Fukushima Prefecture. Most of the people in the company are from Aomori so I felt a bit nervous when I first joined but I like working here and I grew to like lots of things about Aomori, including the attractions and the people!

What do you do at appcycle?

I’m a Business Development and Marketing Manager. I’m in charge of the Marketing team and am the lead in its activities. Since our company is a start-up, there are a lot of things that I have to do that are not necessarily under my job title, but I don’t really mind. For example, I’m in charge of granting applications, internal system related tasks, and branding related or press release related activities. 

How did you join the company?

I was working at a recruitment agency for about 6 years before joining. However, I developed an interest in a career path related to SDGs and the environment. I realised upcycling is a key for solving environment related issues so I tried to find a job related to it. I also wanted to work for a start-up. I looked for jobs online and I couldn’t find any that met my requirements on regular job-hunting sites so I took to Google and eventually found appcycle. At the time there was no hiring information, but I showed my interest in the company through the contact form on the website and our CEO replied! We did a call on Zoom and I told him that I wanted to work for the company and he offered me a position.

What do you like most about the company?

I like how our business creates a positive effect on society. The first reason is because we are a sustainable business through upcycling. We use discarded apple skins that would normally contribute to food waste, and instead we turn it into something new. I think that things like upcycling are necessary and important for saving the environment. 

The second reason is that the more successful we become, the more we can support Aomori prefecture and other small communities. If we can help share how to build a successful business with others, it can benefit many people, in Aomori or in any other place. 

Can you give us a brief example of what your schedule is like at work?

I normally start my work day at 9 AM, and I make it a point to have a schedule and a list of tasks that I need to do so I can check them before I start working. I also check on our SNS accounts like Instagram to see how our posts are doing and if we’re gaining more followers. I take this time to accomplish any tasks or join meetings that are scheduled for the day. I normally finish at around 4:30 PM.

What’s your favourite RINGO-TEX product?

I really like the Beatles’ watch collaboration with Seiko. It’s a bit outside of my budget, but I really like the product!  I also like Ourin chan’s What is Heart products since they are quite cute. 

Do you have any messages for our readers?

I hope they can go and see RINGO-TEX leather and products themselves! Hopefully we will have more opportunities to meet our followers in real life. I’d like to talk to them in the future and learn more about their thoughts on our products. I’d like to collaborate with other companies as well since I think we have a great potential to solve environmental issues not just in Japan but across the globe.  I hope that if you read this article, you can follow our Instagram and learn more about us. Please continue to support us!