The mindset of doing your best gives you something greater than results — Akemi Darenogare Interview

You have been active as a fashion model across various media, including fashion magazines, but you have also taken on numerous challenges as a businesswoman. Could you share more about your current activities?

Akemi Darenogare (hereinafter, Darenogare): I established CARO Co., Ltd., where I serve as the representative and manage a cosmetics brand.

My first job as a model was for the fashion magazine JJ. About six months after my debut, I was fortunate enough to start receiving offers to appear on variety shows.

I’ve always loved variety shows, and even before entering the entertainment industry, I strongly wished to appear on them someday. At the same time, I admired the modeling profession and always wanted to try it.

So, when I started getting opportunities to appear on variety shows, I was genuinely happy. Shows like Odoru! Sanma Goten!! and Run for Moneywere truly enjoyable.

For Run for Money, I often had demanding schedules, such as shooting late into the night for another program and then traveling to a different location to start filming early the next morning. But thanks to the adrenaline, I managed with little sleep.

Before filming, I would stretch and practice—it felt like being part of a sports club, which was incredibly invigorating. After shooting, when I saw salarymen in suits, I’d momentarily think, “Are the hunters coming!?” (laughs). I was that engrossed in the experience.

Each program had unique and engaging concepts, and every time felt fresh. Although I debuted relatively late, I think appearing on so many different shows at that timing helped establish my TV personality and character.

Transitioning from a fashion model to a company representative in the business world, what challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?

Darenogare: During my school days, I had some free time, so I created a sort of "life planning notebook." My parents had always told me, "The world is heading in a direction where women need to work too. Don’t rely on men; create a space where you can work for yourself."

When I was in high school, I was constantly busy with part-time jobs. My parents’ policy was to pay for tuition, but I had to cover transportation to school and phone bills on my own, so I needed to earn money. However, I discovered that working was fun.

I took on multiple jobs at once and found joy in earning money itself. Since I was a child, I loved playing "store clerk," and toy cash registers weren’t enough for me. I even asked Santa for a "real cash register." In the end, I got a real one and played store by myself at home.

As an adult, imagining myself owning an actual store was incredibly exciting. At the cookie shop where I worked, I learned about product displays and how to operate a cash register, which fueled my dream of running my own store one day.