Make Business Easier for Solo CEOs... From Support Associations to Business Idea Verification AI [Can You Do It Alone] ④

Various Support Services for Solo CEOs in Japan
Customer Acquisition, Promotion, and More for 460,000 Won a Month
Will Your Idea Work? Services That Verify Business Potential

Editor's NoteWe are now in the era of 8 million single-person households. In Korea, single-person households make up 36% of all households, a higher proportion than Japan’s 34%. Yet, many believe that services for people living alone are still lacking. How should we prepare for change? By looking at the diverse services developed in Japan, a country that has proactively responded to the rise in single-person households, we aim to explore new approaches that have not yet been attempted in Korea.

"I understand what it feels like to handle everything alone-sales, customer acquisition, promotion, and more. I created this service because I have experienced it myself."

This is the promotional message for Hitorisacho no Mikata, a support service for solo business owners. The company name means "Ally for Solo CEOs," and it takes charge of all aspects of management for solo entrepreneurs, including organizing fundraising, building sales systems, and compiling potential customer lists. The service costs about 50,000 yen (460,000 won) per month.

Hitorisacho no Mikata introduces itself by saying, "It's essentially like hiring a staff member at the team leader level or above," and highlights that there are no bonuses, severance pay, or legal procedures required for dismissal. They even offer a refund plan if no results are achieved.

Hitorisacho no Mikata Introduction Page. It is introduced with the phrase, "A solo business owner needs a trustworthy ally by their side." Hitorisacho no Mikata.

In Japan, where solo entrepreneurship is the mainstream, a variety of support services have emerged. In 2006, Japan implemented a revision to the Companies Act, allowing corporations to be established with only 1 yen in capital and a single director. Since then, the number of solo CEOs managing their own companies has increased. According to a 2025 survey on new business openings by the Japan Finance Corporation, at the time of establishment, 42.6% of businesses had only one employee, 22.5% had two, 11.6% had three, 7.23% had four, 12.9% had five to nine, and 3.2% had ten or more employees.

Unlike other business types, solo CEOs can make decisions quickly. They also have the advantage of being able to freely change the direction of their business on their own. However, they must handle and take full responsibility for everything themselves-from business strategy and planning to execution, marketing, sales, accounting, customer service, legal, and tax management. There are few places to share these concerns.

For this reason, services such as proxy management for those who excel in their field work but struggle with management, and verification AI software that evaluates new ideas, are helping solo CEOs.

Japanese company Nokutech operates a service that verifies business ideas for solo CEOs. Nokutech promotes itself as "a service that helps solo CEOs who want to start a new business but are overwhelmed by existing work, or who have ideas but lack the time to verify demand." Of particular note is their business idea verification AI. This prevents the risk of blindly expanding into new businesses without prior market research based solely on an idea. Nokutech first consults with the entrepreneur to introduce an AI model tailored to their needs, enabling the verification of new business ideas according to the characteristics of each business. For example, if a retailer wants to launch a new business, the AI simulates starting the business with that idea and verifies online demand and market response.

Supporters introduced by the nonprofit organization "One-Person CEO Support Association." They provide assistance tailored to the needs of solo CEOs. One-Person CEO Support Association.

Furthermore, associations dedicated to solo CEOs have also been established. These organizations provide comprehensive responses to all the services a solo CEO might need while running their business alone. They can resolve everything from management difficulties, staff shortages, disputes with business partners, legal and management consultations involving inheritance or business succession, to services that are difficult for a solo CEO to handle alone, such as website creation, profile photo shoots, and investment review advice.

Shimoda Hiroyuki, head of the One-Person CEO Support Association, explained the motivation for founding the association: "I worked for 35 years at the Fukuoka Prefectural Government, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises. During that time, I met many solo CEOs who struggled with stagnant sales or had no one to consult about management issues. I took their concerns seriously and mobilized a network of experts from various fields who had served in public office to establish the association and become a reliable partner for them."

Other new services are also gaining attention, such as "Labosec," an online subscription service that provides accounting secretary work for solo CEOs, and "Makekomon," which specializes exclusively in marketing.