veryone’s journey to entrepreneurship begins differently. Some are inspired by encouragement from successful figures in society, while others are driven by family influence, leading them to carve out new paths and create legendary stories. Young Japanese entrepreneur Rika Shiiki, supported by her father, founded her company AMF in her third year of middle school with 450,000 yen. She serves as both CEO and General Manager, offering marketing services to clients.
The company name AMF—simple but memorable—comes from Rika Shiiki’s family values: A for Appreciation, M for Modesty, and F for Full-Power.
Influenced by her father, Ryuta Shiiki, Rika gradually developed an entrepreneurial mindset, laying the foundation for her future adventure. When Rika was a child, her father asked her about her dreams almost daily, and no matter what her answer was, he always supported her ideas. This habit encouraged Rika to continually reflect on her goals. Additionally, during everyday car rides to school, Ryuta shared insight about work, management, and life with Rika. These conversations became invaluable “management lessons” that prepared Rika for future entrepreneurship.
As a young person herself, Rika focused on the voices of teenagers. She established AMF as a marketing company dedicated to supporting teens worldwide, helping to fill the gap between businesses and the younger generation. In the era of the internet and social media, young people’s thinking has become more diversified, and their influence and ability to spread information are growing day by day. While many companies recognize the importance of listening to youth, they struggle to understand and adapt to their rapidly changing needs. Leveraging the business acumen nurtured by her family, Rika grabbed this unique opportunity to provide clients with insights into modern youth trends. AMF also advocates for women’s empowerment.
Rika hopes to prove that whether young or female, everyone is full of potential, capable of pursuing dreams, achieving success, and contributing to society.
AMF engages in a wide range of businesses, contributing to increasing social recognition for young people and women. Its activities include research and marketing focused on female high school students, marketing services targeting teenagers, as well as planning and producing various events and products. One of its most well-known events is the JC・JK Buzzword Awards（JC・JK流行語大賞）, where AMF gathers trending topics among high school girls and announces the most popular buzzwords among them in the middle and at the end of each year.
Rika’s entrepreneurial journey has earned her numerous achievements. In 2016, at age 18, she was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia: Media, Marketing & Advertising, gaining international recognition. In the same year, Rika published the book A High School Girl CEO Learns Management (『女子高生社長経営を学ぶ』), which details the failures and hardships she and her father faced before starting a business, discusses topics such as the essence of management, the meaning of work, and the things truly worth cherishing, and explores the life lessons that can be learned through entrepreneurship. In May 2021, when Rika was 23, she became the youngest-ever member of NHK General TV Committee, assisting in program reviews. In November 2021, she was appointed as a promotional ambassador for Iwata City, Shizuoka, by the city’s mayor.
Rika Shiiki’s story is not only extraordinary but also serves as an inspiration for us to follow our dreams, courageously pursue entrepreneurship, and contribute to society.
Edit by Inno-Ambassador— Mak Kwan Wai, Iris（Japanese Studies, year 4 Undergraduate student）
Tranalsted by Inno-Ambassador—Zhi Yongxuan (Culture Management, Master student)
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