Miho Shoji, the Co-Founder of Moodbit Copilot, stands as an influential figure in the world of AI innovation for organizational enhancement.
With a keen understanding of the challenges HR departments in multinational corporations face, Miho embarked on a mission to revolutionize efficient data management and analysis. Moodbit Copilot emerged as a visionary solution, empowering HR professionals and businesses to harness the potential of comprehensive data. Working alongside her dedicated team, Miho has led Moodbit Copilot to become a startup renowned for leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) to improve organizational productivity and engagement. The platform, functioning as both a virtual data analyst and a strategic partner, is reshaping the decision-making landscape within HR.
We asked Miho about the story behind Moodbit Copilot’s founding, what has been the most unexpected part of her entrepreneurial journey, and how she would describe the journey she’s been on thus far.
Tell us the story behind your company’s founding. How and why did you start working on Moodbit Copilot?
After building my first business 13 years ago and working with many HR departments of various multinational companies, my Co-Founder and I learned one of the biggest challenges that these areas were facing. Regardless of the size of the company, the industry, the product or service they were selling, or even the size of their HR departments, managing and analyzing data was a struggle. HR departments often answer questions that managers, executives, and employees have about people’s data. However, the lack of experience with data and the long and manual process make it very difficult to come up with fast, accurate answers.
Moodbit Copilot truly serves as a game-changer for organizations seeking data-driven excellence. In today's data-centric landscape, the challenge of harnessing extensive information for informed decision-making is paramount. Moodbit Copilot comes to the rescue by offering HR professionals and businesses an all-in-one solution. It functions as both a virtual data analyst and a strategic partner, transforming raw data into actionable insights. No longer is there a need for manual data analysis; this tool takes care of that for you. With Moodbit Copilot, HR can “chat with their data” instead of spending many hours trying to find it.
What's truly compelling is its proactive approach. Moodbit Copilot suggests strategies to optimize HR practices and it even poses follow-up questions to guide decision makers, streamlining HR operations in the process. For organizations, this means the ability to optimize recruitment, talent development, and employee engagement strategies with ease. Moreover, it provides a powerful tool to measure the return on investment of HR initiatives.
Did you always know that you wanted to be an entrepreneur?
I always knew I wanted to build a business, but didnt know what type of business, which industry, or even how to do it. My background is in corporate communications and data analysis, which I thought wasn’t a “sexy” industry. However, after just a few years as an employee, I jumped the cliff without much experience, nextwork, connections, or even knowledge.
I always felt different. When I had my first job, I didn’t feel I was “employee material.” I was always wondering how my colleagues were adapting so easily to the system. I struggled because I had been raised to believe that I had to have a steady job for many years and not to take risks. We never talked about entrepreneurship in my family—that wasn’t an option. But when the moment to work in my first job came, I felt it wasn’t for me. But I’m always grateful for that job, and mostly for my first boss who was also a mentor. I learned so much from him, including that I wanted to lead a team. And I did.
What’s been the most unexpected part of your entrepreneurial journey?
When I started my first business I had something that every young entrepreneur has: naivety. When you are naive, you think you can conquer the world with your bare hands. That gives you a pulse, a strength that takes you to places you never thought about. That brought me and my Co-Founder to the United States.
When you reach huge stages or events that you had previously read about in the news and thought were almost impossible to reach, it’s like living in a dream. You feel that you can conquer anything.
Many times when you are an entrepreneur, innovator, creator, or developer, you think your minimum viable product or idea is the one that will revolutionize the world. But you learn that everything evolves, changes, and even pivots. Each product or service has its own journey. It is a beautiful thing to see them grow, change, or even transform completely.
Have you struggled with self-doubt as an entrepreneur? How do you navigate this?
Yes, many times when I was in a meeting with an executive of a multinational company or with VCs. I asked myself, “What am I doing here? How did I get here?” These self-doubts do not help you to build your business. I learned to believe in myself, my team, my product, my vision, and my company.
Giving up is not an option when you burn all the boats behind you. You have to find a way, a solution, an exit, and, in all of that, joy.
We dare you to brag: What achievements are you most proud of?
I’m very proud of the team we built. We found great, young talent, and many of them didn’t even have previous experience in the tech world. We believe in them, trained them, and now they are building amazing large language model (LLMs) products.
How have you grown as a leader since starting your company? What experiences have contributed to this growth?
I’ve learned that people learn more from your actions than your words. They are always waiting for your lead. The decisions my Co-Founder and I make have an impact on many people’s lives.
Have you discovered any underappreciated leadership traits or misconceptions around leadership?
Leadership doesn’t mean being “the boss” of a group of people. It means listening and learning from others. I think some people think being a leader means giving demands. I learned to share my dreams, ideas, and vision with my team so they can lead their own work daily with the same passion I have for my company.
What have you learned about building a team and a support network around yourself?
I’ve learned to ask and to listen. When you need more, you need to ask. Ask questions to find solutions to your problems or even ask for favors. If you keep your mouth shut, no one will know what’s going on with you and how they can help you. There are always people willing to connect you with someone else, make an effort, help you find a solution with you, and put you on their shoulder when you need it the most.
I’ve also learned to listen. What is my team trying to tell me that goes more than the product we are building and the problem we are solving? Are there any needs that I don’t know? Are there things I need to know that my team has more experience in? The same goes for mentors and advisors. Listening is a great skill.
What would you tell your younger self if you were to start your entrepreneurial journey all over again?
Just do it, girl. Everything is going to be fine. You’re not going to die.
How would you describe the journey you’ve had in a few sentences? Would you do it all over again?
I’ll do it 1,000 times again. This journey is a great passion. Having the opportunity to meet amazing people, build a company and a team, and work with amazing investors, Co-Founders, clients, and community is something that makes me feel joy and success.
