Role Model Interview vol.42 Violet Pacileo
Women in Technology Japan (WITJ)’s mission is to close the gender gap in tech and promote diversity and inclusion in Japan. We inspire, connect and empower women across all industries.
This interview series highlights influential leaders who inspire and empower others by sharing their passion, insights, and personal journeys.
In this edition, we feature an inspiring story of Ms.Violet Pacileo. Focusing on her journey building a global career as financial expert to becoming a business owner of CrossFit Otoyo Strength in Ōtoyo Town, Kochi.
— “Life is about taking risks, breaking free from molds, and living true to yourself. No matter which path you choose, if you can find your own sense of happiness, that’s the best way to live”
Q1. Please tell us about yourself!
Nice to meet you, I’m Violet. I was born and raised in Tokyo, spent my school years in the UK from middle school through university, then returned to Japan after graduation. In 2006, I started my career at a Japanese securities firm, building over ten years of experience in the stock market—plus three years at a startup in Los Angeles. During that time, I managed large-scale funds for institutional investors and connected major listed companies with global investors.
When the pandemic hit, my family and I moved to my mother’s hometown in Kochi. At first, it wasn’t something we had planned, but living there opened my eyes to the possibilities of regional revitalization. I drafted a business plan, secured approval from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Business Restructuring Subsidy, and in 2022 launched a CrossFit gym. Now, Kochi is my base as I take on new challenges.
Q2. What made you choose the financial industry for your first career?
Growing up, I got to experience both extreme poverty and wealth. After leaving boarding school in the UK at 16, I went on to attend a state-run school in my high school years. I never once ate in the school canteen because I couldn’t afford it. While my friends ate, I’d slip away pretending to go for a smoke – hiding the fact that I had no money to buy lunch and I would go take a walk instead. At times I even skipped school, not always out of choice, but because I couldn’t afford the bus fare. I went on to live on a council estate but turned my life around and managed to graduate university.
Those experiences shaped me. From a young age, I realized that I needed to build the ability to earn for myself and become self-sufficient. That’s why, for my first career, I chose the financial industry: to gain solid financial knowledge and skills.
Q3. How did you go from finance to becoming a business owner?
From 2018, I worked remotely as a Japan market researcher for a Hong Kong–based hedge fund, splitting my time between Tokyo and Ōtoyo Town, my mother’s hometown in Kochi. But when I lost that job during the pandemic, I faced a choice: return to cramped city living in Tokyo, or settle down in the wide-open nature of Kochi with my family, to be closer to my mother. We decided to move as a family of five.
Supporting three kids and our household meant I needed to find a new path. While training in our garage, neighbors began asking me to teach them—and that’s where the idea of starting a CrossFit gym took root. With advice from our local bank, I applied for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Business Restructuring Subsidy. After two years of planning, my proposal was approved, and funding came through.
Launching the crossfit gym brought everything together: supporting my mother’s health, building something alongside my husband who had long supported our family, and creating a space where our sports-loving children could be involved too. That’s how our family-run CrossFit gym was born.
Q4. Starting a business from scratch in a new town is impressive! What do you find most rewarding?
One of the greatest joys is running the gym in such a diverse environment—some of our team members are here volunteering during their travels or on working holiday visas, which makes it really international and fun. Seeing people gather in a space I created, and then watching that ripple out to involve local residents and form a new community is rewarding.
Of course, hiring people comes with a lot of responsibility, and every day is a learning experience. But now that a strong team is coming together, I’m excited to take things to the next stage and grow. It’s definitely challenging at times, but the reward of seeing everything take shape is so much greater.
Q5. How has your lifestyle and perspective changed since moving?
One big change is that I can now involve my family in what I do. Through sports and community activities, we’ve built an environment where the whole family can learn and take on challenges together.
What I value most now is learning through experience. It’s okay to make mistakes—the important thing is to keep trying and adjusting. For example, marketing here doesn’t work the same way it does in the city. Online tools alone aren’t enough in the mountains. Instead, we constantly ask ourselves, “How can we bring people here?” We test ideas one by one, repeat what works, and build on it. That process not only drives results but is also incredibly fun.
Q6. Speaking of experience, you’ve also stepped into new roles after moving—like working as an NHK reporter with no prior background. How did that come about?
When my family and I had just relocated to Kochi during the pandemic, NHK happened to be looking for a bilingual announcer. Since they couldn’t easily bring people in from Tokyo, I was approached by chance and asked to report and host a local revitalization program. Even though I had zero experience, I decided to give it a try.
Through that work, one of the NHK directors recognized my passion for community revitalization and gave me opportunities to cover and plan stories on initiatives in depopulated rural areas. Talking directly with local residents revealed issues I had never noticed before. In finance, I used to view Japan’s economy from a top-down macro perspective, but this experience shifted my thinking to a more bottom-up approach: what needs to change to truly improve life for the people living here?
The contrast was also eye-opening. Ōtoyo Town, where I live now, ranks as the third poorest municipality in Japan according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ income statistics—while Minato Ward in Tokyo, where I once lived, is ranked as the wealthiest. Experiencing both extremes helped me understand the realities of Japan on a much deeper level.
What I learned from these reports, I brought back to my community—sharing insights in local presentations to local residents and the Ōtoyo Town Hall staff.. What started as a coincidence turned into an experience that connected naturally with my past career and interests, and allowed me to contribute in new ways.
Q7. I hear you’re also a certified trainer in improving unconscious bias. What inspired you to pursue that, and what kind of activities are you involved in?
I first came across the concept of unconscious bias when I was working in finance. During corporate research, part of the ESG assessment (at that time, we didn’t yet use the term ‘ESG,’) included checking the board and management diversities. That’s when I realized how crucial these issues were.
On a personal level, growing up as a child with two identities naturally gave me a strong awareness of diversity and bias. I even wrote an essay for a UN human rights essay contest in elementary school and won second place—so I think the seeds of interest in social issues were planted early on.
I don’t work in the field full-time, but when invited, I do give talks—whether as a speaker for municipalities, at schools, at Kochi University, or in events related to diversity. It’s rewarding to share insights and keep these conversations going.
— Unlocking each person’s potential requires an environment where it’s safe to take risks and make mistakes, and a culture that encourages, “It’s okay to give it a try.”
Q8. Your experiences have clearly driven your learning and work! What do you think is important for helping more women realize their potential?
First and foremost, it’s important to understand yourself. We all carry unconscious biases, and recognizing that they exist within ourselves is the first step.
Even the strongest abilities can remain hidden in leadership roles when we hold ourselves back with unconscious self-limitations. Confidence and the mental strength to lead are vital but they grow best in environments where it feels safe to fail, try again, and simply “to give it a go.” When organizations and communities create these spaces, small wins begin to stack up. Each one builds the quiet belief of “I can do this”,breaking through not only self-imposed barriers but also the weight of societal expectations.
I also believe that early experiences shape the adults we become. For the next generation of leaders, it’s crucial that children grow up in environments free from gender bias, rich with diverse opportunities. When children are taught to explore more broadly, their minds accumulate fewer limiting beliefs. While changing adults can be difficult, children remain flexible in their thinking. By providing them with varying perspectives and experiences during these formative years, we give them the foundation to unlock their full potential.
Q9. What’s your secret to balancing a career and raising children?
The reality is, once you become a mother, the concept of “work-life balance” doesn’t really exist anymore! Children naturally come first, and as a parent, personal time is hard to come by. That said, finding moments to refresh and take care of yourself is incredibly important. Happy mother equals happy children.
I’m still learning to do this but I try to make sure to outsource work tasks where I can or rely on family for parenting duties—that time is invaluable, something money can’t buy, and essential to staying well. I also believe that when parents are happy and healthy, it positively affects their children’s happiness too. Thinking about how many more summers I’ll have with my kids makes me realize just how important it is to cherish every moment.
— Dare to be one that stands out
Q10. Any message for the Women in Technology Japan community?
Life is about taking risks, breaking free from molds, and living true to yourself. No matter which path you choose, if you can find your own sense of happiness, that’s the best way to live.
Don’t just follow the saying “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.”
Be the nail that stands out.
Embrace uniqueness and become comfortable being disliked.
Learn from failures.
And don’t be swept along by peer pressure, lead and don’t follow!
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