This is Hiroko Imai’s career journey in social media

The interview series I started this year has now reached its fifth installment, featuring professionals who are building unique and inspiring career journeys in social media and beyond. This time, I spoke with Hiroko Imai, known for her work as a reporter on the global YouTube channel Asian Boss, with over 3.8 million subscribers.

How did she become a reporter for Asian Boss?
And what challenges is she taking on now?

Although she says, “At first, I had no interest in social media at all,” Hiroko has carved out a remarkable career path. We talked extensively—from her challenges as a reporter, to her growth as a social media strategist, and her vision for the age of AI.

Across the two parts of this interview, we also touch on reproducible ways of building a career and practical insights into social media. Please enjoy it to the end.

Her Interest in Social Media Started from “Zero”

“In fact, I originally had absolutely no interest in social media. The only thing I was somewhat interested in was YouTube,” Hiroko recalls.

At the time, while working as an English teacher, she wanted to deepen her understanding of English, so she studied on her own using Netflix and YouTube as learning materials. She says she trained her ear naturally by watching her favorite directors’ and YouTubers’ works repeatedly.

“I never thought of becoming a YouTuber. My dream was simply to continue teaching at the English school my mother runs. ,” she says with a smile.

But one day, she began to feel a strong need for “a place to express herself.” Teaching only children and beginner business learners meant her range of expression was limited. So, she decided to start YouTube as a platform where she could speak in her own words.

At that time, Hiroko didn’t even own a computer, so she borrowed her mother’s MacBook Air and filmed with the built-in camera. Nervously introducing herself in broken English with a “Hello YouTube,” she shared content on topics like Keisuke Honda’s “Dream Notebook” and light self-development. Even if the video quality wasn’t high, she continued with the thought, “As long as it can help someone.”

 Here is a YouTube video Hiroko created back then.

 How to make a DREAM NOTEBOOK

“One day, I received a comment from someone in Greece who said, ‘Something sad happened in my life, and I was thinking of ending it, but your video gave me a little bit of strength.’ That really encouraged me,” Hiroko recalls.

On the other hand, she had little to no interest in other social media platforms. At most, she created accounts on X (Twitter) and Instagram only because her students asked, saying, “We want to follow you too, so please make an account.” Her followers were mostly students, and her posts were simple, private updates like “what I ate today.” Looking back, she says, “At the time, I really wasn’t interested at all.”

Her path shows that a career journey in social media often starts from unexpected places — in her case, an English classroom and a borrowed MacBook.

A New Encounter Sparked by a Connection with a Student

At one point, one of the students Hiroko had been teaching for many years in her mother’s English school reached high school and began struggling with personal issues, becoming somewhat withdrawn. Even so, the student continued attending English lessons.

“In Japan, there’s a strong sense of ‘this is how things should be.’ That student also felt trapped by those expectations and couldn’t move forward. That’s why I wanted them to learn English not just as grammar, but as a tool for discovering different ways of thinking. I wanted to tell them, ‘It doesn’t have to be perfect, and there’s never just one right answer.’”

With that in mind, Hiroko introduced the student to international YouTube content. For example, Asian Boss and the once hugely popular YouTuber Nigahiga. Watching Nigahiga share his past as a bullied child and how he opened up a positive path in life deeply inspired the student. Eventually, the two of them decided, “Let’s try sending a fan mail to YouTube.”

At the time, Hiroko wasn’t very familiar with social media and felt uneasy about online interactions. So rather than letting the student correspond directly, she used her own email address to send the message. In the email signature, by chance, her own YouTube channel was listed, and a member of Asian Boss happened to notice it.

“Then, someone from Asian Boss reached out to me and said, ‘We’re actually looking for someone to help us in Japan—would you like to join?’”

Although she initially joined as a volunteer, this opportunity became a turning point, giving her the chance to further sharpen her English skills and develop a more global mindset.

Through her experiences at Asian Boss, Hiroko not only improved her English and presentation skills but also began shaping her career journey in social media, discovering how platforms like YouTube could influence millions worldwide.

Challenges, Growth, and Building a Career in Social Media at Asian Boss

At first, Hiroko joined as a volunteer, helping in various ways—proposing themes for street interviews, translating question lists into Japanese, even working behind the camera. Before long, she officially became one of the early members of the Asian Boss YouTube channel, and she recalls, “Once I joined, I really wanted to make the channel even better.”

With advice from the core team, she threw herself into researching YouTube thoroughly. She studied the world’s top channels in the same genre and realized that they weren’t just doing street interviews but also branching out into panel discussions and documentaries. Inspired by this, she and the team decided, “Let’s try it ourselves,” which marked the start of a significant expansion in their activities.

When she first joined, the channel had about 200,000 subscribers. But as their efforts grew, the channel rapidly expanded. Hiroko herself was eventually hired full-time, and during her time there, the subscriber count surpassed two million, transforming Asian Boss into a major channel.

At one point, when there weren’t enough staff members who could speak Japanese, Hiroko also took on the role of reporter. The content she appeared in routinely reached millions of views, with some videos surpassing 10 million.

She recalls that Asian Boss had a culture that truly valued its staff. Normally, it would be unusual to feature personal social media links, yet they included hers—even though she had only about 200 Instagram followers at the time—as well as links for the Photographer. As a result, viewers who discovered her through viral videos became curious: “Who is this reporter?” Soon, messages from around the world began flooding her Instagram DMs.

During her time at Asian Boss, Hiroko gained invaluable experience connecting with people across the globe.

 Here are some of the videos featuring her on Asian Boss.

What The Japanese Think Of Viral Japanese Game Shows | ASIAN BOSS

Resilience and Growth Forged in Front of the Camera

Although she eventually became the main reporter for a well-known YouTube channel, Hiroko reflects, “There were times in my life when I actually panicked.” She had always enjoyed being in the spotlight, but never imagined she would serve as the main host for so many years.

In the early days of filming, nerves overwhelmed her—she constantly worried, “How do I look on camera?” At times, fear got the better of her, and she even contacted the headquarters in tears saying, “I don’t want to do this!” For example, during a shoot where she had to ride in a drift car, her screams of terror were caught on film. But over the course of five years, she gradually grew accustomed to it, eventually becoming so comfortable that she could act naturally, even with the camera rolling.

“The intro and outro had to be memorized and delivered in English, which put me under immense pressure. There were moments when I lost my rhythm and my breathing faltered. But with more and more experience, I broke through that wall, and now I can relax and behave naturally.”

Since Asian Boss was also a startup environment, Hiroko actively engaged not only in reporting but also in filming and editing. She invited student videographer to learn alongside her, and when there was a shortage of editors, she even took on rough edits herself. Through trial and error, she came to understand the intentions behind the work of videographers and editors, allowing her to step back and see the entire filming process from a broader perspective.

Shifting her mindset from “How do I appear?” to “How can I present this so the message gets across?” became a valuable lesson. It not only strengthened her as a reporter but also nurtured her ability to take a holistic view of any situation.

Realizing the Power of Social Media and Entering a Period of Exploration

As Hiroko continued her work, she began to realize just how powerful social media truly is. At first, she simply wanted a place to express herself, but gradually she started to understand “what makes something go viral.” Especially on YouTube, her instincts sharpened naturally as she immersed herself daily in filming, negotiations, and editing, learning how to choose topics and structure content in a way that resonated.

Even after leaving Asian Boss, Hiroko continued to explore new ways to grow her career in social media and storytelling. She stayed at Asian Boss for about five years before leaving to pursue her long-held dream of working as an interpreter at the Tokyo Olympics. Although she successfully secured the role, the Olumpic was postponed due to the pandemic. With her freelance contract also ending, she suddenly found herself without work. Having been away from teaching English for a long time, returning to that field wasn’t an option. “I remember feeling completely lost, wondering what I should do next,” she says.

At that time, she lacked confidence in her skills and couldn’t imagine building a career out of social media. She did take on one-off video production and directing jobs, but the pay was low. Looking back, she admits, “I was undervaluing myself.”

“If it’s a 10,000-yen project, you just think, ‘Oh well, that’s fine.’ But if it’s a million-yen project, you throw yourself into it, you study like crazy, you push your limits. Undervaluing yourself is disrespectful—not only to yourself but also to your client. I realize that now, but at the time I couldn’t see it, and I just didn’t have the confidence.”

Eventually, she worked as a temp in sales for a food delivery company that withdrew from Japan after a short time. She even did door-to-door sales, but she recalls, “I never imagined I would become a professional in social media.” During that period, she continued YouTube activities on a small scale. Occasionally, she was invited to MC or appear as a guest on major international channels, but such one-off projects weren’t enough to sustain her livelihood.

It was during this period of uncertainty that a turning point came. She received a message from a woman she had met at a YouTuber gathering—someone who worked as a director for a massive channel with about 10 million subscribers. “Hiroko, you’re good with Japanese, right?” the woman asked, encouraging her to consider a career change and showing her a new path forward.

From her journey, I see a vivid portrait of someone who leapt into unfamiliar environments, adapted with flexibility, and turned challenges into fuel for growth. From teaching at her mother’s English school to becoming a reporter who impacts audiences around the world—her story reflects how she transformed her view of social media and YouTube. They became more than just tools; they became platforms that allowed her to truly connect with people across the globe, thanks to her adaptability and initiative.

Hiroko’s story reminds us that a career journey in social media isn’t just about followers or algorithms—it’s about adaptability, purpose, and the courage to share your voice with the world.

In the second part, we will explore how she built a new career after her experiences at Asian Boss and how she eventually stepped into the world of social media marketing. We’ll take a closer look at the “authentic way of working” she discovered for herself, as well as her vision for the future. Stay tuned.

– Saaya

Cogs is an executive search and recruitment agency specialising in connecting creative-minded individuals with global career opportunities.

For further reading and resources, check out our blog: Cogs Agency. And make sure to read other interviews by Saaya like this one with Yuki Osawa or Daniel Inoue.

Reach out by sending an e-mail to contact@cogsagency.com , check out our LinkedIn page for the latest job updates and read more of our articles.

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