When Koji Kanematsu moved to the U.S. to launch his restaurant, he had experience, but zero credit history, no bank statements, and couldn't get a loan or a location. Instead of giving up, he served up persistence - founding Onigilly, the popular Japanese kitchen dedicated to bringing authentic, healthy Onigiri to America.

In this episode of Founders Without Borders, host Harshita sits down with Koji to talk about the brutal financial barriers that greet immigrant food entrepreneurs and how he stayed committed to introducing a new, authentic staple to the American palate.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:

- How Koji navigated the "zero credit history" problem to secure his very first business location and funding

- The mission behind introducing the Onigiri (Japanese rice ball) as a healthy, everyday option in the U.S.

- The critical role persistence played - and how he kept going when other contemporary businesses decided to quit

- Why "never giving up" is the fundamental mindset needed to break through the initial hurdles of immigrant entrepreneurship.

✨ Check out Onigilly: bringing delicious, handmade Onigiri to communities across the United States.

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🎧 Listen to Founders Without Borders - the podcast highlights stories of immigrant founders who are building impactful, generational businesses across borders.📲 Follow us for more inspiring founder stories:

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