30’S BAR

Organized Online Community: 30’s BAR
Duration: August 1997 – December 2005 (8 years, 5 months)
Description: An exclusive online community for individuals in their 30s and above.

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Overview

Hobby: Organizer of Online Community Website (SNS)
30’s Bar was a pioneering online community targeting individuals over the age of 30, founded and managed by Mike as a personal project. This venture served as the primary motivation for transitioning into a professional career in the internet industry. Through this project, Mike mastered full-stack web development as a self-taught engineer, creating a custom platform for digital interaction long before the era of modern SNS.

Role and Contributions

Strategic Planning: Defined the concept, goals, and community guidelines for a high-trust online environment.

Full-Stack Development: Designed, developed, and managed the website from scratch, including server management.
Custom Engineering: Developed tailor-made communication tools, including text-based chat rooms, electronic bulletin board systems (BBS), and mailing lists using CGI, Perl, HTML, and JavaScript.
Community Management: Acquired and managed a diverse membership of over 10,000 members from both domestic and international backgrounds.
Event Leadership: Planned and conducted offline networking events every two months in various regions of Japan to strengthen community ties.

Achievements and Impact

High Engagement: The site achieved over 1 million accesses by 2005, reflecting its popularity and influence.
External Recognition: Successfully registered in the prestigious Yahoo! Japan Directory (free category).
Career Foundation: Successfully built a thriving community through independent learning, establishing a lifelong “Learnability” mindset that defines Mike’s professional career today.
Current Status: The website is no longer active, but its legacy remains the foundation of my professional approach to technology and human connection.