Find what you're looking for.
Mikage is an American company, founded and operated in the United States.
We want to be completely transparent about who we are. We are not a Japanese company, we don't claim Japanese heritage, and we're not experts in Japanese culture. We are an American founder coaching platform that chose a Japanese name because it perfectly captures our mission.
When searching for a name that captured our mission—making the invisible work of founders visible—we discovered "mikage" (見影), which literally means "visible shadow." This wasn't about following aesthetic trends or trying to seem exotic. It was about finding the perfect expression of what we do.
Throughout our platform, you'll find occasional references to Japanese concepts like kintsugi (the art of repairing with gold). We use these not as decoration, but as powerful metaphors that resonate with the founder journey. Every reference includes education, attribution, and links to learn more.
We understand the difference between cultural appropriation and respectful homage:
A Japanese word meaning "visible shadow" that perfectly describes our mission of making invisible founder work visible.
Learn more about our name →The Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, which inspires how we view founder breakthroughs—honoring the breaks as part of your journey.
Learn about kintsugi →Our design is inspired by principles that honor natural imperfection and organic growth, drawing from various cultural traditions including Japanese aesthetics.
We take cultural sensitivity seriously. If you have concerns about how we're using cultural references, we want to hear from you. We're committed to continuous learning and improvement.
Contact us: culture@mikage.club
We encourage learning about the cultural concepts that inspire us:
We honor these cultural concepts with gratitude, transparency, and respect.
This is our commitment to respectful cultural homage.