Lina Hashimoto Blends Entrepreneurship, UX Design, and Art

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) Senior Studio is offered each year to Stamps BA students in their final year of study. In the class, students and instructors combine individual studio work with a collaborative project: the production of a fully self-directed show from start to finish, emphasizing the skills and practices associated with producing professional exhibitions. This year, students under the direction of Professor Nick Tobier and GSI Michaela Nichelle also invested time in getting to know one another, conducting a series of peer-to-peer interviews to learn more about the process, inspirations, and practice of their classmates. Over the next few months, we’re reprinting some of these interviews, which were combined into a collection featuring studio portraits by Urvi Joshi (BA ​’25) and a cover by Riley Huhta (BA ​’26).

Lina Hashimoto

Interviewed by Jaime Salmonson

Salmonson: Lina, could you walk me through your entrepreneurial journey — how you began, what motivated you to launch your first venture, and how that shaped your identity as a designer and entrepreneur?

Hashimoto: I started my cat-sticker business, neko maneki, because I’d always wanted to sell art but never pushed myself. A friend who runs her own business inspired me, and that pushed me to finally try. It’s gone much better than I expected: I’ve sold over 400 stickers, reaching other states. People now call me ​“the cat sticker girl,” which is funny but also makes me proud. It’s shaped my identity because I never imagined I’d become ​“known” for something I created.

Amazing, that is really cool. I would like to know: what was one of your early ​“aha” moments?

Getting invited to pop-ups and markets by big student orgs. If I think about my freshman or sophomore self, I never would’ve imagined being invited to sell at those events. That’s when I realized I was building something real.

And were there any risks you took early on?

I’m very careful with money, so big risks scare me. But launching a Shopify site felt huge: it’s pricey, and you need to make enough to maintain it. That was a big commitment for me.

Hmm, very interesting. How do you balance business with design?

It didn’t come naturally — my leadership roles helped. I was VP of Service for my sorority and VP of the Japan Student Association, planning events, managing 50+ people, handling money and grants. Those skills helped me run a business. Design-wise, I already had years of studio work plus an internship before starting neko maneki, so I had the design background.

Very cool. I want to learn more about your Senior Studio project now. Tell me about the core concept and motivation behind your work.

Last summer in Singapore, my eyes were glued to screens: work, long commutes, everything. I bought a physical book to rest my eyes, and it changed how I felt. I realized people don’t read anymore — kids use iPads, students are busy, people say physical books are ​“inconvenient.” I wanted to bring reading back without pressure, so I created a book club for non-readers with micro-reading and reward collecting.

Walk me through your process.

The core mechanic came from a slow iPad game I loved as a kid called ​“Neko Atsume” where you collect cats by placing items and getting fish as rewards. I wanted that slow, cozy feeling. My early idea was just micro-reading, but professors asked how users would stay motivated, so I added collectible items. Micro-reading starts at 2 minutes and cycles upward — 2, 3, 2, 3, then 4, 5, etc. As you read, you earn items. When you collect everything, the game ends because the goal is to build a habit, not make an endless game.

When you say reading, what do you mean? And how did you design this for non-readers?

Mainly physical books. But the game also offers digital versions so users without books can still participate. And as for non-readers, I didn’t want 3D worlds — I struggle with those, even in new Pokémon games. So I used real photos, simple interfaces, and minimal actions. Some people said I should use pixel art, but I wanted nostalgic simplicity — what games looked like when we were younger.

Interesting. What did you learn about the users / readers?

I aimed it at young adults glued to screens, like me. But critique suggested selecting age ranges: kids could collect toy-themed items, adults something else. I loved that idea but didn’t have time to build it.

Cool. And if you were to start over, what would you do differently?

I’d design age-specific versions and maybe build the actual interactive platform. I tried researching real game engines, but the learning curve was huge.

Is gamification a core tool for you?

It’s not core, it’s more like a practice I’m exploring because of my UX minor in SI. I wanted to apply what I’d learned about users, personas, habits, and motivations.

And how do you think about inclusivity and accessibility?

The game is for everyone. I could add language translations or international books. I didn’t design for one demographic.

How do you see reading evolving?

Reading won’t die, but habits are changing. People consume information through tech because it’s easier. I hope my concept could bring back small reading habits and nostalgia.

Lina, I would love to know what keeps you going.

People. Custom orders for birthdays or gifts make me happy. At pop-ups, seeing people smile at my designs motivates me. For the studio, sharing my experience with others motivates me too.

Amazing, and how do you measure success?

Setting goals and reaching them. For the studio, it’s sharing the concept publicly. For Nicomaniki, it’s bringing small happiness through my cat stickers. 

Is there any dream project you would like to share with me? Any advice you have for others?

A dream would be a huge shelter for stray cats. I’d buy land and let all the cats live safely. And in terms of advice: design with a concept — something meaningful. For my business, my concept is delivering small happiness and luck.

Great. And one last thing I would like to know: how has this studio changed you?

It made me a better thinker. My professor asked so many logistical questions — who is this for, how will they use it — that I had to think deeply about design decisions. My first critique went great, and I feel more intentional now.

Path Forward, the 2025 Stamps BA Senior Studio Exhibition, was on view at Stamps Gallery from December 3 – 13, 2025. The exhibition worked to weave meditations on nature, the inner and outer workings of our human bodies from the functional to the phenomenal, the paces of daily lives whether reading or rushing, in friendship or in family and exploring memories of real and imagined pasts as they intersect with the here and now. Featuring work in experimental video, fashion, painting, illustration and sculpture, Path Forward postulates stepping stones for near and possible futures.