Written by Aarohi
Since moving to Japan a decade ago, creative technologist Steffie Harner — better known online as @cybersteffie — has built a formidable freelance career on her terms.
What began with language school and singing in English eventually led her into software engineering, where she now builds Augmented Reality (AR) filters, web-based products and interactive experiences — including an award-winning cybersecurity game — while livestreaming her creative process on Twitch. Here’s how she did it — and her top tips for how you can, too.
What first brought you to Japan?
Steffie Harner (SH): I was working in San Francisco at an enterprise health-tech startup. I had a fun job, but I was working very hard without seeing much of a path forward.
My partner at the time joked, “Why don’t we just quit our jobs and move to Japan?” We had just travelled through South Korea, Japan and Thailand, and I immediately thought, “Oh my gosh, yes. Why not?”
I didn’t have any connections here, so I started researching and decided language school would be the best foundation.
What kind of work did you do after finishing language school?
SH: I joined the edutainment space, and later I got permission to do some freelance modeling. It was fun, but career-wise I kept thinking, “Where is this going?”
A big turning point came when I helped launch Startup Lady, a community for women entrepreneurs and freelancers in Japan. Through that, I was doing work closer to what I had done in San Francisco: marketing, design, websites and social media. I also met a lot of inspiring women.
At one event, I heard Yan Fan from Code Chrysalis speak about changing careers from finance to software engineering. I thought, “Maybe I can do that too.” So I enrolled in a coding bootcamp. Through that course, I got a software-engineering job, which I hadn’t even known was possible for me.
How did Twitch become part of your work?
SH: During the COVID-19 pandemic, I started streaming on Twitch in the software and coding category. I wanted to learn AR filters and web-based creative tools, so I just started learning live and building in public.
That unexpectedly became a small community. People would see me working on something and say, “I’m interested in that tool” or “Can you help me build this?” A lot of my international client work came from that.
What does “creative technologist” mean in your case?
SH: I like the term because it covers the intersection of creative work and technology. I make websites, Augmented Reality (AR) filters, games, and web-based products.
For example, I was one of five team members behind World of Haiku, an award-winning cybersecurity training game designed to make cybersecurity education more accessible and engaging.
That said, “creative technologist” doesn’t always work as a marketing term. I often have to explain it more concretely.
If you are a creative, it helps to be very clear about what you actually do. Are you a web developer? A designer? A painter? The clearer you are, the easier it is for people to understand how they can work with you.
How has AI affected your work?
SH: It is exciting, but also a little feverish.
I use AI heavily in my own process, and AI workflow optimization is now one of the services I offer. I don’t necessarily think the threat is AI itself, but being left on the other side of the shift.
Some clients know they can generate things with prompts now, so naturally you wonder, “Will they still hire me?” Usually, the answer is yes, because they are not just hiring me for technical skill. They are hiring me for my judgement, my relationship with them, and my story.
Your brand, your community and your network matter more than ever.
What does a typical work day look like?
SH: My mornings are usually personal time. I do yoga, errands, or anything that gets me moving.
Afternoons are for client meetings or deep work. Evenings are when I stream, because that tends to be the best time for the kind of people I want to reach.
But I’m also trying to spend more time offline. Community is important for your career, but also for your wellbeing.
How has navigating Japanese business communication been?
SH: Most of my clients are international, even the Japan-based ones, so we generally communicate in English.
However, I’m very direct. If there’s a problem, I want to know whether we can fix it or not. But in Japanese business contexts, people don’t always say no directly. They might say, “That will be difficult.” At first, I would hear that and think, “Okay, how can we make it easier?” But often, that was the no.
What advice would you give to creatives trying to build a career here?
SH: Start sharing your work before you feel ready. For a long time, I didn’t share much because I thought, “I’ll wait until I’m better.” But once I started building in public, opportunities came to me.
People like seeing beginners grow. They connect with your process and your story. You can share your work without showing your face, too. You can use an avatar or a separate online persona. Tell people in person what you are doing. Your immediate community can lead to unexpected opportunities.
Talk to multiple professionals. Don’t just ask one immigration specialist or one accountant. Get second and third opinions, because their advice can conflict with your actual goals. Your ward office can be a valuable resource.
Also, don’t believe everything you read online. If I had listened to the first person who told me what I wanted to do was impossible, I wouldn’t be here today.
Interviews with other Japan creatives
- Ananya Donapati — Content creator in Tokyo
- Michael Holmes — Photographer in Tokyo
- Erica Ward — Artist and illustrator in Tokyo
- Luis Mendo — Illustrator in Japan
- Studio Terranova — Creative agency in Tokyo
- Mehdi Fliss — CEO of Photo Trips
- Chani Japan — Educator and YouTuber
Some quotes have been edited down for clarity and brevity.
