Derek Hui turns 400 weddings into a new decision tool
Tokyo-based entrepreneur Derek Hui is building Clarity, a decision-making product with a waitlist open since March at getclarity.tokyo. Hui says the name came from lessons learned across more than 400 weddings and years of building businesses in photography, music management and e-commerce.
Why it matters: - Clarity is aimed at people looking for confidence in their next move, not just another productivity app. - Hui is tying the product to a story that blends creative work, entrepreneurship and a personal move to Tokyo. - The project adds a new product layer to an audience Hui is already building through YouTube, a newsletter and e-commerce.
What happened: - Derek Hui, a Canadian entrepreneur and creator living in Tokyo, is building Clarity, a decision-making tool. - The waitlist has been open since March at the Clarity waitlist. - Hui frames the product in his video descriptions with the line: "If you want confidence from knowing your next move, join the Clarity waitlist." - He first introduced the tool on camera in March and has continued developing it alongside his other businesses.
The details: - Hui says the name Clarity came from 12 years as a wedding photographer. - In an April episode about the 400-plus weddings he shot, Hui wrote that the difference between couples who lasted and couples who did not "came down to one thing. It wasn't love. It wasn't money. It wasn't the venue. It was clarity." - Hui said, "Everything I wanted in life was on the other side of one question. Can I keep doing this long enough?" - He added: "The formula I found was simple. Turn the hard into a habit. Then turn the habit into something easy. This is how I've done it for fifteen years. Consistency comes from confidence. Confidence comes from clarity." - Hui's first job was at McDonald's at 16. - He taught himself photography at 21. - He founded the Mariner Agency, a Toronto wedding studio that shot more than 400 weddings, with 300 photographed by Hui himself. - From 24 to 31, Hui ran NSTMGMT with William Nguyen, known professionally as Photo Will. - NSTMGMT funded the development of singer Anders, whose 2018 single "Love No More" with Loud Luxury was certified triple platinum by Music Canada. - Hui's first e-commerce product, a ceramic oil diffuser he designed with a business partner, failed. - He later founded several e-commerce companies. - Hui left Toronto for Tokyo in October 2023 at 34 after a nine-day visit that March pushed him toward Japan instead of a planned move to Los Angeles. - He started his YouTube series in September 2025 and publishes new episodes roughly every two weeks. - Tokyo-based editor and videographer Darren Ha helps produce the series. - Hui is also building Clarity alongside his e-commerce businesses, newsletter Life's So Rich and the community around his YouTube series.
Between the lines: - Clarity fits Hui's larger brand: a creator-operator narrative built around experimentation, self-teaching and reinvention. - The wedding-photography origin story gives the product a practical angle. It frames decision-making as a lesson from long-term outcomes, not abstract self-help. - The Tokyo move and regular video updates keep Hui's audience attached to the process as much as the product.
What's next: - The Clarity waitlist remains open at the Clarity waitlist. - Hui is available for interviews in English from Tokyo. - Media assets and episode links are available on request. - Hui continues publishing his YouTube series and newsletter while developing Clarity and his e-commerce businesses.
The bottom line: - Hui is turning a personal lesson from 400 weddings into a new product pitch: better decisions start with clarity.
Disclaimer: This article was produced by AGP Wire with the assistance of artificial intelligence based on original source content and has been refined to improve clarity, structure, and readability. This content is provided on an “as is” basis. While care has been taken in its preparation, it may contain inaccuracies or omissions, and readers should consult the original source and independently verify key information where appropriate. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, investment, or other professional advice.
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