2013: Joined as a new graduate (general employee) and assigned to the bridal industry
6th year: Appointed assistant bridal manager
8th year: Became Bridal Manager
In his 11th year, he became manager of the Corporate Management Office at the head office, overseeing accounting and finance both domestically and internationally.
How did you meet Plan-Do-See and what made you decide to join?
When I was a third-year university student, December 1st was the day job hunting season began.
I felt a strange sense of discomfort when I saw my classmates, who I had been wearing casual clothes with until the day before, all dressed in recruitment suits and attending interviews at dozens of companies.
One day, while I was working part-time at my beloved Starbucks five days a week, trying to avoid reality for a bit.
A senior colleague recommended Plan-Do-See (hereafter referred to as PDS) to me, saying, "If that's how you feel, why don't you try working at this company? I feel like it might be a good fit for you!"
At the time, I only applied to large companies, under the pretext of "putting my parents at ease."
To be honest, I went to the information session without much thought, but I was shocked by what I saw there.
The recruitment page reads, "Please come dressed in your own style."
The bright, shining smiles of the employees who welcomed us at the venue.
The introductory video shows people working enthusiastically in an industry they would never have imagined.
Everything was comfortable, yet dazzling. I was excited about the unknown future, and by the end of the hour-long briefing I was completely captivated by PDS.
What was most decisive was the company's mission: "Bringing Japanese hospitality to people all over the world."
My experience living abroad made me realize that this was the source of the comfort I felt in Japan every time I returned home, and I still vividly remember wanting to deliver that same wonderful hospitality at this company.
During the interview that followed, I was impressed by how sincerely they treated me, and when I actually visited the store, I fell in love with the overwhelming space and hospitality, and decided, "This is the place for me!"
What kind of work are you doing now?
I am in charge of accounting and finance in the Corporate Management Office at our head office.
As an accountant, my job is to input the numbers carefully generated at each store into the accounting system and turn them into figures for the "corporation."
Compile the figures for all stores each month and create documents that allow field staff to check their current position.
In addition, we prepare semi-annual financial statements and communicate PDS's financial status to financial institutions and related partners.
In finance, I am constantly thinking about how to invest in the company to create an even bigger and more wonderful future, based on a proper understanding of the company's current situation.
Another important role is to consult with financial institutions on ongoing projects both domestically and internationally, and to proceed all the way to the actual execution of loans.
We handle all aspects of the company's finances in a solid yet challenging manner.
We work hard every day, working together as a small team.
What are the moments in your work that you feel are rewarding?
What makes it rewarding is thinking about the future.
Financing is essential for realizing the many projects that PDS will be working on in the future. The more the company grows, the more traditional methods will reach their limits, so it is very interesting to face questions that have no answers - how can we maximize the future while minimizing burdens and risks?
In fact, I was frustrated with math in high school, and since then, I was the furthest thing from numbers during my student days, but for the 10 years since joining the company, I've been working face-to-face with customers on-site. That's why my current accounting and finance work is difficult and there are many things I'm not used to, but it's also refreshing and a big challenge for me.
I feel a great sense of accomplishment in being able to contribute to the company in a new way and to help pave the way for the future.
Please tell us about the atmosphere and appeal you feel after actually working here.
I think the most attractive thing about PDS is that the future continues to expand.
My days have been interesting, fun, and exciting so far, but I continue to feel that things are even more amazing from now on.
The reason is that all of our employees simply continue to think, "What can we do to make the customers and local people in front of us, and ultimately the people of this country and the world, more enjoyable, more fun, and happier?" and then act as quickly as possible to make that happen.
Years of experience and years of experience don't matter when it comes to working with the customer in mind. We have an open culture where we "just give it a try, and if it doesn't work, we can change direction quickly," so our stores, products, people, and company all continue to evolve.
And I have the best colleagues to enjoy this evolution with. That's why the future will never fade, but will only get more interesting. Because I want to see more of this company's future, I naturally want to grow so that I don't get left behind, and I can continue to feel excited.
Even now, 13 years after joining the company, I still truly feel that there is no other company like this.
Please tell us about your future vision.
To increase the number of people involved in PDS as much as possible.
My life has been enriched by my encounter with PDS, and I have seen many of my colleagues and customers feel the same way, saying, "My life has been enriched by being involved with PDS."
That is why we want to expand this circle of happiness even further.
Through PDS, we hope to provide more people with experiences and encounters that will enrich their lives.
