Meet our employees
Joined the company in 2018
Design Department
Kentaro.M
Using creativity to
create designs that resonate
with people's hearts
Please tell us about your job.
The pleasure of listening, communicating, and watching the blueprint you drew take shape
I was so impressed by the interior design of an apparel store that I visited when I was in college that I decided I wanted to do something related to in-store interior design and space creation. As a member of the design team at Benefit Line, I work on several different projects. The design process begins by conducting an interview with the client, discovering what kind of interior design and space they want to create. At this point, it is important to understand the client's intentions and communicate your opinions. Although design leaves much to the client's perception, communication during interviews also requires a high level of interpersonal skills, so the client will want to work with the company. Following the interview, we will decide on the project's direction through sketches and CG perspectives and propose materials for walls, flooring, and others while considering the budget and other factors. The general flow of the actual design process ends when you hand over your final drawings to the person in charge of the construction site. Afterward, design management provides instructions for details that cannot be fully communicated through drawings alone when carrying out on-site work. My job is to finally hand over the property to the client through these two stages of planning and design.
What makes Benefit Line so attractive?
Offering designs that are tailored to the customer's needs
Currently, I am assigned to an atelier office in Tokyo, where I am involved in the planning and design of all interior design. What makes this job appealing is how my sketches take shape in the form of store interiors and other tangible objects. I have always enjoyed drawing, so I am happy when I am able to draw sketches that I like or when a client says, “That's a nice design,” or “It's easy to understand.” I also find it rewarding when my design is selected among competitors to win an order for a competitive project. When designing, I always try to offer unexpected designs. The world is filled with various designs, so my first priority is to provide a design that fits the customer's needs while maintaining a fresh, non-conventional look. Naturally, this requires a wealth of knowledge and design expertise, so I always try to keep my eyes open and take in new design ideas.
Why did you decide to join Benefit Line?
Work-life balance was the key factor in joining the company
I joined Benefit Line as a mid-career recruit. In my previous job, I was also in charge of design at an interior construction company, but I often had to handle sales, production, and other tasks as well, so I decided to switch to Benefit Line, which has a Design Department, so that I could focus more on design. At the time, Benefit Line was a reasonably new company in the industry, but the scale of the projects it was handling was large, and I could sense the company's growth potential. In addition, the president's corporate philosophy of bringing mental and financial well-being to the employees also encouraged me to switch jobs because I felt I could build an ideal work-life balance here. My previous workplace offered limited days off, and it was challenging to spend time on personal matters, but after moving here, I have more time to spare for meaningful activities, such as visiting newly constructed design facilities and museums or checking out properties designed by international designers, allowing me to add the latest design trends to my knowledge.
What kind of colleagues do you want to work with?
A creative workplace where hobbies can be put to use
Internal and external communication is vital to ensure the smooth progress of a project. I always try to create a place where it's natural to ask for advice by inviting members of the design team who are less experienced than I am to lunch or other such activities. It's not that Benefit Line itself has an unfriendly atmosphere, but I believe that the current members could make it a homier workplace. For example, we can play the radio as a conversation starter or create an open-minded environment where everyone can feel free to talk with each other. This is something I’d like to try out when I return from my assignment. In planning and design work, we often find ourselves in situations where our hobbies are directly related to our work. For example, I enjoy fashion, music, and art, and small talks with store owners often lead me to design ideas. The thrill of seeing something you enjoy being incorporated into a drawing is priceless. Those who have many such interests may find this job rewarding.
What is your vision for the future?
An environment where employees' ideas can be reflected easily
I think Benefit Line is a very rewarding company to work for if you are good at self-presentation. Being a young company, employees can easily unleash their creativity, and the close relationship between the president and employees makes it easy for ideas to be reflected in the company's business. Depending on a person's efforts, they may even have the chance to change the company. When I return from my current assignment at the atelier office, I hope to provide feedback to the company on the knowledge and experience I gained there. I have been on assignment for nine months now, and I’m being exposed to a lot of new ideas. Although the atelier handles smaller scale projects, we can build a closer relationship with our clients because of that. We can make proposals that meet the customer's needs. I will continue to treasure this kind of awareness, no matter how big the project is. My future goal is to become a design team leader. I want to contribute to the improvement of the Design Department as an in-house designer while incorporating good ideas from inside and outside of the company.