Introduction
After working at WealthNavi for about seven years, I left to become an apprentice sauna architect. Currently, I run a specialized sauna design office while attending night school for architecture at Waseda University and gaining practical experience at the Torafu Architects atelier. Being an “apprentice” signifies my commitment to lifelong learning in business, sauna, and architecture, continually balancing input and output. This article isn’t a resignation entry but a life snapshot connecting the dots of an “unsettled” career.
WealthNavi Experience:
At WealthNavi, I served as the Head of CEO office, tackling corporate issues, forming alliances with financial institutions, and managing diverse roles including finance, compliance, and HR. It was a valuable seven-year period marked by intense challenges and growth.
Key Learnings:
・How to address issues without pre-existing knowledge or solutions.
・Building trust inside and outside the company.
・Letting go of unnecessary pride.
Working with engineers
With CTO, I worked in an all-around role handling company-wide projects, from new business development to system troubleshooting. This earned me the nickname “Goldman,” inspired by the Kinnikuman character, which became a symbol of trust and reliability.
Alliance Role:
In my final role, I managed comprehensive sales and project management for financial institutions. This period honed my client understanding, communication skills, and sales organization building.
Encountering Sauna and Architecture
My first transformative sauna experience was at Akasaka’s Sauna Resort Oriental. This led to founding SAUNaiDEA with architects Shimada and Kawata, focusing on sauna design projects with a diverse and talented team.
Education and Practice
Discovering a night school for architecture at Waseda, I immersed myself in learning hand-drafting, model making, and sketching. Simultaneously, I intern at Torafu Architects, gaining practical insights into construction and product creation.
Realizing Goals through Architecture
I aim to find wealth in the balance between digital and analog. While digitalization progresses, the human touch in explaining services or feeling materials’ textures remains irreplaceable. My goal is to identify and foster these irreplaceable aspects, contributing to societal wealth.
Pursuing True Wealth
Economic wealth is only a part of the equation. Lifelong health, finding a passion, and connecting with people constitute true richness. By immersing myself in new fields like sauna and architecture, I aim to create mechanisms that enable both personal and societal wealth.