[Maiko Takeuchi] I call her Mai-chan. I think it's a gift from God or Buddha. He has now become an indispensable part of KOMA. Both the work they do and their presence carry a great deal of weight. He works harder than any of the men. 2012. I forget where we first met, but Ogibo brought him to an exhibition at KOMA. He said he was attending a furniture-making school. Now that I'm almost 23, I'm so cocky that if I were a guy, I'd punch him. She was a pretty 19-year-old girl at the time. A few months later, things got incredibly busy. This is what it means to be willing to ask for every penny you can get. I remembered that kid back then. Would you like to come work part-time, even if it's just once a week? This is how they will come through. KOMA, run by me, who trained in a male-dominated world of craftsmen, is also very much in the running. I don't know how to interact with girls. It's kind of a hassle to have to be careful. Even at work, I have almost no contact with the handyman. And then a few months passed. Things are getting busier. Can't you do this three times a week? Can't you do this four times a week? Can't you come five days a week? What a convenient story. In the midst of all this. July 2014. One day, an opportunity suddenly presents itself to her. The young man who was her senior had backed out. Just for fun, he asked her to do the work that he had been in charge of. Huh? What? Seriously? That's super good!!! From the very first move, he was better than his seniors!! And it's fast!! With each second and third attempt, you'll get better and better! He also showed signs of being a cheeky boy. "Isn't it natural that you can do this much?" he said. Apparently, his family was a family of carpenters and the workshop was his playground from a young age. They have a different sense of how to cut wood with a blade. There is a logic to the way you move your hands and body. My incompetent nature as a boss, which I had never noticed before, was revealed. I'm embarrassed. I found out later that he had been secretly practicing all this time. I like the fact that he doesn't try to show off in any weird way, which makes him seem much more dignified than me. It's the same in every industry, but it's important to make the most of each and every opportunity. Prepare until you feel ready to come anytime! This sensor makes you feel like now is your chance! I was determined to grab it! It's fascinating to watch people seize opportunities and rise to the top. From there it's all over in a flash. So can you do this? So why don't you try this? Repeat. It will follow you wherever you go. There's still no limit. Recently, we've been competing in speed matches. It may not matter to the customer, but for craftsmen, speed is of the utmost importance. Of course, quality is the top priority, but if the quality is the same, faster is definitely better. This is because, for the craftsman, it is connected to how well-organized and efficient the work was. Good planning and efficiency are directly linked to quality. When I can work smoothly, without stopping, without wasting time, and with logical movements, I feel like I've been transported to another world. I'm not thinking about anything. Just what's in front of you. My body will no longer belong to me. When that happens, you can create some amazing furniture. Of course, it's also by far the fastest. To do this, preparation is necessary. The night before, I memorize the dimensions and angles of the object I'm making. Imagine the work process from scratch over and over again. It happens all the time, whether it's in the car on the way home, at dinner, in the bath, or whatever I'm doing. Then, once you can imagine every step of how to walk, go to sleep. Then, most of the time, I can think about it even in my dreams. Sometimes you come up with surprisingly good ideas. By morning I can concentrate on the ends of my hair. Check everything until just before you start working, then go! So, for a craftsman, "fast" means "how seriously are you doing this job?" And when it comes to keeping a company running, "someone who works fast" is "someone who is the best at their job." Because it's profitable. We're not artists. A craftsman's worth is determined by what he creates! Although it is only a small part of the finishing of a single chair, there are some parts that are highly difficult. The tools are a sword, a plane and sandpaper. The average for the young guys so far has been around 60 minutes. I did it quickly and it took 30 minutes. So I said, "60 minutes is fine, but if you can do it in 30 minutes, I'll praise you." Then it was 28 minutes. Seriously? Well, let's give it a go! And I was 22 minutes. Then he gave me 18 minutes. You bastard! And I'll take 15 minutes She couldn't get under 18 minutes. I'll give it another go and decide the match in 13 minutes. But I think I'll be overtaken in this regard soon...lol The sim chair, KOMA's first mass-produced model, which has been a big hit this year with awards and overseas exhibitions, was born thanks to her. Although KOMA chairs are mass-produced, they incorporate a great deal of craftsmanship. Therefore, maintaining mass production is equivalent to maintaining technology. Until now, only I could do the finishing work on swords and other items, but there is a limit to the number of items that can be produced. I couldn't do it alone. But it's something I've always wanted to do. I think achieving that goal has greatly changed the company's potential. Thanks to this, I learned that the growth of each young employee has a big impact on the entire company. It's an enormous impact that I definitely couldn't have made on my own. I learned that if you have genuine expectations, people will make an effort to exceed them. Finally, a child has emerged who can carry on the techniques inherited from his master. To me, Mai-chan is a treasure. There is a man who has always had a crush on Mai-chan. This is Ebi-chan, the oldest. I recently became independent. I call her "Mai-chan". I recognize her as something like gift from God or Buddha. She is now an indispensable member of KOMA. She takes larger roles in terms of what she physically provides and what she influences mentally. She has made much more works than any of male members of KOMA. 2012. I met her for the first time when Ogi-bo has brought her to a KOMA exhibition held in somewhere which I cannot remember exactly. She was introduced as a student of a school for manufacturing furnitures. Now, in her 23 years old, she has become super cocky with less respecting others, which cannot be forgivable in case of male, at that time, she was pretty girl in her 19 years old. Several months have past when KOMA was extremely busy. That was exactly we need every little help we could get. I had remembered her at that time. "Do you mind taking our part time job once a week?" I offered her and she stated her career at the KOMA. KOMA, managed by me who had trained in genuine men's world or craftsman, is also genuine men's company. I have no clue how to deal with female employees. I would not like to take special cares for female employees. Under ordinary operations, there would not be contact points between her dealing with chores tasks and myself running the company. Another several months has past. The pressure of busy work has been amplified. Would you be able to help three times a week? Would you be able to help four times a week? Would you be able to help five times a week? It appears to be really selfish. During such period. July 2014. She suddenly got a chance. Her senior member has run away. I asked her to replace his tasks without any expectations. Um? What? Really? Her skills are really nice!!! Her technique is better than her seniors from the first trial!! And also, she is quick!! Her technique has been greatly improved in second trial and more in third trial. She has revealed glimpse of her cockiness saying "This is kind of technique ordinary craftsman can do, isn't it?" She grew up in the family of carpenter and her playground has been the factory. Her sense of angle how to insert the blade is exceptional. Way of her movements in hands and body seems to be logical. It has been revealed how bad master I am, who had not noticed her talent. It was a real shame. I recognized later that she practiced secretly. One feature I like her in personality would be that she does not try to demonstrate her efforts, which would be much more distinguished than me. It would be true to every industry that it is critically important to make surely every opportunity own. Adequate amounts of preparations which make ones to ready opportunities any time. Sense to be aware of any opportunities. Strong will to acquire opportunities own. It is interesting to observe others to run up steps with acquiring opportunities. It takes just seconds for her to grow adequately. Are you able to achieve this? Are you trying to do it? It has been repeated as such. She has overcome every challenge. She has never shown her upper ceiling of her growth. Recently, she has competed me how quick the process is accomplished. It would have nothing to do with our clients, however, the speed would be the most important thing for craftsman. The quality should be prioritized for sure, however, assuming same quality, the quicker the better. For craftsman, speed would be connected to better processes and better efficiency. Good process and efficiency directly connects to quality of products. When processes are conducted without any stops, any unnecessary movements, in logical manner, I would feel flying to stay in different world. Nothing to think about. Concentrating to what exists in front of me. My body would be possessed by something other than me. When I have such feelings, I would be able to make exceptionally good furnitures. At the same time, it is completed in extra extremely short period of time. For that, adequate preparations would be required. From the previous night, sizes and angles of products are hammered into my head. Repeatedly imagine front to back processes. On the way coming back home, dinner, bath, continuously every moment. Then, when I am able to image even how to take step in walking during the process, I go to bed to sleep. Then, in many cases, I would be able to think of the process in my dream. Sometime, I would happen to have extra ordinary good ideas. In the morning, I am concentrating to the process even on the end of hairs. Confirming the details until just ahead of the process, then, get started. So, for craftsman, "quick" is almost identical to "how serious you are committed to your job?" And, from the point to make the factory to be sustainable, "those who make products quickly" is identical to "those who are capable". Because they are able to bring money to the factory. We are not artists. We are craftsman who are supposed to be evaluated by money to be brought to the company! There is difficult part in finishing process of chair. Tools to be used are blades, planes, and sand paper. So far, average duration of younger employees would be about 60 minutes. I would be able to complete it in 30 minutes without extra concentrations. So, I told her "You would be passed the standards when complexing it in 60 minutes, however, I would praise you if you are able to finish in 30 minutes." Her record was 28 minutes. Really? Let's compete in the speed? My record was 22 minutes. Then, she was able to shorten her record to 18 minutes. Bastard! My record was shoved to 15 minutes. She tried and failed to shorten her record than 18 minutes. Once again, I completed it in doubly sure 13 minutes, and the competition was over. However, for this process, she would surpass me in short periods of time, lol. The first ever production model of KOMA, "sim chair" which are highly evaluated and presented in multiple exhibitions overseas in 2015, is the chair came from her contributions. Chairs of KOMA contain many handmade processes even in production models. So, sustainability of production models are identical to sustainability of high levels of craftsman's technique. Finishing process in handworks using blades have been solely done by myself, thus, number of productions have been limited. A person would not be able to produce production models. However, it is what I would like to achieve for years. Achieving the goal, she has changed the possibility of the company. Thanks to her, I have realized growth in single younger employee may have significant impacts to entire company. It would be enormous influence I cannot give. I have also learned from her that younger employees would grow further than my expectations when I seriously expect their growth. At last, I am able to find young employees who is able to succeed technique from masters. For me, Mai-chan is genuine treasury. There is a man who continues to have one-side love to such Mai-chan. The oldest employee, Ebi-chan. He has established his own factory recently.
