Innovation Fueled By Passion and Creativity: Miho Fujiwara’s Journey Towards Creating “Nyanpeki”

Please tell us about yourself.

My name is Miho Fujiwara, and I am part of the Business Incubator Center at LIXIL Housing Technology. In my opinion, LIXIL is a company where one can pursue their interests and shape their career growth the way you want.  

Can you tell us more about your career journey at LIXIL?

I joined LIXIL as an engineer, and my first assignment was in the renovation sash product development department.  I spent four years in this department, acquiring product development skills. However, I realized that I wanted to learn other aspects of the business as well, such as business skills and customer relations. It was at this point that I learned about an open position at the Business Incubation Center, a team that nurtures new ideas for businesses, and I decided to try applying for it.

The biggest project I worked on was the development and commercialization of "Nyanpeki," or cat wall, which allows people to arrange a walking/climbing path for their cat, using magnets on the wall. The layout of this cat wall can be easily changed to create an environment where cats can play around according to their age and personality. When living with a dog or cat in a human space, various problems can arise, and “Nyanpeki" has been designed to help solve some of these.

Many customers do not think that they can customize areas of their homes by themselves, and very few know that they can create their homes to match their hobbies and interests. With "Nyanpeki," we hope that people will realize the joy of changing the layout of their homes with innovations made for their pets.

As the person in charge of this product, I can control everything from planning and development to sales, and I have been able to experience many sides of the business that I did not know before. There are multiple stages to a single business idea, and I have learned a lot by putting these into practice myself. This has also given me the opportunity to learn from my own experiences about the challenges in project execution.

Please share about a motivating or rewarding experience you’ve had while working at LIXIL.

When I came up with “Nyanpeki” as a new product idea, when it was developed with the support of everyone, as well as when I received feedback from customers - all of these experiences kept me feeling motivated and reminded me that my efforts were worthwhile.

The origin story for “Nyanpeki” started with a single picture; a simple PowerPoint slide that illustrated the concept of a cat wall that could be arranged with the help of magnets.

We then met with several customers and asked them about the problems they were facing while living with their pets. As a result of this research, we realized that the idea of a cat wall that can be attached and detached with magnets could be a potential solution, and about a year and a half later, we had the product ready.

Our idea for "Nyanpeki" did not end with the sale of the product, as we wanted to create a meaningful business model that would keep us connected with our customers afterwards too. This was because the information we could gain through our customer relationships held great value. We often received feedback from customers, not only about the improvements we could make to our products, but also about the advantages of cat walls that we were unaware of. Profitability has of course been important, but we wanted to enhance the value derived from these customer relationships, as they are the source of our product services.

If we can make this kind of business model work, we can use it not only for cat walls, but for all of LIXIL products. We will be able to create a form of business where maintaining relationships with customers becomes inherently linked to improving our own brand value.

What do you find attractive about working at LIXIL?

LIXIL has a culture that encourages employees to take on new challenges, welcomes diverse opinions, and provides various support systems to help employees advance their careers while also taking care of their families. I often feel that "A Home for Everyone" is something that is truly represented in our work culture.

While I was engaged in development work, I wanted to know more about the business as a whole, and my then manager was very open about this. At that time, I was still learning and did not have the know-how or experience to handle various tasks, but there was still an atmosphere that allowed me to take on new challenges.

I believe that a corporate culture that encourages diverse opinions has the effect of bringing vitality to the workplace. I myself am not a specialist in all areas, but our team is made up of members with different expertise. The team composition is young, and most of us are around the same age group. In order to utilize the strengths of each member, it is important to create an environment where people can speak freely, and I believe this is what I, as the team leader, am responsible for.

I believe that if we can create an atmosphere where we do not insist on perfection all the time, it will be easier for people to express their opinions. This is especially true with a young team like ours; we don't expect our members to come up with perfect ideas right from the start. Rather, we realise that it is essential to have a culture that welcomes lots and lots of ideas.

I think it is also very important that LIXIL not only provides an environment for employees to take on challenges even if they have no experience, but also allows them to put their ideas into action, and supports them over time. Sometimes they may fail, but it can be an opportunity for them to think and re-start on their own, allowing them to boldly take on challenges again in the future.

Moving on to support systems available for employees, the one I primarily use is remote working and super-flex system. For example, there are instances when I’ll have to stay at home for a long period of time due to family matters, and being able to use these two systems has made it possible for me to balance my family life and work at the same time. I also think that the various programs we have for skill enhancement are very generous.

What would you say to someone considering a career at LIXIL?

LIXIL has "LIXIL Behaviors" as three actions or things to practice in our daily work lives, and I think these are important codes of conduct for us all to achieve results regardless of our positions.

Amongst these Behaviors, the one I value the most is "Do The Right Thing.” Never having had the experience of setting up a business, there were many situations in which I had to make decisions even though I did not know how to proceed. In these situations, I sought other people’s opinions, both inside and outside the company, which taught me many important lessons, and in the end, helped me make the right decisions.

In order to reach the career path I want, I need to continue to take on various challenges. Therefore, I think it is very important to be able to take on new tasks, even if you don't have the skills, and be in an environment where you are given multiple opportunities to do your best. This is why I have been able to grow; I have found the necessary support through all the systems and initiatives provided within LIXIL.

(As of March 2024)