[Account Planner Interview] Carrying the hopes of hundreds of millions of fans, a social media marketer takes on the stage she once dreamed of as a child

This time, we spoke with Nakamura-san, who joined Gridge in February 2026.

She has been passionate about the entertainment world from a young age; then she moved into social media marketing after working in apparel. With extensive experience in social media strategy and management at major companies, as well as launching entertainment-focused YouTube programs and leading platform execution, we look into what she is feeling at Gridge in her second month.

We’ve got real-life words from Nakamura-san, since she had concerns before joining about whether she would be able to thrive in this environment. 

Contents:

• “I want to be on the side that delivers entertainment.” A feeling that has remained the same since her childhood. 

• A career strategy formed amid COVID-19: “First, I’ll compete in my native language.” 

• Three years of struggles that brought her to tears, but she persevered. 

• You don’t understand customers’ realities just by sitting in front of a screen. “Possession-based” marketing. 

• “Music” × “Global” × “Marketing.” A place where everything comes together.

• Pursuing the same goal as the artists who shared her youth.

• Until the day she crosses oceans through her work. 

“I want to be on the side that delivers entertainment.” A feeling that has remained the same since her childhood. 

▍First, please tell us what made you interested in entertainment. 

I used to do dance and stage performances from a young age, and I had friends around me who were under agencies, so I grew up in an environment very close to entertainment. 

I have always thought it was wonderful seeing people who express themselves and are in the spotlight. 

I felt very strongly that I wanted to be on the side that delivers it one day. 

I've liked people who pursue mastery as craftsmen, and I wanted to be involved in those worlds in some sort of way. 

▍I heard that you got interested in English also through entertainment. 

Yes, it all started with a certain Hollywood actor. 

I’ve liked Hollywood movies with him in them since childhood, and I was always watching them dubbed in Japanese, but at one point I thought, “Can I call myself his fan without understanding his native language?” 

I started learning English seriously, and around my sophomore year in university, I was finally able to understand his words without translating them into Japanese. The moment my hard work and persistence towards tackling English head-on was rewarded is something I can never forget, no matter how old I get.

My approach is still the same, and I actively seek opportunities to speak English by traveling abroad alone and reading books in English. I try to include English in my daily life as much as possible.

A career strategy formed amid COVID-19: “First, I’ll compete in my native language.” 

▍Please tell us about your career so far.

As a new graduate, I joined a foreign apparel brand and worked there for about four years. While handling customer service, I was also responsible for visual merchandising, including the overall store layout and decorations. 

Although it was the same brand, the customer demographics differed significantly by store, and I believe the foundation for my current approach to social media marketing was built there. 

▍So is the idea to understand who your customers are and approach store design and service in a way that aligns with their demographics? 

Exactly. 

For example, one store in Kanagawa had many Asian customers, while stores in central Tokyo mainly catered to inbound tourists, and both best-selling products and preferred colors differed. 

You would observe a customer’s flow in the store very closely, for example noticing that they first look at dark denim, then move to T-shirts and go back to denim, even down to which shelf level and size they pick up, and use that to understand their personal style. From there, you might suggest, “How about this kind of coordination?”

Because of the close, hands-on customer service style typical of a foreign brand, I got into the habit of constantly thinking, “What does this person value, and what are they thinking?” 

▍What made you move into social media marketing after working in apparel? 

I had been interested in marketing from an early age, and in college I even wanted to immigrate to Canada and work in marketing abroad. 

That’s why I was also considering working at a foreign company for my second job and moving abroad, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. 

Since COVID-19 was an infectious disease originating in Asia, there was some prejudice against Asian people in certain parts of the world, and I thought, “No matter how hard I try, I might be judged based on things that are not in my control.”

At that point, I decided to fully build my marketing expertise in my home country of Japan first. 

As for English, I had been studying continuously and was able to read English books without any problems, so I believed that as long as I kept learning, language would not be an issue. And by acquiring marketing skills, it would eventually lead to opportunities to work internationally.

It was also a time when demand for YouTube was rapidly increasing due to COVID-19, and I strongly felt that the digital marketing field would continue to grow, so I joined a company specializing in social media marketing. 

Three years of struggles that brought her to tears, but she persevered. 

▍Was it hard to start with no prior experience? 

To be honest, it was very hard.

I was handling around 5–6 clients at all times and in an environment where I handled about 20 social media accounts, covering all major platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and X extensively. 

From my second year, I was also responsible for digital marketing for overseas government agencies and airlines. 

I was about to join client projects from the sales stage and create about 50-page proposal materials with the team and get contracts, but at first, I was so nervous that I got to the point of thinking, “I don’t know what I was saying” during presentations. 

There were even times when I found myself tearing up without noticing while working (laughs). 

But because I overcame those tough times, I was able to work in a front-facing role.

▍Do you have any especially memorable projects? 

It was working with a domestic interior brand for three years. 

The request was that they wanted to grow both accounts and sales, but did not want to just produce trendy content aimed at younger users. The company was mainly composed of men in their 40s, so they had a different sense from that of younger people on social media. 

There were periods of time when my proposals didn’t go through, and it was hard to come up with new and more effective ideas every month while the numbers continued to drop. 

However, the goal of “increasing the numbers” was aligned in the same direction. So even if an idea didn’t go through last month, by changing the way I conveyed it or the timing, I might get approval the next week. 

I kept thinking that and continued proposing ideas without giving up, gradually building up small successes little by little. 

I learned from experience that it’s important not to give up. 

You don’t understand customers’ realities just by sitting in front of a screen. “Possession-based” marketing. 

▍You’ve since moved into the entertainment industry, right? 

Originally, the reason I wanted to pursue digital marketing was because I had admired the spotlight since I was young, and I had always hoped to work as an entertainment professional someday.

However, the entertainment world is not an industry that amateurs can easily enter. That’s exactly why I focused on a new form of entertainment unique to the modern era as my first phase. 

I’ve always pictured that if I started from here, I would eventually reach the world I had long admired.

Then I randomly came across a YouTube video where people my age were working in YouTuber management and behind-the-scenes roles, and it struck me to see how lively and enjoyable their work seemed. From there, I found an opportunity and eventually came across the company I joined next.

▍What kind of role were you responsible for after joining the company? 

As soon as I joined, I became one of the initial members in launching a business-focused YouTube program. 

At that time, there was only a general concept, and we were in a phase where we had to think through casting and the program structure from scratch. 

Within that, I was mainly in charge of overseeing everything from social media strategy design to management, including writing posts, creating thumbnails and videos, and analyzing performance. It truly was built from the ground up. 

▍Wasn’t it a completely different world from the social media marketing you had been doing? 

It really was. Most of the people involved were former TV directors and public figures, and it was right at the center of the entertainment industry. 

I had experience in social media strategy and management before as well, but the task of promoting a program through social media called for a completely different way of thinking.

Because it was unfamiliar territory, I had to think in terms of “putting myself in the viewers’ shoes” and really consider what kind of content would move my heart. 

▍ I believe “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes” is very challenging. What approach did you take?

Not being in front of the screen.

If I just look at information on a screen and think on my own, I feel like I can’t move past my fixed way of thinking. So I intentionally go out to places like Starbucks or bars to pick up different values and ways of thinking by listening to conversations around me. 

Also, when I’m in places where I can talk with people, I proactively engage with them and try to learn more about them on a deeper level. 

I ask a lot of questions like “Why do you like this content?” or “Why do you watch that?” and I try to absorb the real feedback I get from them.

“Music” × “Global” × “Marketing.” A place where everything comes together.

▍Please tell us about your first encounter with Gridge.

At my previous company, I was somewhat able to fulfill my dream of working in entertainment, but there were little to no overseas ties. I’ve neither studied abroad nor gotten to live in a foreign country. However, I’ve always had this inkling that “I really would like to work in an international career.”

Right around that time, an opportunity to reevaluate my career path presented itself.

A lot of factors happened to line up all at once, which got me thinking, “If I don’t seriously go after what I want to do now, it may one day be too late.” With that, I stepped into freelancing for a bit while I sought out what I truly wanted to do.

While I was browsing Wantedly for work related to overseas opportunities, I happened to come across a listing from Gridge.

The moment I saw the keywords ‘music,’ ‘global,’ and ‘marketing,’ it just hit me that, “This is what I’ve most wanted to do!”

However, if I’m being honest, I also felt a lot of uncertainty.

Because it was a role that I genuinely wanted, there was that bit of anxiety of “Can I actually succeed here?” and I hesitated about applying.

But I figured, if this was meant to be, then they might at least hear me out, so I took a chance and applied.

Pursuing the same goal as the artists who shared her youth.

▍You’ve been with the company now for roughly two months. What tasks are you currently doing?

I’m currently involved as a front-facing lead, or account planner, for a project with a nationally renowned artist.

While serving as the main point of contact with clients during meetings, I’m responsible for numerical data analysis, marketing strategy development for global expansion, and social media campaign initiatives.

With support from my senior colleagues, I get to learn on the front lines every day while building on the client-facing experience and digital marketing knowledge that I developed in my previous role.

While I’m still getting up to speed with some practices that are unique to the music industry, I do feel like I’m able to put my previous experiences to good use, which makes each day really fulfilling.

▍Were there any gaps between your perception before and after joining?

There was no gap, and it was as I had imagined and idealized. 

When I see everyone working, I get an adrenaline rush and feel extremely motivated.

CEO Yabui-san and senior member Soeda-san are both genuinely enthusiastic about this industry and fully dedicated to making this company more global and taking it to the next level. I can constantly feel that coming across in our day-to-day meetings. 

I feel truly grateful to be given the chance to stand on the same stage as everyone else and be part of the team that gets to build this company. So I approach every day determined to keep up, even if it means hanging on for dear life.

▍How do you like the company’s atmosphere?

I feel very comfortable working here.

I’m not sure of the best way to put this, but because everyone takes their own responsibilities very seriously, so people aren’t paying you any unnecessary attention. You could say they’re focused on the task at hand, and they exhibit working with a high level of professionalism, so it’s a very easy environment to work in.

▍I believe it’s your first time working in a global organization. How do you feel about that?

While I work together with people of various backgrounds, I realize that for things I’ve always thought of as normal, there exists a world in which they aren’t normal at all. I experience that daily, so I feel the need to set aside my own presumptions.

For example, among Japanese people, we are mindful of each other, and there are situations where we wait until others are done speaking or take a pause before speaking ourselves, but depending on the person, there are people who more proactively voice their opinion.

But that doesn’t mean they’re “opinionated” in a negative context, I understand that “in Japan, that’s not our main way of communicating” or “there are other forms of communication too.”

Even within the company, there’s an air of mutual understanding that “this person has this type of characteristic and was raised in this kind of culture,” so I find that my values and way of thinking are constantly being updated.

What is one person’s normal isn’t always necessarily correct either. I’ve learned that through this realization, I am currently updating my personal values that I’ve cultivated over the years.

▍At what times do you find this career to be fulfilling or fun?

I directly carry with me the feelings of artists and their close managers —  artists that I’ve spent my youth with and have been listening to since my school days, and I really enjoy that I get to strive for the same goals alongside them.

And that, of course, includes the feelings of millions, tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions of fans the world over.

I want to be able to deliver on all of these people’s expectations. There are so many things I need to work on to do that, and it excites me thinking about the future and “What should I do next?”

As I continue to appreciate being in this environment, I want to carry the feelings of the artists themselves, those involved with them, and all the fans who have supported them, and I’d like to keep giving my full commitment to that moving forward.

Until the day she crosses oceans through her work. 

▍Is there anything you want to challenge at Gridge?

One of my life goals was to work overseas, so I would love to start traveling abroad more.

Actually, my grandfather lives in Singapore, so it’s a place where I have a connection to since my childhood. I’d be grateful if I could be involved in a project that blends elements of Singapore at Gridge. 

With that in mind, I will keep working on what’s ahead of me step by step so that people will want to bring me overseas. 

▍Lastly, please leave a message for anyone who might be interested in joining Gridge.

I believe I wasn’t mistaken in thinking that the barrier was high before I applied. 

But I think people who can confidently say, “I think I can do it” and “I’m confident in my experience in ○○” can overcome those walls after joining a place like Gridge. 

More than special skills or your background, I feel that an attitude of wanting to see something through to the end without compromising is far more important.

Rather than settling for “this is good enough”, it is all about how much I can persist or how far I can pursue something. This is something I tell myself daily, and I think this approach leads to establishing trust between our team members and our clients.

I would love for people with that mindset to come and join us.

---

How did you enjoy this?

Having been drawn to the world of entertainment from a young age, Nakamura-san has steadily built a career that spans apparel, digital marketing, and the entertainment industry. Driven by a childhood desire to be on the ‘delivering side,’ she now steps into a new field where music and global marketing intersect.

Within 2 months of joining the company, she’s involved in projects with a nationally renowned artist as an account planner. While still learning about the music industry's unique business practices and how to manage its stakeholders, she continues to work hard at the forefront of global marketing.

If, through Nakamura-san’s interview, you’ve felt like:

“I want to utilize social media marketing and do jobs that are more exciting,” or “I want to  work more globally in the entertainment world I like,”

then please feel free to apply.

We are looking for team members in various roles — contractors, full-time, or interns.