Yugo Soeda, President and CEO of BRISK STAND Co., Ltd.　

2026.01.19

The amount of action before thinking and the experience have shaped my current management style

■ Profile
He devoted himself to baseball from his childhood until he graduated from high school. After graduating from Meiji University, he joined Improv, a luxury car sales company, and worked as an authorized Porsche dealer for about two and a half years in sales.
He then founded CureNext Inc. in 2016 and went independent in the food and beverage business. In 2019, he founded Buzzkuru Inc., a promotion company specializing in marketing, in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, with the theme of regional revitalization.
In addition, in 2023, the company established BRISK STAND Co., Ltd., which operates hamburger shops, and as of January 2026, it operates 24 stores nationwide.

BRISK STAND is a gourmet burger shop that serves hamburgers that incorporate Japanese cuisine, under the catchphrase "Eat into Japanese food!". They are particular about the ingredients they use and the cooking methods they use, and in 2024 they were selected as one of Tabelog's top 100 restaurants. President Soeda, who is currently expanding his restaurant nationwide and around the world, talks about the amount of effort and experience he has accumulated.

■About BRISK STAND

BRISK STAND, which he currently manages, is a gourmet burger shop with locations nationwide. The main store is in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, and full-scale store expansion began in 2024. A second store opened in Asakusa in February 2024, and the company now has 24 stores. He is considering having 50 stores nationwide by the end of the year, as well as opening in large commercial facilities and expanding overseas.
However, it wasn't like I had a clear answer or plan from the beginning to get to this point. Looking back, I feel that the amount of action I've taken since my student days and the breadth of my experiences have led me to my current management. Every day, I realize that management is a continuous process of on-site experience and judgment.

■ During my student days, I prioritized gaining experience

I was completely devoted to baseball until high school, and even came second in the national championships in junior high school. After entering university, I had a strong desire to become independent in the future, and wanted to learn as much as possible.
So I decided to gain experience through part-time work. I worked in 30 to 40 different jobs, mainly in the food service industry, including restaurants, convenience stores, and as a truck driver. If we were to consider efficiency alone, it might have been better to stick with one job for a long time, but I'm the type of person who learns by doing rather than thinking, so there are many things I don't understand until I'm actually on-site, and I thought it would be better to have a wide range of skills. In this way, what I was conscious of during my student days was the amount of action I could take and the breadth of my experience.
This experience has helped me make decisions quickly and adapt to new environments since I entered the workforce. Knowing how people behave on the front lines and where they stumble has also been a valuable asset when making management decisions.
My approach didn't change during my job search. While everyone around me was applying to 20 or 30 companies, I only applied to one. I chose a Porsche dealership because I felt it would be an environment where I could learn about dress, language, how to connect with successful customers, and sales skills.
I attended more than 20 information sessions and stayed there for about two and a half years. During that time, I naturally developed my ability to deal with customers and my ability to see them as people, as each customer had a strong personality. This experience still serves as the foundation for how I interact with staff and business partners.

■Speed and repeatability are the keys to store expansion

When increasing the number of stores, we are conscious of not expanding based on momentum alone. Restaurants can expand quickly, but it is meaningless if the quality and brand experience deteriorates.
At BRISK STAND, we carefully examine the sales structure and operations of each store, and decide whether to open the next store once we have confirmed that the results are reproducible. Even in franchise development, we prioritize delivering the same value regardless of who runs the store.
It's also important to change the way you sell depending on the location. Takeout is more common in tourist areas, while delivery is more prevalent in urban areas. We design our menus and customer flow based on these differences. Management is a job that requires you to keep an eye on both the numbers and the actual situation, so I try to keep this in mind at all times.
I also try to keep in mind the idea that "withdrawal is also an option." In restaurant management, success stories tend to be the focus of attention, but in reality, there are times when the location doesn't suit you or the results are different from what you expected. In such cases, it's important to make a calm decision, looking at the numbers and future prospects, rather than making a decision based on emotion.

■ Creating a business that is constantly mindful of how to deliver value to customers

I didn't decide to start my own business with hamburgers. My father was a chef, so I was interested in the food and beverage industry, but I first gained experience in several businesses, including a restaurant support company and a tourism promotion business in Okinawa.
BRISK STAND is my third business venture. I was approached about taking over a hamburger restaurant in Kobe, and I thought, "I don't want to lose this flavor," which is what prompted me to take on the business in earnest.
How to protect and expand existing value: This perspective is still alive in our current management decisions.
What makes our products stand out is that they remain delicious even when taken out. While regular hamburgers lose their flavor over time due to the moisture from the lettuce and tomatoes, ours doesn't use fresh vegetables, so the flavor doesn't deteriorate due to moisture. We also use additive-free whole wheat buns, potatoes made with Danshaku potatoes, and patties made only with meat and salt.
When expanding our stores, we are conscious of providing the same value and taste at every store. Based on the concepts of harmony, nature, and concrete, we tailor the interior and menu for each location to create a complete brand experience. We are currently not only expanding domestically, but also overseas.

■Message to university students

I think we live in an age where it's easy for individuals to take on the challenges they want to face. There's no need to worry too much about what others think or what society thinks of you. Before you think about whether you'll succeed, just take action.
I personally don't think that the choices I made as a student were right right away. However, the more I moved, the more experience I gained, and the accumulation of that experience has made me who I am today. Even experiences that may seem like a detour will always have meaning later on. I hope that you will cherish the challenges that you can only take while you are a student.

Student Newspaper Online September 6, 2025 Interview by Reina Inomoto, a first-year student at Kyoto University of the Arts