‘Never fight about money’: Hanabishi siblings share secrets for continuing family business
MANILA, Philippines — Child of Owner – that’s how people usually jokingly define a family member of a company owner who inherits the company and is called a COO, which actually means “Chief Operating Officer.”
At Hanabishi Appliances, however, siblings Jevon, Jasper, Cherish and Candice are not just COOs (children of owners).
When their parents, Jose and Conchita Ong, retired from running Fortune Buddies Corp., the company behind Hanabishi Appliances, in 2006, Jasper, who finished Manufacturing Engineering and Management at the De La Salle University (DLSU), took over as president.
Jasper’s siblings, Jevon, who finished Economics from DLSU, is now the company’s Vice President (VP) for Purchasing and Merchandising, while sisters Cherish Ong-Chua and Candice Ong-Ang are VPs for Finance and Marketing and for Operations, respectively.
No family dramas
Unlike other family-owned companies facing legal battles when it comes to succession, there is no family drama in their company, said the Ongs. As a family, they also try to extend a family-friendly culture into their workplace.
“Actually, lucky kami na kaming apat, ‘di kami nag-aaway. Same ideas, same direction. Kung may mga kaunting misunderstanding, pinag-uusapan namin. Pero generally, okay kami,” Cherish said on how it is working with her siblings in running the over 30-year-old business.
"Kasi growing up kami, lagi n'yang sinasabi, never fight about money... kayong apat lang talaga. Always be there for each other... Basta laging kayo lang, walang ibang maaasahan,” Cherish recalled what their dad, Jose Ong, founding founder of Fortune Buddies Corp., always tell the four of them.
"Bata pa lang kasi kami, when he's dealing with foreign suppliers, sinasabak kami sa mga dinner. S'yempre 'yung plight ng mga suppliers dito sa Philippines, 'di sila kumakain... Laging daming lessons learned. Pangaral? Hindi ko mapin-point pero ang dami talaga,” Jevon seconded.
"Parang lagi n'yang sinasabi n'ya sa'min, nothing beats hard work. Anything in life, basta you work hard for it, ma-achieve mo,” enthused Candice, adding that they are constantly educating themselves to adapt to improvements in the landscape.
Always on-guard
Cherish proudly declared that they have maintained their parents’ legacy of keeping their homegrown brand on the top spot of its category amid the entry of many foreign competitors: “Gusto kong sabihin (na) number one tayo. Number one talaga.”
“Quality eh! At bukod sa quality, very affordable for the Filipino family,” she said on their brand’s unique business proposition.
“We're confident kasi once ma-try nila 'yun, hindi talaga magtatagal 'yung mga appliances na 'yun, they will go back to us,” Jasper enthused.
Jevon admitted that being number one, however, is a tough job and expectations are high even if there are now four of them running the company.
“Mahirap (maging number). Mahirap talaga. Mahirap i-maintain ang number one. Mas mahirap i-maintain ang number one... Kasi ang dami ring bagong brand,” he professed.
“The same in business, it keeps on evolving, lalo na sa panahon ngayon, mas mabilis pa. Kailangan on top of your game ka all the time,” added Jasper.
According to him, they were able to keep their brand no. 1 by being hands-on every day.
"Kahit ang tagal-tagal na, we still work for it, constantly improving, innovating, kasi iba na ang panahon ngayon sa dati,” Candice said.
They develop their products sometimes coming from their own need, sometimes, when a supplier abroad brings in a new technology.
“’Yung (COVD-19) pandemic, siguro it worked for our advantage din kasi nag-work from home ang mga tao, hindi sila lumalabas. Parang bonding din 'yun sa family,” Cherish said.
“Dumarami rin 'yung need nila for appliances, dati rice cooker lang. Ngayon, dahil sa pandemic, mayroon na ring airfryer. From hand mixer lang, maraming naging chef pa, lahat naging baker, electric oven,” added Candice.
Jasper claimed that their company is among the first to introduce electric ovens in the land.
Although an innovator and arguably no. 1 in their trade, the Ongs have no plans of bringing their label abroad.
“No plans of expanding. Sa Philippines palang, anlaki na ng market,” Jevon said.
The rise of many community malls also open more opportunities for the brand.
“Kung mapapansin n’yo po ‘yung mga malls, kasi sa Metro Manila, sa cities, very congested na. Lahat sila nag-eexpand outside of Metro Manila. Kasama din d’yan ang Visayas, Mindanao. Pati mga islands,” he shared, adding that they even have a dealer in top island destination Siargao. “So tuloy-tuloy po ang expansion ng mga dealers.”
“Tuloy-tuloy ang ating presence sa market. We have our brand ambassadors, our endorsers,” added Candice. “Household brand naman tayo, ang tagal-tagal na natin. At alam ng mga tao kung Hanabishi talaga, maasahan, something na talagang pangmatagalan. May quality, may after-sales service…”
Instead of global domination, Jasper lays down their fight plan: “We will do our best to make our products better.”
RELATED: Why ‘smart’ appliances, online hauls not always ‘smart’ buys – Appliance brand VPs
