Zelda Kienle with daughters Stephanie, 30,  and Jessica, 28 

Through the years, photos of the Kienle family always show Max and Zelda huddled with their daughters Stephanie and Jessica. Their closeness extends to the family’s furniture business, Philux.

“Max and I are open to new inputs from our daughters,” says Zelda, Philux president.

Although Max, the patriarch and founder, is still on top of the business, the couple is starting to hand over the reins to Stephanie, head of sales and marketing, and Jessica, head designer.

One of the reasons that they can be objective in business and maintain intimate ties is that Zelda emphasized the importance of communication.

“As a teen, I wasn’t afraid to express my feelings,” says Stephanie Kienle-Gonzalez. “I could even talk about taboo subjects. Good communication in the family translates to the workplace.”

Stephanie describes her mother as nurturing even as a boss: “She never stepped out of her role as a mother, even when she trained and guided us constructively in the business.”

Jessica Kienle-Maxwell adds: “She’s the most generous person I know. She speaks the language of love. When we came into the business, our parents didn’t give us a hard time. They trusted us and were open to our ideas.”

Hands-on

“We saw how our parents started from scratch,” adds Stephanie. “As the second generation, we are passionate about this business.”

On rearing her daughters, Andrea, 4,  and the newborn Arielle, Stephanie looks up to Zelda as the role model: “Mom was hands-on.”

Zelda is pleased: “When they joined the company, we observed them. They did a fantastic job. They saw how we ran the business and took care of our people.”

 Family bonding

The family shop talk is limited to the factory and office. The Kienles often have lunches together, despite their separate households.

Off-hours,  Jessica enjoys bonding with her mother at the nail salon or shopping for the upcoming grandson (Jessica is set to give birth anytime).

Zelda says she and Max can take longer trips and not worry about the business: “My girls  respect each other and learn a lot from each other. For us parents, it’s wonderful to see  that.”

Lala Fojas, Executive Vice President and General Manager, The Shangri-La Plaza Corp., and  Yvonne Karla Fojas-Almirante, 45

‘I see my mom as having broken glass ceilings when we didn’t even know what glass ceilings were’

While raising her children in the 1970s and ’80s, Lala Fojas recalls, “Parents were less self-conscious about how to ‘boost self-esteem’ or being ‘helicopter’ parents. We encouraged kids in their pursuits and talents, spoke to them about concerns, and included them in family decisions.”

Her work took her overseas, which enabled the family to travel frequently. Lala recalls how her children wanted to eat at McDonald’s to get the freebies from their Happy Meal.

The children were also encouraged to discuss ideas openly. “Now that they’re all adults, we are able to speak to one another as equals, and I would even consult them,” says Lala. “My daughter works in advertising and would pick my brain for marketing insights. My son is in telco and I would get a lot of information from him.”

Bonding time is meant for the children and grandchildren: “We attend graduations, recitals, sports meets. My granddaughters raid my closets for clothing and makeup. We go shopping. They come over on a workday to have lunch.”

Because of the open communication, Lala’s children still seek her guidance: “They’ve been through different trials in their lives and the best I can do is be nonjudgmental but not patronizing either, and to constantly be present.”

Yvonne, Lala’s eldest, describes her mother as a moral compass: “Exactly 28 years of being a solo parent, provider, career coach, lodestone, values driver, cheerleader, mentor, adviser, solutions expert, fashion consultant, feminist model, accomplishment benchmark, taste purveyor, relationship counselor, best friend and grandmother. I see my mom as having broken glass ceilings when we didn’t even know what glass ceilings were.”

Although Lala is exacting at work, as a mother she is nurturing. Says Yvonne: “She uses her skills at managing for family events.”

Yvonne admits that during her teen phase, she was bit of a rebel: “Instead of ‘disciplining’ or ‘setting limits,’ mom’s style was showing you the consequences of your actions. She’d give you options and allow us the time and space to make decisions. She would get angry but would create a situation where, if you step over the line, the consequences were tough love.”

They keep close communication and share photos of fashion items that catch their eye. While Yvonne is making a presentation or meeting clients, her mother would call. At this writing, they are planning their first mother-daughter trip.

Yvonne says it’s challenging to find a gift for someone who has everything: “At gift-giving time, Mom will outdo you. In small things, I try to be present as much as I could—being available when she calls, making sure the grandkids see her, even running errands. I’m not entirely sure whether I show her enough that I do love and value her immensely. She may not be fully aware that she’s been all that to me and more.” —CONTRIBUTED