This lady is the marketing manager of internationally renowned home-grown jewellery brand, Jewelmer, which her father, Jacques Branellec and businessman Manuel Cojuangco founded in 1979. Together with her brother, Jacques Christophe Branellec they have taken the business to new heights.
The daunting, yet sometimes paradoxical honour of rising to the challenge to take over the ropes of a family business is something that many a son or daughter face. The paradox continues on as this journey is one of privilege, and is yet extremely high pressure, with a lot at stake.
Many of the Philippines’ largest, more successful, thriving and growing businesses are family-owned and family-run. For that matter, there are countless massive global enterprises that are family-run, and proud of it. In fact, the legacy of a brand and its power can stem from the culture that is imbibed by those who manage it. The perspective, know-how and innate knowledge that comes from being born around an industry, surrounded by people passionate about a certain topic, make you very much a part of that word. Some skills and a particular vision can take a lifetime to build, to mould or perfect. What one can learn from generations past is priceless as learning through experience is something truly eye-opening.
Through this interview, we have gained a deeper understanding of the challenges and balance that is needed to drive one’s professional life forward after interviewing second and third-generation family members who have decided to pursue and improve their family operations. Learn from Marion Branellec De Guzman, Marketing Manager of Jewelmer, here:
What are the challenges of working in a family business?
For one, you must work twice as hard to earn your seat at the table as there will be high expectations from the start. There is more pressure to perform here compared to a company where you are relatively unknown. It is also important not to blur the boundaries between the personal and the professional. When you have respect for each other’s roles, it makes it easier to express different viewpoints and arrive at the best solutions. At the end of the day, we all have the same shared goal.
What have you learned from your parents or elders who have been in the business before you?
The lessons I have learned from my parents would be impossible to condense into one paragraph. I learned the value of hard work and not to take anything for granted. It takes 377 meticulous steps and up to five years to produce a single pearl. You cannot give up mid-way, and if you do any step half-heartedly, your mistakes will be reflected in the pearl years later. I also learned from my parents that your mind is your most powerful tool and if you open yourself up to the infinite possibilities of the universe, the right solution will always present itself in any situation.