Thirty-five years ago, long before Focus Global Inc. had multi-level showrooms filled with beautifully designed kitchens, furniture and appliances, Stephen Sy (Founder, Chairman and President) and Loli Sy (Founder, Vice Chairman and Executive Vice President) were working out of a rented warehouse with 20 employees, two small office rooms, a mezzanine that doubled as lunchroom and meeting space, and a single shared bathroom.
It was a modest beginning. But even then, Steve and Loli were already laying the groundwork for something much bigger.
Steve’s vision was to bring world-class brands and quality to Filipino homes. Loli’s role was to help build the organization that could make that vision sustainable.
Together, they established not only the direction of the business, but also the way it would operate – the standards it would uphold, the culture it would cultivate, and the systems and processes needed to support its growth.
Steve says, “From day one, our vision was not that we would simply sell products, we would build brands. Our belief was that Filipino homes deserve world-class design and quality, with the same access to top brands as anywhere in the world.”
That belief would shape not only the brands Focus Global brought to the country, but also the kind of company it would become.
For Loli, building the company meant making sure that the values behind that vision were reflected in the way people worked every day.
Company Culture
In Focus Global’s early years, Steve and Loli were hands-on in every part of the business.
He and Loli used to personally hand out Christmas bonuses to thank employees for their hard work and honesty. “I think that was one reason we had a very strong company culture, down to the last person,” Loli says. One member of the original 1991 team is still with Focus Global today, leading warehouse operations for its Consumer Goods division.
From 20 employees, the company has grown to nearly 600 full-time employees and a portfolio of over 30 brands.
Loli says, “The company has grown and changed. The way we work with each other has changed, and our business model has evolved many times over. But at the heart of it, our core values, our FGI values, are still the same.”
This philosophy is captured in the company motto to “Make it personal,” and reinforced by an employee oath that begins with, “We listen, we understand, and we make it happen.”
Growing Up in the Business. The Next Generation
The Sy children grew up in the business. All five spent school breaks at the office, filing documents, answering telephones, coding service reports, helping with sales or preparing orders.
“The family was fully prepared to support,” Loli recalls with a smile.
What seemed like a normal part of growing up would later become an important advantage. They grew up with an early understanding of how the business worked and the people behind it.
Years later, daughters Andrea (Chief Strategy and Operating Officer) and Angela (Chief Financial Officer) would bring that experience into a very different business landscape.
Coming from early career years working at Silicon Valley startups and tech companies, they saw how technology was changing the way consumers discover and purchase products. Under their direction, Focus Global began rebuilding processes for digital retail. By January 2020, it had launched e-commerce sites for all its brands, just before the pandemic dramatically accelerated the shift online. A 360-degree virtual showroom soon followed, letting clients explore home furnishing collections remotely.
Still, Andrea and Angela did not see technology as a replacement for physical retail. They saw an opportunity to make physical retail better.
This led to the opening of focus_, inspired by experiential stores they had visited in Korea and the United States. Unlike traditional appliance stores, focus_ was designed as a space where customers could touch and try products to get the full experience.
Building Brands, Building Homes
Focus Global’s first brand was Coleman, followed by KitchenAid and Oster. Today, its portfolio spans more than 30 global brands across several categories.
The brands may be different, but the principle for choosing them has remained consistent. “We only choose brands with good heritage, a strong reputation and excellent quality, brands we can introduce to this market and build a name for among Filipino consumers,” Steve says.
While many of those relationships began through letters, faxes and cold calls, the move into home furnishings stemmed from a more personal experience. While building their house, Steve and Loli realized they could not find the kind of furniture they wanted in Manila. A friend suggested Ethan Allen, and during a trip to the United States, Steve visited a store and called the 1-800 number he found on the back of its catalog. That call eventually brought him to Connecticut to discuss bringing Ethan Allen to the Philippines.
This pivotal step took Focus Global beyond consumer products into furniture, kitchens and appliances and, eventually, into the broader goal of helping people put together a home.
That progression is evident in its Twenty-Four Seven and Twenty-Five Seven showrooms in BGC where clients can walk through rooms full of kitchens, appliances, furniture, lighting, window coverings and even gym equipment.
Steve says, “You come to our showrooms and everything is there. We’ve evolved from having just a few brands to having more than 30 brands today. We want people to think of us when they want to build a life at home.”
The Next Chapter: Southeast Asia
In 2021, Focus Global took Steve and Loli’s vision beyond the Philippines, expanding into Singapore and, a year later, Malaysia.
As the next generation looks ahead, Focus Global is also investing in artificial intelligence and automation. Angela and Andrea are leading the effort to streamline operations behind the scenes.
Now, as Focus Global grows across the region, the question is no longer how many brands it can bring to market or how many houses it can furnish. It is how those brands can help people build homes.
Today, it drives Focus Global’s long-term vision, one that reaches well beyond the Philippines: to Touch 100 Million Homes.
From 20 people in 1991 to nearly 600 across three countries, Focus Global’s 35-year journey has always come back to one thing: the people who make a house a home.
Find the Focus Global brands that meet your needs at www.focusglobalinc.com.
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