Meet the Moms Behind the Business
For KINONA co-founders Tami Fujii and Dianne Celuch, golf is a legacy they gained from their parents and passed on to their children.
You’ll hear the parallels they draw between the sport, family life and business in their stories here.
KINONA cofounder Tami Fujii with husband Keith and son Griffin
A mom, an entrepreneur and a golfer
By Tami Fujii
I was a golfer long before I was a mom or a founder of a business - learning to golf during childhood family vacations in Hawaii and Central Oregon. Frankly, my earliest motivation to pick up the game was that my entire family – which included my mom, dad, aunts, uncles and brother – would have taken all the cars to the golf course, leaving me without any viable mode of transportation for about 7 hours.
But I was athletic as a child and had decent hand eye coordination so felt it was a game I could easily pick up.
Once our son came along, my husband and I, like any pushy parent, wanted to introduce him to the sport as well. My parents had a huge front lawn, and my dad ended up cutting a putting green with his riding mower and making a golf hole for my son. When I was traveling, they also would take him to a pitch and putt near their home. I fondly remember thinking how great and lucky I am to be able to share a sport with both my parents and my son.
Tami’s mom and son on the course
What other sport can you experience three generations playing and spending meaningful time together?
"I fondly remember thinking how great and lucky I am to be able to share a sport with both my parents and my son."
-Tami Fujii | KINONA Co-Founder
Being a mom-preneur, like being a great golfer, requires strength and adaptability.
When my son was a young adult, I had some capacity to follow a dream and make the golf industry my profession. Dianne and I started KINONA to raise the bar on women's golf apparel.
Unfortunately joining the golf industry professionally has NOT made me a better golfer. As those who play with me will attest, I show up just in time to run to the first tee and I am looking or texting on my phone constantly.
The pace and pressures of entrepreneur life is a lot like the demands of being a mom and the demands of the golf game, too. The parallels between being a mom, a golfer and an entrepreneur are many.
This is my greatest advice to mom-preneurs, but I think you could apply it to your golf game, too:
It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Be patient with the process.
Celebrate the wins and learn from your mistakes. There will be many of both.
Be kind to yourself. Your work matters, and your people need you.
KINONA cofounder Dianne Celuch is delighted to pass the game on to her grandchildren
Golf - and business owning - is the work of generations
by Dianne Celuch
I grew up with a dad who loved golf. I remember watching golf with him and having childhood favorites like Tom Watson, Fuzzy, Zoeller and Chi Chi Rodriguez.
But I didn’t start playing it then. It was not until I returned home in my late 20s that I took up the game, which thrilled my dad. Although never a "great" golfer, I loved the sport, and the time I could share with my dad. We played together often, and even now when asked what he'd like to do at 90 years old, he says ride around the course and watch me play.
Dianne and her dad on the course
Having kids only deepened my love of the sport as we introduced them to golf. Some of my favorite times were with my dad, son and I out playing different courses.
With a new generation, even my grandkids are now playing which fills my heart with joy as we share the game. They know if they are coming to California, they are going to get to play golf every day.
"Even my grandkids are now playing which fills my heart with joy as we share the game."
-Dianne Celuch | KINONA Co-Founder
My mom never played golf but she believed in me and was one of the first investors in KINONA, because she understood my passion and my experience would help us build a great brand.
My daughter is just now returning to the sport, after spending the last six years supporting KINONA any way she was asked, such as social media posts, event coordination, or anything else. It truly is a family affair. She's got a darn good swing, too.
Owning a golf apparel business definitely restricts the time I can devote to playing, but the experience of bringing us all together is priceless. And, did I mention I met my husband at a golf tournament?
Celebrate the women you love who balance their multifaceted roles with tenacity, grace and strength!
