Ben Ancheta made a major life decision somewhere around Cleveland, Ohio. Yes…you read that correctly.

A local boy who recently graduated from college on the East Coast, Ben packed his bags for a cross-country move. It was about to be a very, very long drive.

After the move, he planned to start his job at a major consulting firm. The car was loaded, and he was ready for the next chapter 📗

He was on the road, somewhere in Ohio, when he got the phone call.

On the other end of the line was Ben’s friend, the founder of a startup trying to change the way people are hired.

The friend’s request to Ben was clear: Change your life plans and join my startup.

Small kine crazy idea.

Drop everything, move in with 4 other guys, and work 15+ hours every day. No one would be that crazy, right?

Turns out, Ben is that crazy.

Fast forward a few months, and Ben is a founding engineer at the startup called Sorce. A team of five guys from different backgrounds—all trying to kill the resume.

I had a chance to talk story with Ben. Here’s what I found:

The “startup life” pictured below ⬇️

What is Sorce?

“We have this app that's like Tinder for jobs. So you basically can boot it up, upload your resume, add some other information, and then you can swipe right and left on jobs.”

Ben’s pitch goes like this:

• Hiring is expensive

• Resumes don’t capture everything about a job candidate

• Plus, manually sorting through hundreds of resumes is not efficient for employers

• At the end of the day, what matters is that employers get the best candidate and job seekers find the best job

So, the team built a new system.

Users add their information to the Sorce app. Then, their system analyzes the candidate’s qualities and matches them to the best job openings. From there, all they have to do is swipe.

For employers, Sorce promises to deliver ideal candidates within 48 hours.

How it works

The Sorce team crammed into a car 🚗

I was skeptical. Why change the resume? Do people even want to “swipe” for jobs?

To my initial surprise, more people are saying “yes!”

The Sorce team has already attracted 400,000 users (500 in Hawaiʻi) and is aiming to reach 2 million by the end of the year.

What it means for Hawai‘i

Ben believes that Sorce can level the playing field for local people. Many leave the state to find better work opportunities. Sorce can pair people with the best jobs—both remotely and based right at home.

In other words, it will help the world see Hawaiʻi as more than a vacation spot. Instead, Ben believes it will create exposure for the local talent we already have.

I asked Ben what he learned over the past few months. Here’s his answer:

Ben wants to grow Sorce, then grow it more. Soon enough, he will return home, and he will bring with him a passion, a drive, and the experience to bring more opportunities for others.

1 Takeaway from my conversation with Ben

Local people ARE CREATING the startups of the future.

I have to catch myself. I often see new developments and innovations in the news and automatically assume the leaders are from the mainland. The truth is, there are local people on the front lines of the next startups. We just have to look for them.

In this special newsletter, we hear not from a young entrepreneur, but from a mentor, Uncle Wade Ishimoto.

I first met Uncle Wade in November 2023, at the Holokū Ball hosted by the E Ala E Hawaiian Cultural Center in Crystal City, Virginia.

Over the past year, Uncle Wade has provided me with invaluable guidance related to life and work. Not to mention, he is one proud ʻIolani grad!

Uncle Wade has a wealth of knowledge, so I asked him if he would be willing to share some guidance for young entrepreneurs coming from Hawaiʻi.

But first, here is his short bio, which I copied and pasted so as not to interfere with the clarity and force of his accomplishments:

Wade Ishimoto was born in Hawaiʻi shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. He enlisted in the US Army in 1961 and retired 20 years later.

In his military career he served as a Military Policeman, a counterintelligence agent, a human intelligence case officer, and 14 years in Special Forces.

Among his notable assignments were as the Project Gamma Operations Sergeant during the Green Beret Murder case in 1969, Special Force School Instructor of the Year in 1974, a founding member of the Delta Force, and leading a roadblock team on the fateful 1980 attempt to rescue 53 American hostages in Iran (Operation Eagle Claw).

After his military retirement, he served on the investigation of the Branch Davidian incident, the Khobar Towers bombing, was the Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations, and a Special Assistant to the Deputy Undersecretary of the Navy.

He is a Distinguished Senior Fellow with the Joint Special Operations University, a Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment, and was inducted into the Special Operations Command Commando Hall of Honor.

He has been written about in Delta Force, The Guts to Try, Best Laid Plans, Those Gallant Men, Killer Elite, Never Surrender and A Murder in Wartime"

Having years of experience under his belt, here is Uncle Wade’s advice.

I asked Uncle Wade three questions. For each question, he gave me six bullet points. Why 6?

“Well 7 is considered lucky, and one can’t rely on luck!” he said.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD LEADER

• Know yourself … your strengths and work to overcome weaknesses.

• Care for others.

• Build a team and teamwork.

• Be humble, behave ethically, and be of good moral character and act discretely.

• Act with integrity

• Mentor and develop future leaders.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN?

• Follow the Golden Rule … Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.

• Be involved in your community.

• Volunteer for organizations and causes that help others.

• Vote.

• Consider military, national or public service.

• Protect the environment.

ADVICE TO YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

• Wishing for something is fine but planning leads to success.

• Metrics … choose the right ones and monitor progress.

• Be resolute in the face of hard times, but also be realistic.

• Know when to sell or quit.

• Be passionate about what you do.

• Get seed money to start your business.

If you want to know more about Uncle Wade, take a look at this:

Bethia Taylor was going to school to become a nurse. The plan was simple: At the end of her education, she would find a job and generate a steady income.

Something about that plan didn’t quite feel right.

“I’ve tried these other jobs and it doesn’t really click with me,” Bethia said.

What was missing? Creativity.

“Once I jump into something that I can get creative with, and that is stable financially, it’s just the perfect fit for me.”

At 16 years old, Bethia started her business, Pua Hawaiʻi, as an Instagram shop where she sold jewelry trinkets and accessories.

Today, she runs her business full-time and sells handmade jewelry, accessories, and often includes floral designs in her products.

“Pua” is the Hawaiian word for flower. It is no surprise she started this project. Bethia’s birthday is National Flower Day.

Here is Bethia’s story

Bethia’s upbringing was unlike that of most kids.

From an early age, she was homeschooled by her parents. Rather than feeling like she missed out, Bethia believes being homeschooled gave her the best opportunity to explore the world, her community, and her creativity.

Her parents would teach her the "normal” school things, but when that was finished, they would go to the park, a beach, or a historic site. She left the house and learned things up-close.

“It was the best experience ever,” she said. While field trips are an occasional treat for school kids, Bethia’s childhood was filled with “field trips.”

She always had hobbies and creative pursuits. She was exposed to entrepreneurship through her parents; together, her parents ran a wedding business.

Her dad was the minister and her mom was the photographer. It was a family effort that served local families taking the sacred step of marriage.

Then COVID-19 hit.

A quick side note

If you are following the stories of these entrepreneurs, you will see that COVID has become a central theme across stories. It is a generation-defining event.

The question is this: In light of that, what do we choose to do?

These young entrepreneurs used it to capitalize on their ideas—to try something new. They used it to shift the vision of their lives.

Ok, back to the story.

Bethia’s parents were unemployed and struggling because the pandemic completely shut down the wedding industry. Her dad was applying to McDonald’s and Popeyes, to no avail. She felt she needed to do something.

She told me what went through her mind:

“Alright, little sis is gonna step up!”

She already ran Pua Hawaiʻi as a side hustle, but she decided to do more.

She stopped pursuing her nursing track and chose to go full-time into her business.

Pua Hawai‘i

Everything Bethia makes and sells is handmade. Her products include bracelets, necklaces, rings, other accessories and floral features.

She has an online store where customers from around the world can order her products.

I asked her where she does her work. Does she have a “home studio” or office?

Eventually, she hopes, but as of now she carries with her a box of all her supplies. Whether she’s at home or the beach, she can make her products.

I guess you could say right now she has a very “mobile” business.

THE WHY

Why does she do it?

When I asked this question, Bethia shared an anecdote that she thinks about often.

At every fair or pop-up she goes to, people will come to her table and try on her jewelry.

“When they put it on, their faces just light up,” she said.

She loves seeing those faces. She loves feeling like she is making someone feel better about themself.

She loves those moments.

Here’s a look at one of her vendor tables.

2 Takeaways from my conversation with Bethia

1. Struggle —> Action

As I listened to Bethia talk about the impact of the pandemic, I could feel that it was a topic she holds close to her heart. When her family was working hard to overcome the challenges faced by COVID she decided to contribute.

She decided to “step up” for her family. The result was action that continues even beyond the pandemic.

2. A good skill is to recognize what is NOT the right path

Bethia described her experience on the pre-nursing academic track. She recognized that there was a dissonance between what she was doing and her inner creativity.

It seems simple, but Bethia used that to inform how she lives her life.

And she is all the better for it!

Inno Under 25

I spoke with Taylor Yuen about her story, business, and ideas for making Hawai‘i a better place.

At the end of our conversation, I asked her how I could find more entrepreneurs like her. She told me to Google the “Inno Under 25” awards sponsored by Pacific Business News. The awards recognize young business innovators under 25 years old (oddly similar to what I’m looking for).

Then I said something along the lines of “This is really cool; how did you hear about it?”

Taylor is humble, so she hesitated for a couple of seconds before admitting that she received the award!

That’s awesome.

She won the award for starting Keiki Makers Market, a student entrepreneurship program that provides resources and mentorship for local student business owners on Oʻahu.

I love it when people get recognized for their hard work. You can read her feature in Pacific Business News here.

Taylor is an amazing person. No offense to Pacific Business News, but I think you’ll find this profile much more interesting.

Here is Taylor’s story.

Taylor’s entrepreneurial journey began in high school. It was the peak of COVID and the pandemic hurt many local families financially.

Her school partnered with Mana Up, a local startup accelerator, and started an initiative to raise money for the financial aid fund that supports student scholarships.

She jumped in.

“I joined that initiative and started my own business to help raise funds for our school,” she said. “I fell in love with being able to help people with something I’m passionate about.”

Mana Up provided workshops, resources, and a sales platform for student entrepreneurs to market and sell their products. Revenue generated from these student businesses was directed to financial aid.

She called her business Amataya, and she started selling embroidered tote bags, turning one of her hobbies into a business!

Nah, just kidding. She didn’t know anything about embroidering.

“At the time, I didn’t even know how to embroider,” she said. “I learned it solely for the purpose of making these tote bags to sell for this initiative.”

She saw a new opportunity and pounced on it.

Taylor still runs Amataya today, where she offers a mix of branding, social media marketing, and promotional services.

Toward the end of high school, she decided to become more active in her school’s entrepreneurship club. She participated in a few student markets and used that to create a vision for a larger project.

“I really saw the potential for something like craft fairs that happen across the island,” she said.

She contacted the director of the Children’s Discovery Center and learned that, before COVID, the center used to host a student swap meet.

She brought it back to life in the form of Keiki Makers Market.

What is Keiki Makers Market?

I’ll let you listen to Taylor in her own words. She was featured on KHON2 back in July (so cool!).

⬇️ ⬇️

Taylor wants to make entrepreneurship as accessible as possible for young people. Her program looks a bit like this:

A young entrepreneur, anyone from kindergarten to university, can apply to the program. Taylor and her team review the application and accept these entrepreneurs to participate in markets as a student vendor.

Right now, the program hosts four markets a year. The latest had over 30 student vendors and was hosted at SALT in Kakaʻako.

Along with these markets, the program provides workshops and Vendor 101 training to support young entrepreneurs.

The next market is on November 10 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Children’s Discovery Center.

Ideas for the future

“In 2025 our focus as a team will be building our programs.”

While Taylor is proud of the work Keiki Makers Market has done, she wants to expand in a few key areas.

She wants to start a one-on-one mentorship program, not just for entrepreneurs, but for students in general. She wants to connect students to industry professionals.

“Entrepreneurship is not something that is really taught in school. Not regularly at least,” Taylor said.

She wants to reach a scale where revenue goes back to the students. The whole goal is to absorb costs and make things accessible so young people can grow their ideas.

Eventually, she would also like to make a starter grant program to support students, similar to accelerator programs.

Take a look at the participants in some of the previous markets.

2 Takeaways from my conversation with Taylor

1. Good ideas don’t always need to be “original”

Keiki Makers Market was not the first pop-up market in Hawaiʻi. Nor was it the first market created for student vendors. However, Taylor took an existing idea and made it into her own design.

I have featured six entrepreneurs so far in this newsletter, and they all speak about some form of the “planning obstacle.” That is, the feeling that one needs a completely unique, unprecedented master plan to start a business.

The stories of these entrepreneurs tell us that, well, that may not be completely true.

When she started Amataya, Taylor didn’t even know how to embroider. That speaks volumes.

2. Take advantage of existing resources!

• Ashten Akemoto joined forces with an entrepreneur who had access to a warehouse full of robotics “toys.”

• Kaya Waldman started her journey through a program offered at Kauaʻi Community College.

• Kia Yang got involved at the UH student venture fund.

• Taylor Yuen started her journey through resources provided by Mana Up.

These young entrepreneurs didn’t manifest resources out of thin air (wouldn’t that be nice!). They identified and tapped into existing resources that aided them immensely on their journey.

That should be welcome news to aspiring young entrepreneurs.

Here is everything I learned from 2023. I want to hear yours.

Kia Yang saw a job opening on LinkedIn.

She reached out to the company’s founder on LinkedIn and received no response. She applied to the internship but didn’t get it.

Kia decided that she needed to do more research. She looked deeper into the company and discovered its founder, Paul, on YouTube.

In one video, Paul mentioned that he loves to receive cold emails. So what did Kia do?

At the end of 2023, she sent him exactly that.

Here is a screenshot of her email (names excluded):

Two weeks later, Paul’s assistant emailed and told Kia there was an internship opportunity available. She never asked for anything, but never stopped persisting.

That’s the type of persistence Kia Yang wants to bring to the young business scene in Hawaiʻi through venture capital (VC).

Here is Kia’s story.

Ever since she was young, Kia has been surrounded by entrepreneurship. Her mom ran an education center and her dad ran a restaurant.

When she stepped foot on campus as UH Mānoa, however, she didn’t immediately jump into entrepreneurship. She was the “typical” college student.

Near the end of her second year at UH, the entrepreneurial seed, planted when she was younger, sprouted into action.

Kia recalls how she became involved in the student venture fund at UH.

She attended a networking event one night, and everyone had an agenda. The people there weren’t sharing their stories or genuinely connecting—they just wanted jobs.

“They were there with an ask,” she said.

One student stood out from the rest. He wasn’t planning or scheming. He was laid back.

“I’m just here for a good time,” he said.

Kia was curious, and he was one of the only people who seemed to have a genuine story to share.

They struck up a conversation and by the end, he recommended she join PACE.

What is PACE?

PACE is the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship at UH. The center has a new co-working space open to students of any major.

For students who want to start a business, the center offers free legal advice, consulting and access to mentors.

She reached out and a few months later she was in. In a matter of time, she became more involved, rising to the director of the student venture fund.

What the heck does Kia do?

In simple terms, she invests in innovative ideas emerging from Hawaiʻi through a student venture fund made up of 10 exceptional students, ranging from undergraduates to MBAs in engineering, business and law.

“When startups apply for funding, they don’t just receive capital; they gain a dedicated team committed to their success,” Kia explained. “The fund conducts months-long due diligence and provides ongoing support to ensure students thrive after the investment.”

She believes VC can help students scale their dream to reality.

I want a piece of that pie!

Hold on now, if you are anything like me, you better slow your roll. It’s not that easy.

I pretended to be a student founder and asked Kia how I could get funding from the venture fund. The process looks like this:

A student founder pitches a business idea during a competition at UH and an audience chooses recipients of an initial grant. The grant, called the Kalo Grant, is an award of $1,000 in early funding.

It allows entrepreneurs to continue building their ideas.

After receiving that initial funding, the student competes in the UH venture competition, the winner of which receives $10,000 in grant funding.

No, it’s not done yet.

The student then attends the summer launch pad, after which the student can apply for venture funding from the student venture fund.

Kia and her team vet these ideas to find potential. Then she makes recommendations to a board of seasoned investors.

Then the fund invests in these students and provides them continued support.

This year, the fund is expanding its portfolio to include educational technology (EdTech), regenerative agriculture, hardware and climate tech.

World Travels & Ted Talks

“She’s all business” you might think. Despite her dedication to learning the ins and outs of venture capital, she takes on other adventures.

Kia has been to 25 countries. That’s crazy.

As part of her craziest adventure, she backpacked across Europe, visiting 13 countries in a month.

“One of my earliest dreams was to travel the world.”

When she travels she tries, as much as possible, to avoid being a tourist. She wants to interact with local people to get a glimpse of the culture there.

“That opened up my eyes and helped me develop a worldview,” she told me.

That worldview helps her to frame the role of Hawaiʻi in the broader world.

Along with traveling, I mentioned Ted Talks. Kia actually gave one.

She talked about her perspective on finding purpose in life. Yeah, that’s pretty intense.

I got her approval, albeit with some dissent, to share her Ted Talk with all you readers.

But she hates public speaking!

Then why do it?

She likes to seek out the most challenging things to do. Even though public speaking scared her, she decided that it would be a valuable experience, so she did it.

2 Takeaways from my conversation with Kia

1. Money alone can’t solve the brain drain

Kia told me that there are a lot of resources in Hawaiʻi for entrepreneurs and innovators. PACE is a great example of the opportunities offered to students in Hawaiʻi.

But simply throwing money at any and every idea won’t work. It’s why, Kia explained to me, most of her work at the venture fund is due diligence.

Researching. Verifying. Reporting.

It seems that funds directed properly, at the right ideas, will be the key—not funding alone.

2. Addressing fear can be a good thing.

During the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt faced a nation in crisis. In his inaugural address, he said “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

What does that quote from 1933 years ago have to do with today?

It relates to what Kia said in her story of public speaking.

Sometimes doing something, simply because it arouses fear, can be the most fulfilling experience.

Here’s a look into their stories, their goals, and what life is like starting a non-profit as college students.

You can stream the original broadcast on ‘Ōlelo TV here.

Just follow the link and search “Island Innovators”

You can watch the original broadcast on ʻŌlelo TV here.

Just follow the link and search “Island Innovators”

Check out this talk story with an overall impressive entrepreneur.

You can stream the original broadcast on ʻŌlelo TV here.

Just follow the link and search “Island Innovators”

“I know nothing about cooking.”

That’s what Josiah Morita told me. Tyler Shimabukuro agreed.

But the two of them will soon release a cookbook.

That’s right, two guys who don’t cook will release a cookbook.

Skeptical? So was I.

Now hold on, it makes more sense with a bit more context.

The cookbook is part of a project at Josiah and Tyler’s non-profit, Healthy Steps Hawai‘i. Rest assured, professional chefs and doctors are contributing to it, and it will feature healthier alternatives to famous local recipes.

They have a simple question.

That question helps shape their mission, and the cookbook is just one way the duo is using their non-profit to reach that goal of inspiring healthier lives.

Here is their story.

Josiah is a college student attending George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and Tyler is a recent graduate of Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon.

Both are aspiring doctors (again, not aspiring chefs) who see a future where they can help local people.

I’m sure you want to know the answer to the million-dollar question: How the heck did two college students end up founding a non-profit?

Rewind 1 year to August 2023.

Josiah and Tyler worked together at the Queens Summer Research Internship, where they got to conduct research and shadow doctors and medical experts.

There they learned about the social determinants of health: things that lie beyond what you “normally” think of as healthcare. For example, economic instability and food insecurity can have negative impacts on health.

The cheapest or most easily accessible foods are not always the healthiest foods.

At lunch one day, Josiah and Tyler got to talking.

“We are both kind of dreamers. We like to ask, what if?” Josiah said.

The Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population already has higher rates of diabetes and hypertension. A large part of that, they agreed, is due to ono but unhealthy local food.

They had this spur of the moment idea: why don’t we make a cookbook? It would give people resources to make small, healthier substitutions.

That idea turned into a larger project. They took some time to redefine their vision. Then…their non-profit Healthy Steps Hawaiʻi was up and running (or walking?).

Their Mission and action.

Josiah and Tyler want to inspire healthier habits by tackling the social determinants of health.

But starting a non-profit is way different than making a cookbook. They were now faced with a dilemma: how to actually run it.

While I thought the cookbook idea was interesting, I wanted to know what makes these guys eager to do it. I needed to understand the why. Why bother putting in all this time and energy?

Tyler told me that from a young age, he was always around sports and his kūpuna.

“I had a lot of mentors, the kūpuna around me,” Tyler said, “They taught me a lot of lessons.”

Tyler wants to give back to them.

“Ever since I can remember, we were in the church handing out things,” Josiah told me.

Josiah and Tyler, both being from Mānoa, wanted to give back to the community that gave so much to them.

To reach this goal, they also host volunteer events. In their most recent event, they partnered with Ronald McDonald House to create burrito bowls for the families staying there.

These families all have sick children seeking treatment on Oʻahu. Josiah and Tyler made sure that the food they were giving all had a healthier alternative ingredient.

Here they are in action ⬇️

If you’ve got the money, I’ve got the time.

At least that’s what Willie Nelson reiterated in 1976.

And for Josiah and Tyler, it boils down to one word.

Fundraising.

The duo has a strong mission and amazing ideas to get there, but soon into their non-profit entrepreneurial journey, they ran into that all too common question.

“Where’s the money gonna come from?”

Emails. More emails. Even more emails.

The duo told me they spend most of their time drafting outreach emails.

They even had to figure out how to write grant applications. I asked them where they learned to do this.

“Trial and error,” they told me.

So far, they have raised enough money to keep the non-profit going. However, they have ideas for how they want to grow.

They want to branch out to food trucks. They want to support sports teams. They have a vision for a community center that promotes healthier habits.

All of those are goals to work toward as they are in the “startup” stages of their non-profit.

2 Takeaways from my conversation with Josiah and Tyler

1. Sometimes “You just gotta ask”

I found the duo’s fundraising dilemma to be one of the most important takeaways. It takes a lot of courage to ask for something; it takes even more courage to ask strangers for money.

It’s also something that isn’t taught in the track of a standard education. It forces you to get out of your comfort zone.

And that’s the thing Tyler and Josiah have learned:

Sometimes you just gotta ask.

2. Finding a good business partner is important.

Imagine if Josiah and Tyler couldn’t get along. They surely would not have started Healthy Steps, and if they did, it would have been a recipe (no pun intended) for disaster.

While interviewing them, their dynamic cracked me up.

I asked them about their passions and hobbies. Then Tyler joked:

“We’re like lowkey the same person.”

I have no credibility to prescribe “the best” type of business partnership, but I can’t help but feel that Josiah and Tyler’s personal dynamic helps the non-profit immensely.

As always, it’s refreshing to see motivated people on a mission to make Hawaiʻi a better place.

Till next time.

K 🤙 🤙

John Vierra

“It started as me making an ‘ukulele for my dad.”

His dad’s birthday was coming up and ‘Āina Racoma wanted to give him something special—a custom ‘ukulele.

At the time (2018), ‘Āina was a freshman at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.

He sought the help of two people, his uncle and a nearby luthier (someone who makes stringed instruments), to help him with the task.

They put their heads together and designed a beautiful ‘ukulele.

Guess what? His dad loved it.

The trio decided to make more. They took on a few one-off projects and soon realized there was a demand for their designs.

In a matter of time, Hapa ‘Ukulele was born.

From that initial birthday gift, Hapa is now ‘Āina’s side hustle that allows him to connect his ambition with his love for Hawaiian music.

Here is ‘Āina’s story.

When I asked him to describe himself, ‘Āina gave me the basics. Growing up he would “go beach and play baseball,” describing his upbringing as “typical” for a local boy on O‘ahu.

But then he told me a story—a story about how he learned to appreciate initiative and opportunity:

When ‘Āina was growing up, his mom was a special needs preschool teacher. She dedicated her time to helping kids in the early years of their education.

However, when ‘Āina was in the ninth grade at Kamehameha, his mom decided to make a major life and career change.

She took a leap from education into real estate. Let’s just say, that’s not the typical career path 🎓 ➡️ 🏠

But she boomed. “Into becoming a real estate agent, she just blew up,” ‘Āina shared.

Combine that with the steady dedication of his father who was a fire captain, he saw firsthand how a personal drive to take initiative and pursue opportunities could help him in his journey.

He took that lesson and went on to study finance at Creighton University.

“It was there that it opened my eyes to all the different things you can do in finance,” he said.

Today he is a project controller at a company called IntelliBridge, where he manages different projects. He also takes on work in real estate with his mom and brother.

Grateful to be in a position in the tech and finance world, his goal is “to bring back that opportunity for local people.”

So, where’s the music?

If you haven’t noticed, ‘Āina’s profession has nothing to do with music.

Kind of odd for a co-founder of an ‘ukulele business, no?

Hawaiian music is ‘Āina’s love—he grew up playing ‘ukulele and guitar. When the opportunity arose, he took initiative and turned it into something.

At Hapa, ‘Āina and his two business partners focus on crafting high-end instruments. ‘Āina helps create the vision and network, his uncle provides the business expertise, and Micah (the luthier) provides the craftsmanship.

They use “exotic woods” in their designs. Their instruments start at a base of roughly $4,500 but can increase based on the style and design.

Usually their ‘ukulele sell between $6,000 and $7,000. Most go to local buyers in Hawai‘i, but the business has also attracted foreign buyers from countries like Germany and Japan.

And they are all custom builds. Here is a look at a few.

I was curious, so I asked for the price of his most expensive ‘ukulele.

He quoted me $15,000.

Woah.

It was so expensive because they crafted an ‘ukulele using wood from “The Tree,” a 500-year-old tree from the forests of Belize that is supposedly the perfect material for guitars and ‘ukulele.

But don’t worry, it’s not everyday that they are making $15,000 instruments.

Right now, Hapa is still a business that operates in the background. ‘Āina has his full-time job and other responsibilities.

One of ‘Āina’s goals is to make this a full-fledged business.

“If I could own this business and it could blow up, I would do that,” he told me.

He hopes to get there soon.

2 Takeaways from my conversation with ‘Āina

1. Culture and entrepreneurship can be closely connected.

When ‘Āina dedicates time to Hapa, it is work from the heart. Hawaiian music plays an important role in his life and development. He has found a way to align himself with his entrepreneurial pursuit.

Like other entrepreneurs I have spoken to as part of the Island Innovators newsletter, you can hear the passion and inspiration in ‘Āina’s voice. As an interviewer, it’s a pretty cool sound to hear.

2. Entrepreneurship can be a form of resilience.

Toward the end of our conversation, ‘Āina said something extremely interesting:

“A lot of people don’t want to try,” he said.

Wow, that was pretty blunt.

What he meant was this: there are a lot of people who, overwhelmed by obstacles, don’t put themselves out there.

More importantly, in his view, embracing business and entrepreneurship does not mean one needs to abandon the principles of Hawai‘i.

Hapa ‘Ukulele is ‘Āina’s way of showing that resilience.

K 🤙 🤙

John Vierra

What would you buy for $10,000? 💸

Kaya Waldman was looking for a company to provide website design and digital media services for her first business, Kaya’s Vegan Express.

She spoke to a company that could do it.

For $10,000.

At the time, Kaya was 17 years old. She could barely even afford the refrigerator she would need to run her vegan food business.

To her, that price was absolutely crazy.

So a few years later, Kaya took matters into her own hands and started her business, Keālia Media, to provide web design and digital media services to small businesses in Hawaiʻi.

Here is her story.

Born and raised in Kapaʻa on Kauaʻi, Kaya always loved the ocean (more on that later). Entrepreneurship wasn’t in the plan, at least not at first.

But her entrepreneurial journey started at Kapaʻa High School when she took a college-level management class offered for credit through Kauaʻi Community College.

Her teacher told her she could apply for a business incubator contest sponsored by KCC, so she submitted a business plan for Kaya’s Vegan Express and pitched it to a committee of business owners.

And (spoiler alert) she won.

Pretty soon, with the support of the college and ABC Stores, she had her own temporary storefront at Coconut Marketplace—Kaya’s Vegan Express.

Here’s what it looked like.

Kaya was serving healthy food to her community. She realized how much she enjoyed running something of her own while helping people at the same time.

She told me the best part was the outpouring of support from people in the community and other business owners.

Eventually, the temporary storefront closed and Kaya went back to school.

Then came Keālia Media

After COVID, Kaya asked herself some important questions:

“What can I do? How can I make money? And how can I also help people?”

At the time, some of her friends needed websites, so why not give it a try?

She built her first website, then her second.

From there, friends referred her to their friends, and eventually other businesses.

Pretty soon, Keālia Media was doing business, named after her favorite surfing spot on Kauaʻi. She offers graphic design, copywriting, and marketing services to local businesses.

As a student, she currently runs Keālia Media as a small-scale operation, but wants to grow it in the future.

3 Takeaways from my conversation with Kaya

1.  Identifying problems is important.

In Kaya’s situation, the problem she saw was crystal clear because she experienced it herself. That gave her inspiration.

Her equation looked a bit like this.

Problem

Small local businesses cannot afford expensive website development and digital design.

⬇️

Solution

Kaya provides that service using her skills at a lower cost

2. Good things come from getting out of your comfort zone.

Kaya is a big wave surfer. Don’t believe me? Have a look.

Yeah, not for me.

But, I loved Kaya’s story about her experience as a surfer. For her, surfing is a way to push her limits—to go beyond what is comfortable. When she is on a wave, her thought is simple.

“If I can survive this, the rest of life will be a little easier,” she said.

That helps her when she encounters obstacles with her business.

3. She genuinely wants people to succeed.

Speaking with Kaya, you could tell that she is grateful for the opportunity to do something for her home.

K  🤙 🤙

John Vierra

A year ago, Ashten Akemoto had a plane ticket, a job, and a place to live in Japan. He was going to take a break from his education at UH Mānoa to get some work experience.

But two days before his flight, he dropped it all to work in a warehouse next to Napa Auto Parts in Kailua.

I was shocked when he told me this.

Now Ashten is an engineer and technical co-founder at a local startup, where he is working in that warehouse to build a state-of-the-art heat pump to replace traditional AC units.

Why in the world would he drop everything?

“Extraordinary results require extraordinary decisions—and the best time to start doing something really hard is right now.”

Here’s the story…

In the days leading up to his departure last year, Ashten met a guy named Josh. Josh is not your normal Joe Schmoe.

When they first met, he approached Ashten dripping wet from surfing…and 5 minutes late.

Josh was looking for a talented engineer. After learning about Ashten’s skills, he asked Ashten to quit his job (which hadn’t even started) and start a company with him 😯

Of course, no one would change their life plans for some random stranger, right? RIGHT????

That’s what Ashten thought—until he did just that.

10 months later, Ashten is guiding the future of a startup backed by $3 million in venture capital, with offices in Honolulu, San Francisco, and Tokyo (coming soon).

So what exactly does Ashten do?

Before he became a co-founder at Normal Robotics Lab, he worked for Astrobotic (a cool space tech company) and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.

Literal rocket science? Yeah, pretty sweet 🚀 ⬇️

Now, Ashten and the team at Normal Robotics Lab are trying to build a state-of-the-art heat pump to replace traditional AC units and gas furnaces. It’s called Airform.

Airform, in very simple terms, is a much more efficient and effective improvement to air conditioning.

Traditional AC is inefficient. It is also the single greatest contributor to a household’s carbon footprint.

Ashten is developing a product that can easily be installed in a home to provide advanced indoor climate control. If successful, he can help reduce the carbon footprint in Hawaiʻi and support the state’s green transition.

Ashten does a bunch of everything: design, business development, talking to big companies like Mitsubishi—you name it. In May, he spent most of the month in California helping start Normal’s office there.

Oh yeah, did I mention he doesn’t have a college degree? 👨‍🎓

Ashten hopes to create a product that is eventually adopted as the standard in Hawaiʻi and beyond.

A few things I learned from Ashten:

1. Sometimes it helps to be crazy

Ashten literally changed the course of his life. When he was presented with the opportunity to build a company that addresses climate sustainability in Hawaiʻi and creates jobs for local residents, he chose the adventure.

And Josh played a large part in that.

“Josh is someone who you can immediately tell is thinking about too many things at once,” he said. “His visions of the future and robotics are honestly pretty crazy but talking to him somehow makes that far away future seem a little bit more possible.”

2. It’s possible to be ambitious and help Hawai‘i

Ashten is playing his part in bringing tech jobs for local people in Hawaiʻi.

“Being born and raised here and attending UH, I realized that there is currently no place for my personal goals in robotics and sustainability on this island,” he said.

“Leaving the island for work shouldn’t be the only choice for young folks and staying on island shouldn’t be a compromise.”

And Ashten gave me the PERFECT quote to end this newsletter:

Happy Aloha Friday!

If you are receiving this, it means you are interested in the future of entrepreneurship in Hawaiʻi. Me too.

My name is John Vierra, and I’m the author of this newsletter. Born and raised on Oʻahu, I’m a college senior who has seen firsthand the inspiring young people who want to build big things.

I started this newsletter out of curiosity.

As you read this in the weeks and months ahead, think of this as a search. I seek out inspiring young local people who align ambition with the unique value of Hawaiʻi.

Twice a month, I will share the story of a new innovator along with their contact information, so we can open the doors for collaboration.

In a couple of days, you’ll meet our first Island Innovator — and that’s just the beginning.

If you believe in the mission of this newsletter, the greatest compliment you can give is to share it with someone you know.

Welcome.

K 🤙 🤙

John Vierra