Meet Cohort 1 - 2023

  • A woman with long dark hair smiling outdoors next to a tree, wearing a dark sleeveless top and a delicate gold necklace.

    Sugar and Poi

    Sugar and Poi is a plant-based bakery specializing in custom gourmet cakes infused with the multicultural flavors of Hawaiʻi. Founder, KawaiLehua Santiago, aims to weave indigenous sustainability practices and community building concepts, while elevating the plant-based dessert game. Mixed Hawaiian woman-owned business.

    Order at www.sugarandpoi.com

    Instagram @sugarandpoi

  • A woman with long, wavy blonde hair, smiling outdoors in front of a tree, wearing a blue shirt and a colorful beaded necklace. In the inset, two women are holding a beehive frame, standing outside with greenery and a small hive box in the background.

    Hānai Hives

    Hānai Hives offers bee farm tours and the unique opportunity to learn how to care for your own beehive in their Host-a-Hive program. Hānai Hives also partners with the Kōkua Foundation of Hawaiʻi and Kuilima Farms to provide additional outreach and pollinator education for our community. Founded by Katie Metzger from North Shore Oʻahu. Woman-owned business.

    www.hanaihives.com

    Instagram @hanai_hives

  • A smiling elderly woman wearing a large straw hat and colorful flowers, standing outdoors near a tree with green leaves. In an inset, she wears a red dress with ruffled neckline, smiling and touching her hair. Text in the image reads "Puamana Crabble".

    Puamana Crabbe Designs

    Puamana Crabbe Designs creates ‘Āina Aloha and upcycled island fashion apparel for men and women. Known for her signature appliqué quilt designs and vintage Aloha wear (Est. 1981). She also facilitates Pūlama: A Hālau for Sewing. Native Hawaiian and woman-owned business.

    Instagram @puamanacrabbe

  • A smiling woman with curly brown hair wearing a pink sleeveless top, outdoors with green foliage and a tree trunk in the background. An overlay with the word '.WORKSHOP' in white text on a black background appears on the lower left corner, and a smaller inset shows a woman working at a desk near a window inside a white room.

    Workshop Coworking

    Workshop Coworking is a community and coworking space on Oʻahu’s North Shore. Founded by Vicki Stepanenko, the space has 12+ workstations, private rooms, plus special events and accountability groups. Join with a monthly community membership or a day pass. Located in the Historic Waialua Sugar Mill. Woman-owned business.

    hawaiiwork.shop

    Instagram @hawaiiworkshop

  • Ava, the Kava Queen

    Kava Queen

    Kava Queen offers you the opportunity to experience kava, a drink made from the roots of the ʻawa plant. Founder Ava Taesali is passionate about sharing her knowledge and connection of the ʻawa plant with others. Find her at your local farmers market. Polynesian and woman-owned business.

    Instagram @kavaqueen808

  • A smiling woman with short brown hair and freckles, wearing a dark sleeveless top and a lei made of colorful flowers, standing in front of a lush green background with pink flowers.

    Beethos

    Beethos brings bees and ethos together with her holistically mangaged micro apiaries on the North Shore of Oʻahu. Thoughtfully crafted with local ingredients, Beethos offers local raw honey, Heart Honey (infused honey blend of rose petals, cacao and adaptogenic mushrooms), and hand dipped Ritual candles. Founded by Jaden Pang, she also provides beehive removal and swarm capture services from Waialua to Punaluʻu. Woman-owned business.

    Instagram: @beethos.hawaii

  • A young woman with blonde hair, wearing a black bikini top, stands by a surfboard at the beach, with the ocean in the background. There are logos for Kealia Media and a media company with a call-to-action to book a free consultation.

    Keālia Media

    Keālia Media brings local businesses online as a full service media company. From branding, copywriting, photography to website build. Founded by Kaya Waldman, a big wave surfer and entrepreneur. Native and woman-owned business.

    kealiamedia.com

    Instagram @kealiamedia

  • A smiling man with long hair tied up, standing outdoors in front of a large tree and lush green foliage. In the lower right corner, there is a smaller inset image of various honey jars with a honeybee on a wooden surface, surrounded by bees.

    KinoBees Honey Company

    KinoBees provides high-quality, sustainable bee and honey products with a focus on ethical beekeeping practices, education, and commuity engagement. Offerings include raw honey, beeswax, propolis, beekeeping classes and bee farm tours. Owner, Kunie Kinoshita, is a Master Beekeeper with apprenticeships in Hawaiʻi and Japan.

    Instagram @kinobees

  • A woman with long brown hair smiling while holding a white plate of plant-based food outdoors, wearing a floral necklace and a dress with straps, standing in front of a tree.

    Fresh by Mom

    Fresh by Mom offers 100% plant-based weekly meal plans cooked and delivered fresh to you. Plans are tailored for wellness, fitness, and ease. Founded on the belief that nutrition should be easy and enjoyable, Fresh by Mom aims to detach stress from eating healthy, doing all the planning and prepping for you and delivering to you. Founder Lynne Hedvig, a nutrition educator, curates meals that satisfy your nutrition and taste. Woman-owned business.

    Instagram @FreshbyMom

    Email FreshbyMom@gmail.com

  • Portrait of a woman with long wavy black hair smiling outdoors in a natural setting, wearing large yellow tassel earrings and a sleeveless top, with a smaller inset image of a woman in a white outfit with a red flower in her hair standing among trees and rocks.

    Flow Tahitian Dancing

    Founder, Charzelle Flynn, shares her love for Tahitian dance into an empowering class for individuals to embark on a journey of self-discovery, emotional release, and physical vitality through movement and cultural appreciation. Wahine and keiki classes are weekly at Waimea Valley. Native Hawaiian and woman-owned business.

    Sign-up at flowtdancing.com

    Instagram @flowtdance

  • A man playing ukulele outdoors on a patio with greenery in the background, wearing a floral shirt, smiling happily. An advertisement for Terry Brown's Ukulele Lessons with contact number and logo is also in the image.

    Terry Brown Ukulele

    Terry Brown offers ukulele lessons on Oʻahu and zoom and event bookings. Terry is a Native Hawaiian musician, ukulele instructor, and cultural artisan at Waimea Valley. He started playing ukulele in 1976 learning from some of Hawaiʻi’s legends, including Sonny D, Herb Ohta and Peter Moon. Native Hawaiian owned business.

    terrybrownukulele.com

    Instagram @playukulele808

  • A man smiling, wearing a leaf lei and a shoulder flower decoration, with a smaller inset image showing him with a yellow hat and sunglasses, talking to a woman and children in a tropical setting. Text overlay says "EA Creations."

    EaCreations

    EaCreations creates traditional Hawaiian lei and games including lei kukui, hū (kukui nut spinning tops), and palaʻie (ball & loop game). Available individually or in packages for schools. Creator, Kawika Pangelinan, is a Hawaiian culture educator and artist. Native Hawaiian owned business.

    Instagram @eacreations808_

  • A smiling woman with long dark hair, wearing a blue T-shirt, gold earrings, and a necklace, standing outdoors in front of a large tree and greenery.

    Devon Lasiter

    Devon Lasiter is an intuitive medium who provides individual and group sessions online and in-person here on Oʻahu. Her services guide, teach, and help support people on their individual journey. Whether someone is facing tough life challenges, grief and loss, or is just interested in exploring, Devon can help shed some light on their path. Woman-owned business.

    www.devonlasiter.com

    Email Aloha@devonlasiter.com

  • Group of smiling women and one man standing together, wearing name tags, in a bright indoor space with large windows and greenery outside. In the foreground, a woman is reaching into a white health device with 'Oxy Health' written on it, and there is a logo for 'MANA Warrior Collective' with a blue tree-like design.

    Mana Warrior Health

    Mana Warrior Health is a wellness space offering regenerative healing tools like Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, red light and IV therapy, cold plunge, and Integrative Medicine for Oʻahu veterans, athletes, first responders, professional surfers, and local North Shore and Oʻahu community. Founded by Tina Braddock. Veteran and woman-owned business.

    manawarriorcollective.com

    Instagram @manawarriorhealth

  • A man with long dark hair and a mustache, wearing a floral shirt and a lei, standing outdoors in front of a tree. There is a smaller image of a smiling person holding two slices of orange in front of their eyes, wearing a helmet with a camera on top and a brown apron. The overlay includes the text 'Soul Sum' and a logo with a stylized landscape and the words 'Meals that Heal'.

    SoulSum Hawaii

    SoulSum Hawaii makes a sustainable food system accessible for everyone. They sell food and value-added products from local farmers directly to residents of the island. When customers pick up their produce, they can simultaneously drop off their food waste for us to compost back into the land - completing a sustainable food chain. Founded by Raymond Trinh.

    Instagram @soulsumhawaii

    Email soulsumhawaii@gmail.com

  • A man with dark curly hair and a beard smiling outdoors wearing a white shirt and a colorful flower necklace. There are two smaller images overlaid: one of a person surfing in the ocean and one of a crowd watching a surfing event by the beach.

    Mike Chlala Photography

    Mike Chlala offers portrait photography sessions and creates photo art. Based on the North Shore of Oʻahu, his journey behind the lens began with a love for capturing stunning seascapes and intense surfing moments.

    chlalashoots.com

    Instagram @Chlala_shoots

  • A woman smiling outdoors wearing a colorful tropical dress and feather earrings, with a background of greenery and sunlight.

    Wahine Wiwoʻole

    Wahine Wiwoʻole translates to brave and fearless woman and creates special lei for any day. A portion of proceeds funds support groups for women survivors of domestic violence. Founded by Casey Primacio from North Shore, Oʻahu. Woman-owned business.

    Email wahine_wiwoole@yahoo.com

  • Sunlight shining over lush green plants with a forest in the background, overlay with text 'Kupauz Yard Service'.

    Kupauz Yard Service

    Eddie Kunipo offers all types of yard work, including grass planting, mowing, trimming, maintainence and lot cleaning. Serving the Leeward Coast. Call 808-202-0339 for free estimates. Native Hawaiian owned business.

  • A woman with curly black hair, wearing sunglasses and a necklace, standing outdoors in front of green foliage and a tree, with a semi-transparent overlay and the text 'Makanani Collections'.

    Makanani Collections

    Makanani Collections sells Hawaiian culture inspired art available as prints or as digital downloads. Created by Siera Makanani. Native Hawaiian and woman-owned business.