YOU AND YOUR OHANA
What is your name?
Noelani Sugata
Where were you raised?
Kailua-Kona
Where is your ohana originally from?
Kohala
Do you come from a family of entrepreneurs or have people close to you who have encouraged and supported your entrepreneurship?
My ohana comes from a line of hardworking plantation workers. Entrepreneurship is a whole new world for them. They are very supportive.
YOUR BUSINESS
What is the name of your business?
Noelani Sugata LLC
What is the best way to contact you/your business?
Email: Noelani.Sugata@gmail.com
Does your business have a website and/or social media presence? If so, please provide a link/s.
Website: http://www.noelanisugata.com
All socials: @noelanisugata
NATIVE HAWAIIAN BUSINESS DIRECTORY LISTING: https://kanakaeconomy.com/listing/noelani-sugata/
How long has your business been in operation?
5 years
Where is your business located today?
Kailua-Kona
What products and/or services does your business provide?
Social media marketing
Please describe your business in 1-2 sentences.
I help small businesses create a practical and profitable social media strategy.
Why do you do what you do?
I believe Native Hawaiians are the greatest storytellers, and we need to control the narrative. We can “sell” our way and we can “market” Hawaii in an authentic manner.
STARTING YOUR BUSINESS
When did you first think of starting this business?
I didn’t have a choice. 😂. The position was contracted. It was a lot of hard work.
What type of experiences (education, work, life) were most important in shaping the skills you use to run your business today?
The most important lesson is to find people who clap for you. You will be miserable if you surround yourself with people who have crabs in a bucket mindset. Doing this ONE thing is life changing!
YOUR BUSINESS TODAY
In what stage of development is your business: pre-formation, early stage, growing, or mature?
Growing
Do you have employees? If so, how many?
None. I’m a one woman show!
Are you working to get your business to the next stage in development? If so, where are you in that development?
Right now, it’s my side hustle!
CHALLENGES
What is the greatest challenge you have experienced as an entrepreneur?
My greatest challenge was not knowing the technical aspects of business: How to form an LLC, getting insurance, and setting up my bookkeeping. I’ve also had to look really hard to find marketing resources in Hawaii.
How did you overcome that challenge? (Or are you still working through it?)
I invested in a business coach.
THE FUTURE OF YOUR BUSINESS
How do you envision your business in the future?
I would like to have my own marketing agency that’s kanaka owned and driven.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR OTHER KANAKA ENTREPRENEURS?
Get comfortable in front of the camera! Video marketing is going to increase, and if you do not figure this out, you will be left behind.
