Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kea Peters, founder of Kakou Collective, located in Ewa Beach, HI, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Kakou Collective creates especially for individuals who share a special love for Hawai'i and Hawaiian culture. From thoughtfully selecting the type of plants we draw to the collections we curate, we weave Hawai'i's story and our love of local culture into all we do so that you can too. Members of our community share knowledge and participate in free tutorials learning about subjects like plants that are endemic to Hawai'i (found nowhere else but here), local culture, hand lettering, and the native Hawaiian language. We pride ourselves in sharing and cultivating a community that practices aloha in all they do.

Tell us about yourself

I was born and raised on the island of Oʻahu and am Native Hawaiian, Filipino, Chinese, and even a dash of Irish. As a hapa (mixed) creator, I am inspired not just by my Hawaiian heritage but by the rich local culture that makes Hawai'i special. Here in Hawai'i, our traditions and way of life are influenced by many cultures, so it's fun to incorporate what is special to me, my ʻohana (family), and even extended ʻohana. I started creating the product I do because I felt that there was a large lack of authentic representation of Hawai'i. So many times, a product with subjects that are very surface level has a lack of connection to local and Hawaiian culture. Everything is drawn by my hands and is from the perspective of a Native Hawaiian born and raised on the island of Oʻahu. I am proud that not only is all of our artwork authentic but filled with personal experience, connection, and purpose. Each release we have incorporates a story, has a meaning behind it, or is drawn with a meaningful moment in mind. I am so blessed to be a full-time artist, so whenever Iʻm having a tough day, I remember who I get to draw for and the people I represent. I always want to make my community proud, and it is through our collective stories that I get to play a small part in strengthening our community.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

In March of 2020, when the shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic began, I took to Instagram to provide a creative outlet for my community. For one hour (sometimes more) every Monday, I would go live to teach anyone that tuned in how to illustrate plants from Hawai'i. No experience was necessary, and I intentionally drew with paper and pencil so that anyone could participate. Week by week, our community grew, and what started off as a community of only 1,000 grew to 10,000 by the end of the year. During these lives, I was able to connect with people from all over the world, and I'd get pictures of whole families in their living rooms with my hands and notebook on their TVs. I would get messages about how sisters, aunties, moms, daughters, and sons would spend creative time with each other by drawing and tuning into our tutorials. Even to this day, I get people in our community that randomly send me pictures of endemic flowers that they can identify because they tuned into our videos. I am most proud of being part of cultivating a community of people with empathy and awareness. Community is everything to me, and to have the kind of beautiful, creative, and thoughtful human beings in my life every day that supports what we do, is so gratifying and humbling to me.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Not being able to please everyone. My community has become my family, and many of them are so invested in what we create. I value supporting locals as much as possible, and that comes down to how we package, where we manufacture, and what we produce. Thanks to technology, it's become easier to mass-produce products, but for a business that believes in being intentional, we can't just produce whatever we want, wherever we want. Sometimes our community asks us to create a product that is out of alignment with our values, and we have to say "not right now." It's not fun to have to do that. Shipping to an island in the middle of the ocean has its downsides, and many times whole collections of ours can be delayed by weeks due to shipping or supply chain issues. Having to send out delayed emails or anything explaining why things aren't going according to plan is never exciting because I always feel like I'm letting someone down.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Be thoughtful about your timeline and build an extra cushion on top of that. Things almost never go according to plan, so plan for that.
  2. Do what speaks to your heart, and you are most passionate about. The days are long, and you won't have the answers given to you on a silver platter. If you aren't passionate about what you're doing, it will be easy to throw in the towel. Find something worth manifesting.
  3. Build yourself up. Invest, learn (and never stop learning), build a budget for the future classes you want to take, and find non-profits with the means to help you in paving your path. You're not alone, so invest in yourself by expanding your foundation/reach.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Don't forget to create time for yourself and to celebrate every win, big or small. Enjoy life and take time to take it all in. It's easy to get caught up in the to-do's and deadlines. You can't pour from an empty cup, and you're not manifesting a business so that you can be bound to unhappiness.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://kakoucollective.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kakoucollective
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kakoucollective/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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