Secrets of Hawaiian Success: What They Don’t Tell You! | Malia Kaaihue
Dive deep with Malia Kaaihue as she unveils the untold secrets of Hawaiian success and cultural empowerment in this eye-opening episode. Discover how ancient wisdom blends with modern entrepreneurship to create a unique pathway to success. Don’t miss these exclusive insights straight from a leading voice in Hawaii’s cultural renaissance!
Reinventing Hawaii’s Future
Malia, a native Hawaiian entrepreneur, educator, and cultural practitioner, is a woman of depth and spirit. As the mother of eight kids and founder of eight businesses, she is fondly described as an incredibly special person whose tenacious energy and ancestral wisdom have given her a unique approach to life and business.
Malia unpacks her personal philosophy based on traditions of her roots, her passion to disrupt mainstream spaces with Hawaiian knowledge, and the importance of preserving Hawaiian culture for future generations.
The Guiding Force of Hawaiian Knowledge
Malia’s personal mission is to imbue Hawaiian knowledge and wisdom in mainstream spaces. She seeks to bring Hawaiian culture and mentality to the fore to address the problems and challenges facing the Hawaiian community. She emphasizes that design and decision-making around the future of Hawaii should involve the indigenous Hawaiian people, and she works passionately to ensure that they have a seat at the table.
Malia shared impressive stories about how she integrates this mission into her business endeavors. For instance, during the overhaul of the International Marketplace in Hawaii, Malia worked passionately to design a space that would tell the story of the traditional land, evident in the three courtyards dedicated to different aspects of Hawaiian history and heritage. She also spearheaded an innovative process that kept ancestral bones, or Iwi Kupuna, in place while developing the site, a rare case in Hawaiian commercial projects.
Motherhood and Entrepreneurship
Being the head of a large family has not constrained Malia’s spirit and ambition. She fondly talks about her responsibility towards her children and her role in their upbringing. She strikes the delicate balance between her personal and professional lives, drawing no line between them both.
“Everything is just life,” Malia says, emphasizing the importance of creating a family environment conducive for growth – a space where people can make mistakes, learn, and grow. For Malia, entrepreneurship and family create a combined sphere where she is continually preparing for opportunities, breaking boundaries, and embracing the beauty of the unknown.
The Notion of ‘Make Magic’
One of the most poignant parts of Malia’s life story is the influence of her late father, a pure Hawaiian fisherman. He instilled in her the notion of ‘make magic’, a principle she has carried into adulthood. For Malia, ‘make magic’ is a mantra of self-belief and familial love passed down from her father, a reminder that she possesses the power to overcome anything and fulfill any task presented to her.
Navigating Life’s Harsher Currents
Malia does not shy away from addressing the more difficult aspects of life, particularly the process of dealing with loss and maintaining close connections within a large, complex family system. Her approach to handling these experiences is similar to her approach to managing her businesses – with honesty, compassion, and resilience.
When asked about navigating through the messiness of life, Malia counsels acceptance and allowing for ‘brave spaces’ where individuals can make mistakes, fail, learn, and grow. With time and patience, these brave spaces become sanctuaries of healing and peace.
Moulding Tomorrow’s Hawaii
Malia wonderfully underscores the importance of legacy, defining it as “how the decisions that I’m making today are impacting my descendants ten generations down the line.” She is acutely aware of the role she plays in ensuring that future Hawaiians remain deeply connected to their land and culture. This consciousness influences every decision she makes and has guided her visionary approach to leadership, entrepreneurship, and parenting.
In a world where preservation of culture often takes a backseat in the face of rapid urbanization and globalization, Malia Kaaihue stands as a beacon, steering Hawaii confidently into a future where its rich past is not only remembered but celebrated. She carries with her a profound respect for her roots and an unshakeable determination to ensure that future generations continue to call Hawaii home.
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