 January 9, 2019
By Green Dream LLC The Rising up to Paradise festival, put on by Cid Entertainment and EarthJustice, was not only an important fundraiser that benefited victims of the natural disasters that ravished Hanalei, but also a concert that featured my favorite band of all time—the Grateful Dead. Considering the entire concept of this event was so closely aligned with the values of Green Dream Waianae, I made a dire effort to initiate a collaboration. So how did we contact them and what did we say? Simple, we sent an email. In this digital age, connections can easily be made world wide and information can be shared almost instantly, it is only natural I took advantage of this. In my email, I told Cid Entertainment about the all natural soaps I make, commitment to helping develop the entrepreneurial culture here in Waianae, and involvement with Made on the Waianae Coast. Apparently, the staff at Cid Entertainment appreciated my work so much, they not only acknowledged my request, but also agreed to collaborate. While this was a pleasant surprise, it came only weeks before the concert. Considering the connection was made with such short notice, we were only tasked with creating ‘Mahalo Bags’ for the super VIPs. I’ll admit, finding and creating products that were not only sustainable and inline with my values, while also suitable to hand over to legends like Bob Weir and Bill Kreutzmann was, in fact, a daunting task. However, working with limited resources and on a tight time frame was something I have not only become use to, but embraced as an entrepreneur. In virtue of this, I was motivated and determined to take full advantage of this opportunity. After a few sleepless nights and a few dozen phone calls, I was able to find reusable canvas bags, which I would eventually paint over and customize with our logo. I filled these bags with custom shampoo bars that were stamped with a Jerry Bear. In addition, I included farm fresh honey, natural lip balm, and surfer's salve which were all locally sourced in reusable packaging from other small businesses like ours. And finally, my daughter and I handmade necklaces from recycled products that featured a custom graphic of the event. By the time I had finished, I handed over a composition of all things I valued and believed in. I could only hope the “super VIPs” shared the same interests as me and would truly appreciate the unique ‘Mahalo Bag' I had created for them. Fastforward, I am at the concert with my husband and six year old daughter while the new year is quickly approaching. Just as I had hoped, members of the band and even crewmen were seen wearing the necklaces we had made for them. I smiled and fully absorbed that triumphant moment. I heard members of my favorite band harmonize to songs that flooded my mind with nostalgia, I saw my six-year old daughter laughing and playing with a kid she met at the concert, and I felt raindrops baptize and welcome me to the new year. To say the least, it was enlightening, breathtaking, and entirely cinematic. I felt anything were possible again and my (green) dreams could soon become a reality. As a long time entrepreneur, I know that inspiration comes when we least expect it and opportunity is often accompanied by an intimidating task, or worse, hard work. However, I believe my collaboration with Cid Entertainment was heaven sent and a once in a lifetime moment that I needed to capture. A major lesson to be learned from all this is: if you remain faithful, opportunities will manifest and being cognizant of these blessings help enable you to make the most of them. In 2019, I challenge you to seize every moment, believe in yourself, and know that you can co-create your destiny. Who knows, your next major breakthrough may begin with an email to your favorite band.
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