The Force Behind the Green Dream

Melody Bek started as a preschool teacher and manager at Tower Records, then founded Melody’s Domestic Services, and now is the creator and visionary behind Green Dream Waianae. ​

Melody on looks the Gulf of Thailand. Cassidy-Rae Gonzalez for Green Dream.

June 29, 2019 
By Green Dream LLC

When asked what the reason for making Green Dream was, Melody’s response was simple, yet emphatic: “I want to save the world.” But before getting to that point, she needed to see and hear it all. Starting as a preschool teacher while also managing Tower Records, she developed a passion for the future of the youth and discovered the beauty and power of music: specifically in the Grateful Dead. And then, as an entrepreneur, she learned innovation and initiative. Equipped with purpose and experience, she initiated her latest venture: Green Dream. 

Melody first moved to Hawaii when she was just 19. She followed her future husband, Kenji Bek, into a small apartment in Makaha, Oahu and found a job at a local church as a preschool teacher. This new job became her obsession, she often took time out of her off-hours to curate unique lessons and activities for her students. She also organized her own Girl Scout Troop and coached a pop warner cheer team. This unique and admirable dedication to her job resonated in the community which opened up opportunities for her to make lasting friendships, some of which she still has. Over the years, she watched and cheered on her students as they grew, one student in particular, DeForest Buckner — is now a hometown hero. 

Meanwhile, Melody managed Tower Records, a side gig that would help push her towards an allegiance to one of music’s most fervent fan groups: the Deadheads. The Grateful Dead quickly became the backtrack to her life, giving her hymns to hum and lyrics to draw inspiration from. Just like the band, she became an ambassador of peace and love. 
 
After Melody’s family grew and the recession hit, she channeled her unrealized entrepreneurial talent to start her own cleaning business. While scrubbing toilets, washing loads of laundry, and operating an entire business, her original values wouldn’t change. She would often employ those that couldn’t find work elsewhere; on one occasion, she hired someone in the midst of stage 4 cancer. Not only did she give her a chance to work, but also tailored a schedule that would fit her medical needs. While working with Melody, she triumphantly won her battle with cancer. 

Cleaning didn’t just bring in a new source of income, it also brought forth a new opportunity to serve her community. After long days of cleaning, Melody would often come home with dried out hands and chemical burns. But that wasn’t her biggest concern, instead, she wondered what it was doing to the environment. She realized the same cleaners that were used to kill bacteria in houses would eventually end up back in the environment killing off much more than just dirt. 

Before Jerry Garcia passed away, he said something that amounted to be a call to arms for those that would listen: “Somebody has to do something, it seems pathetic that it has to be us.” So Melody did do something, conceptualizing a new brand of cleaning products that would benefit more than just the individuals using them. To her, it meant more than making soap. Her mission was to amalgamate elements from her community, family, and life to create a truly sustainable business — she called it her Green Dream. 

Fast Forward less than a year and you’ll notice her brand now embodies these initial values set: her products are derived from elements found in her surrounding area, her business partners are her family, and the brand became an ambassador of peace and love for the earth. We are all living in Melody’s Green Dream and we are just beginning to see what the truly means. 

Editor’s note: 

Melody is not just my boss-mom, she is also my biggest inspiration. Over the years, I’ve seen her do amazing things for her business, community, and family in her own unique way. She has taken on so many challenges and found ways to solve them and she constantly pushes those around her to do the same: to engage, reimagine, and innovate. I have had the amazing opportunity to learn from her as not just as a parent, but also an entrepreneur. I hope that one day I can be the hero she was for me and everyone around her.