July 20 webinar to talk about the history of women in business

Business owners and entrepreneurs will be encouraged and can learn from Hawaii-based women business owners as they tell stories about their business success and the opportunities that come with being certified as a woman/minority business owner.

The webinar, presented by the Maui Economic Development Board — with support from the Small Business Administration, Maui County and the Women’s Business Enterprise Council — is part of the Women’s Business Seminar Series and will be held online on Wednesday, July 20 at 12 p.m.

Four speakers will share why they decided to pursue certification, how they overcame their own doubts or questions about continuing, and how it has impacted their business. Their stories and answers to audience questions help listeners make the best decisions for their business.

Melia Foster, President and Sole Proprietor of Melia WrapsShe was born and raised in Kauai and currently resides in Kilauea with her two children. Meli Wraps manufactures high quality Beeswax Wraps and Rolls as a sustainable alternative to plastic wrap for food storage.

“I have always liked to create things on my own and have been an entrepreneur throughout my life. I started Meli Wrapping in 2015 with one of my best friends to reduce plastic waste on the planet. I had created a few small businesses before but none of them fed my soul like this,” Foster said.

Based on Maui Nina Hance is co-founder and creative director at Weekday Studio., Brand Design Studio. Weekday clients include Nike, Converse, CBRE, Hawaii State Museum of Art, 20th Century Fox and more.

“I’m passionate about turning businesses into brands, helping them stand out in the marketplace and connecting more with customers,” says new mom Nina, who has embraced the post-pandemic reality of finally being able to take teleconference calls from bed. .

Lori Silva, NapualaWhile enrolled at Honolulu Community College-Cosmetology School, they learned how to make soaps and lotions.

“I was fascinated by making these products by hand. I graduated in 1984 and became a cosmetologist. “I had hoped to have my own body care line ‘one day,’ but my dreams of a body care line were put on the back burner,” says Lori, who moved to Utah in 1990 with her husband.

When she visited home in Hawaii, Silva wanted to find a body care product that smelled like her favorite Hawaiian flower, Pikake, to bring home to Utah. Not getting anything: “If I don’t get it, I will!” He created a light bulb.

Based in Hawaii, after 18 years of hard work, including the last five years perfecting the products, “one day” came – Napu’ala (meaning “flower fragrance” in Hawaiian) was born.

Jennifer Shetty He has been a resident of Maui since July 2014, living in Sprecklesville. A licensed practicing real estate attorney, Shetwi co-founded Pono Chocolate, LLC Along with her business partner (and friend) Janet Allen,

Each speaker will give A short presentation about their business journey followed by a question and answer session with the moderator and the audience.

The Women’s Business Seminar Series was created to guide businesses in Maui and Hawaii to SBA Women-Owned Small Business Certification. Businesses may be certified as 51% owned and operated (minority, women, veteran) to receive special consideration in government and private contracts and to participate in the sponsoring company’s supplier diversity program. Companies such as Disney, Intel, AT&T, Major League Baseball and MGM have requirements to include certain percentages of purchases from various suppliers.

“We partnered with the Women’s Business Enterprise Council to facilitate the certification process,” said Leslie Wilkins, president and CEO of MEDB. MEDB is offering scholarships to Maui-based women-owned businesses to join the WBEC program.

An additional webinar will be offered in August focusing on the Supplier Diversity Program for Certified Business. You can learn more about the July 20 webinar and register at https://www.medb.org/talk-story-opportunities-for-women-minority-owned-small-businesses-wosb-mosb/.

MEDB is a non-profit corporation established in 1982 with a mission to lead and inspire innovation in business, education and society. The organization was recently awarded a nationally competitive SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program grant to build business capacity in underserved and rural communities. An SBA grant is partially supporting this program and enabling MEDB’s work to build shared economic prosperity.