Owner
Wilson Care Group
Women in Business 2020
Mar 16, 2020
Women in Business 2020
Anne-Marie Lerch
The Dream Manifester
Anne-Marie Lerch was pregnant with her second child when she stated, “I’m gonna build a multimillion-dollar business,” four years before it came true. She developed the Hi Tech Hui, an IT Support and Cybersecurity business, around her desire for a flexible schedule to meet the demands of motherhood. “I don’t know how, but I’m gonna make it happen,” she announced after leaving her dream job at Amazon’s Zappos.com, to follow her husband’s lifelong desire to live in the islands. When I asked her why Hawai‘i was the place where she finally plunged into becoming her own business mogul, she said, “I just knew.”
Her fresh, makeup-free face beamed brightly across the table at Bogart’s. “Avocado Chicken Salad with the dressing on the side,” she ordered, admitting it was her first meal of that busy Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Being a mom of three girls, a boss, business owner and wife, she has more than enough filling up her schedule. Managing time is one of Anne-Marie’s keys to success, as she reveals her secrets of how HI Tech Hui is becoming one of Hawai‘i’s fastest growing companies. For her, having children was a priority. While she initially thought of being a stay-at-home mom, she soon realized her entrepreneurial desires were a necessity for her happiness. This Canadian proves, “Success is all in your mindset.” She used visualization to manifest herself a position at Microsoft, which moved her to Seattle, Washington in 2005. She says dreams become reality when you make the daily habit to reevaluate your life, contemplate what you want, and choose to adjust accordingly. “Know what you want, act like it already is, be thankful, write it down, and watch it come.”
However, Anne-Marie notes the importance of having the right people on your team, the right support to help you believe your success is possible and constant communication within the family you choose. She gives credit to her mother as being a huge part of her work team, as her mother helps care for her girls ages four, six and thirteen. Anne-Marie also credits the mentors who have been in her shoes, found success and passed on their wisdom. The importance of these values is what drives Anne-Marie and her husband to take great care in hiring the right people for their company. They want to work with like-minded people who they can “have a beer with,” share in their core values and live by them.
Lastly, Anne-Marie says be gracious to yourself because the journey is not perfect. “Some days I get the kids to school late and forget everyone’s water bottle,” she shrugs. “Be okay with letting some things go as you focus on your goal of getting back to happy.” She assures that it’s the little things, the little pleasures that will get you through that imperfect process. “Because running a business is very masculine, I have to purposely breathe through the stress to get back to feminine.” Anne-Marie’s morning routine—applying face creams, diffusing essential oils, and enjoying the fifteen minutes of quiet time before the kids wake up—is full of little rituals that keep it all together. “You have to love yourself, not beat yourself up. Enough people will beat you up. Life is too short. What do you have to lose?”
Breana Grosz
Community-Minded Management
Breana Grosz takes the lead as new General Manager of International Market Place
Though Breana Grosz may not have anticipated her promotion to General Manager of International Market Place last June, her colleagues were already keyed-in to her potential for the role.
“The previous GM, Michael Fenley, was fantastic,” said Grosz, “I think he knew I was possibly destined for this seat prior to realizing it myself.”
Though Grosz has now spent almost four years working her way up the ranks of International Market Place, her path to her current career was far from traditional. Graduating from the pre-med track at Michigan State University and obtaining her nursing assistant license, Grosz first worked leading life-enrichment activities at an Alzheimer’s care home before relocating to Los Angeles, California, where she ran one of UCLA’s surgical pathology labs.
“Inclusive communities are what I’m all about”
Inspired by her creative friends who were pursuing their dreams in less traditional career paths, as well as her father’s entrepreneurship, Grosz moved to Waikiki and worked as a waitress before landing a position as a medical equipment sales representative. The position took her to every OR on the island where she helped physicians test out her equipment.
“I think that taught me such a valuable lesson on how to handle stressful situations,” said Grosz. “There’s a patient on the table and it’s your responsibility to make sure the equipment works so that the procedure can keep going.”
Hoping to branch out further from the medical field and utilize more of her writing skills, Grosz joined the Bennet Group as an account executive where she enjoyed learning more about local cultural and community efforts through the firm’s clients, including Nainoa Thompson of the Polynesian Voyaging Society.
Through her position, she also became acquainted with several individuals from International Market Place’s construction team. The rest, as they say, is history.
“If you would have asked me back in college ‘where do you see yourself?’ I would have never said Hawai’i, and I never would have said managing a shopping center,” said Grosz, “but I think all of those experiences have led me to something that has been really fulfilling and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”
Originally founded in 1957, the center was undergoing a modern transformation when Grosz first joined the company as an Owner’s Representative Assistant. The updated center includes nods to Hawai’i’s culture and history in everything from the plants, to the architecture, to its nightly hula performances.
Having come to the GM position after gaining a strong marketing background within the company, Grosz has had to learn to navigate the new facets of her position.
“We know what we don’t know,” said Grosz, “I’m in a position, gratefully, that most people have a lot more experience in, so I combat that potential challenge by asking questions and reaching out to mentors—several of the GMs of the hotels around here and people who have done this role or similar roles—asking them, ‘what’s your biggest challenge?’ and then trying to anticipate some of those things to just better prepare myself.”
For Grosz, the position has proved fulfilling. Allowing her to engage with the community, both through initiatives at IMP and through her personal involvement with local organizations. She currently serves as the Vice Chair of Women in Lodging through HTLA and serves on the boards of both the Waikiki Improvement Association and the Waikiki Community Center. She’s also involved with ACCESS surf, which helps people with disabilities surf and swim.
“My grandma means a lot to me,” said Grosz, “she’s no longer with us, but she had a stroke when she was 60 and it left her wheelchair bound, so helping people that have different capabilities—one might say disabilities—is really important to me. Inclusive communities are what I’m all about.”
Lisa Truong Kracher
The Perfect Fit
As CEO and President of Staffing Solutions of Hawai‘i, it seemed as though Lisa Truong Kracher had achieved the highest title possible in her industry—that is until it doubled. In July 2019, Staffing Solutions of Hawai‘i acquired Kahu Malama Nurses making Kracher President and CEO of two successful local staffing agencies.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity of the acquisition and to expand in the healthcare division,” said Kracher, “Not only does it complement Staffing Solutions of Hawai‘i, in that it’s an extension of our staffing services to the local community, but now we’re also servicing more job opportunities and developing more relationships.”
Kahu Malama Nurses was founded 37 years ago by Kathy Newkirk Leong, who approached Kracher about continuing her company’s legacy when she retired. Kracher’s “once in a lifetime opportunity” has come with double the responsibilities and double the workforce; however, with 11 years of experience building Staffing Solutions’ policies, procedures and training in a sustainable way, Kracher is confident in her ability to navigate a new company.
Having grown up in Loma Linda, California, Kracher is no stranger to the medical industry—with two sisters in the dental field, two in the medical field, and a mother who works as a nurse. Prior to taking the helm of Staffing Solutions in 2008, Kracher worked as a Senior Consultant in Process Improvement at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California.
“It’s all healthcare which I’m familiar with,” said Kracher, “but I still need to learn the clients and the different disciplines. I think that’s where the challenge is now, just knowing how to direct my team in the best way possible to service our clients in the healthcare setting versus the commercial setting.”
When Kracher first took the reins of Staffing Solutions, she faced a very different set of obstacles. New to Hawai‘i and its business community, Kracher faced quite a learning curve when jumping from a corporation like Kaiser Permanente to entrepreneurship. As a young woman new to the island, she found it difficult dealing with local Hawai‘i business owners who were older, more knowledgeable, and had all the connections.
She adopted a sink-or-swim attitude, and—in order to prove to herself that she could succeed in the position—she studied the staffing industry, joined HR organizations, took staffing seminars, spoke with business owners and joined the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), where she served on the board of directors.
“I held true to my values and customer service and treated my clients the way I would like to be treated.”
“If I knew then what I know now, then I would have excelled faster of course,” says Kracher, “but I did the best I could when I started. I just went in there and held true to my values and customer service and treated my clients the way I would like to be treated.”
With Hawai‘i’s unemployment rate hovering around 2.7% it may seem difficult for a Hawai‘i staffing firm to fill positions with such a small pool of applicants; but, as Kracher has learned from experience, hiring from a local agency can reduce potential turnover rates and lead to a better fit overall.
“We know how Hawai‘i is unique in the culture, the aloha spirit and business operations,” said Kracher, “we know our candidates, we know the community, and we know what it takes to fill an open position and find the right match.”
Lititia Thomas
An Unexpected Journey to Leadership
“It is hard to have it all,” says Lititia Thomas, owner of Ho‘āla Spa and Salon. “To have a strong career, kids and a great marriage, especially without family help, is a hard reality.” Lititia’s bright-pink tassel earrings and pink-suede kitten stilettos add that spark to her clean elegant demeanor sitting on the benches outside her Ala Moana location. This Sagittarius was not always a business owner, but instead was offered to buyout the previously named “Aveda Spa” after the market crash of 2009. As the general manager of the spa at the time, she was not looking to take on such a huge responsibility. However, when she realized that the fifty-plus employees would either lose their jobs or be subjected to huge life changes, she decided to take on the challenge. “Leaders do not have the luxury to worry when others depend on you,” she notes. Being a business owner doesn’t mean you don’t have bosses—the boss just becomes someone bigger like the bank you took a loan from, the IRS, the landlord, the clients you serve—the stakes just get higher. So, this Southern California native began to make small changes that would allow the spa to stay in business like narrowing down vendors, renegotiating terms and switching to just-in-time inventory purchasing instead of on-stockpile inventory. Coming from a line of strong single moms, she started working at age fifteen taking a job as the receptionist of a salon. Years in the beauty industry and management contributed to her company’s polished classic style, including the clean black-and-white dress code and high hiring standards. These hiring choices she credits as the success of her company—that in order to grow, one must let go of being the most important person and instead build a team of strong leaders. The support system of like-minded people is essential in order to let your guard down and talk about the hard stuff. “You need people who are stronger and better than you. Not negative people who bring you down,” she confides. Failure is bound to happen—it’s just a part of business—and, when that happens, leaders need good people who help them “rip the band-aid off, move forward, and be the bull in the storm.”
“Challenges are crisis or opportunity. There is no master plan. It’s just how you look at things.”
Fortunately, despite financial setbacks, this feminine industry makes it worth it, allowing Lititia her favorites of heels, sleek pants, squared French-tip manicures and lipsticks. “You are allowed to be pregnant,” Lititia noted, as many industries are not understanding of that basic female demand. It also encourages self-care, which many don’t do enough of. While Lititia indulges in monthly massages and plant-peel facials, her day-to-day self-care includes time with her family, walking in nature, reading and watching a movie.
When asked about her proudest moment, Lititia reminisces of the ten-year anniversary dinner she threw at the Kahala Resort this past January. “Walking into that party,” in a glamorous burgundy-sequin gown, “Seeing all the faces of the people who care was the best feeling.” Realizing she is living her dream life coupled with her son’s compliment of “Mom, you were the prettiest one at the party,” is what makes imperfection okay. “Challenges are crisis or opportunity. There is no master plan. It’s just how you look at things.”
Sheri Kira
From Bling to Business
How Sheri Kira turned her passion into profit.
When walking into Sheri Kira’s thriving Kaka‘ako boutique, Kira Hawaii, it’s almost impossible not to pick up an item that catches your eye. However, despite the store’s impressive array of stylish clothing for women and keiki, Kira’s business actually began with her popular line of handmade jewelry.
“Jewelry, that’s our bread and butter,” said Kira, “That’s what we started with, so naturally that is our top seller and what we’re really known for.”
In college, Kira had majored in visual communications with hopes of becoming a newscaster; but, after shadowing a professional in the industry, she soon realized that the position was not for her. Having always been interested in fashion and DIY projects, Kira took a jewelry class and began listing her items on Instagram for friends to purchase.
Eventually, as her designs evolved and her materials became more high-end, she began consigning her pieces at local boutiques including Fighting Eel and Mikinola.
“I was still working full time—in business development—at a local credit union and then hustling at night making jewelry. I always had something to do,” said Kira.
However, after a leadership change at the credit union, she decided to quit her job and pursue her jewelry line full-time. With the support of her husband, Kira opened a kiosk at Pearlridge that featured her jewelry along with an eclectic mix of upcycled women’s wear and clothes for keiki and babies.
After only a year and a half of operating her kiosk, Kira’s vision outgrew the small space and she and her husband moved their business into a corner storefront in Mililani Town Center. The size of her space doubled again only six months later when she was given the opportunity to move into a larger, more prominent vacancy in the Mililani Town Center.
“I did not have any background in business,” said Kira, “everything was purely trial and error. Culturally, when you’re born and raised in Hawai‘i, you’re a little bit more timid and sometimes hold back on asking questions. I didn’t really have anyone to guide me.”
Despite having to learn the ins and outs of business through experience, Kira forged lasting relationships with customers at her Mililani location, including those who would drive all the way from town and longed for a closer location. Eventually in 2018 due to a number of requests, Kira and her husband opened their current Kaka‘ako location.
In addition to branching out geographically, Kira launched the first collection of her new label, Paradiso, in April 2019, which features comfortable pieces for women and their keiki in matching tropical prints.
“I’ve done clothes before, just under Kira Hawaii, because I’ve always loved design,” said Kira, “clothing is like a whole new monster, but I enjoy it. I am still working on another print that hopefully will come out by the summer.”
Kira also loves supporting other local brands and the entrepreneurs behind them by stocking their unique products in her store. Many of the brands carried by Kira Hawaii, including Hi‘ilani Hawai‘i, Izzy and Luke, Sticks + Stones and Short Stack are made in Hawai‘i.
“I’m all about supporting other women and supporting local.”
“I’ve always appreciated when local boutiques carried my line so I want to do the same for others,” said Kira. “It gives them the opportunity to get their name out there and push their brand, so I’m all about supporting other women and supporting local.”
Delle Tanioka
What are some hard lessons you had to learn in becoming a female powerhouse?
The hardest lessons are probably those that involve work-life balance and managing time and expectations. I have two children, and, even though I have a great support system, managing their activities, school and futures is already a full-time job. Additionally, it required a ton of time and hard work to get to where I am with my career. I have had to learn that there are times I will fail, I will miss a deadline, or miss a parent-teacher conference. The most important thing is to keep moving forward and get creative whenever this happens.
Another lesson I’ve learned is that time is extremely valuable. I always want to do everything—whether it’s spending time with the kids, finishing up a project, or taking on the job as State President of Junior Chamber International. I’ve had to learn that sometimes it’s ok to say no, to postpone things, or to ask for help.
What is one of your proudest accomplishments in this career?
Career-wise, I am very proud of the knowledge I’ve gained about the industry. Workers’ compensation has a ton of moving parts, and the fact that many of my clients consider me a resource for them makes me very proud.
Late last year, six chapters of JCI elected me as their state president. I am so honored and humbled by their faith in me, and that they believe that I can lead the organization into the future.
How do you overcome fear?
I’m definitely a “face your fears” type of person. Except for cockroaches, with those I run. I have found that usually scary things are just unfamiliar.
What do you do for self-care?
I take the time to hang out with friends, go to the spa, or watch television and movies. I also love to travel and unplug.
When was the last time you cried?
Honestly, I really don’t remember—I’ve cried when I’m sad, I’ve cried at funerals and I cry whenever I watch sad movies.
Madeleine Noa
What are some hard lessons you had to learn in becoming a female powerhouse?
Not everything that I had envisioned turned out how I had hoped. Not every opportunity provides equally for male and female counterparts. I had to learn the importance of being able to be both a teacher as well as a student in order for me to grow. Learning to adapt to the ever-changing elements in the corporate environment was key to moving up in my career. Equally important to celebrating my victories was embracing my defeats.
What is one of your proudest accomplishments in this career?
I was able to work for a Japanese company doing business in America for the first time. It was a 7,000 square foot luxury spa in Waikiki. I played a significant role in connecting all the necessary components from clearing all the spa equipment through customs, coordinating the logistics with the hotel, hiring and training staff on product knowledge and ensuring our entire team was on-point to showcase this anchor spa for the hotel chain. Together we were able to garner an award-winning spa in the first year after its opening. Today, that spa continues on with its excellence, and I’m proud to have been a part of its success.
What wardrobe choices make you feel the best in your workplace on the day-to-day?
Fashion is important to me as it is a statement of the person that I am and allows me to communicate volumes about myself. I choose pieces that build my self-confidence and sense of self-empowerment. Pieces that make me feel best in my workplace are suave but not workplace formal. Taking intentional command of how I dress and present myself was a huge steppingstone in empowering myself.
What do you do for self-care?
Self-care is a habit I actively form to make sure that I take care of myself each day. For my day-to-day self-care routine, I try to make sure that I’ve done the following at some point in the day: been outside, moved my body, engaged in a delightful conversation and sang a song super loud. Another way I practice self-care is to disconnect from everything and everyone and really enjoy my solitude—spa days are my favorite. Going for walks, swimming, going to a play and attending performances by our symphony are some of the things I do to re-energize myself.
How do you overcome fear?
Fear used to cripple me. I have since learned that, if I sit for a couple of minutes and take a look at what elements of the situation scares me the most, I can then embrace it and use that energy to analyze the options and make a wise and well thought out choice. If my fear is based on a lack of information, then I do my best to gain the knowledge rather than speculate. I give myself a time limit to sit in “fear” and then motivate myself to take action.
Sheryl Tsugawa
What are some hard lessons you had to learn in becoming a female powerhouse?
Growing up in Hawai‘i, it’s been ingrained into me to always remain humble. However, I’ve learned that sometimes this characteristic can be misinterpreted as a weakness. Now knowing better, I’m more inclined to speak up, take a stance, ask questions and make choices that not only affect me, but more so others that follow. Being brave and courageous with humility and gratitude is what I remind myself to do every day.
What is one of your proudest accomplishments in this career?
I don’t look at any one particular moment that makes me the most proud, but a combination of it all. This career journey in hospitality has provided me so much and an opportunity to do what I love. It’s provided me a way to be self-sufficient and take care of those closest to me.
How do you overcome fear?
Fear comes from the unknown, so I do my best to over prepare and surround myself with wise and trustworthy people.
What do you do for self-care?
Honestly, I need to be better at this, but simple things such as sleeping in on Saturday or taking my dog out for a short walk rejuvenate me.
When was the last time you cried?
Just the other day—thinking and praying about the strong, resilient and
courageous women in my life that overcame, or are going through, life’s obstacles and yet remain so positive. They are my heroes and inspiration!
Renee Confair
Renee Confair has spent her career working in the world of movies and production in the islands. Her most rewarding projects involve making a difference in the perspective and concepts of shows that write storylines about Hawai‘i. After working with a range of productions from Hollywood blockbusters to small indies to game shows and commercials, Renee is producing a new story, and this time she has the lead role as an entrepreneur.
How does one become a producer?
Someone once gave me a great piece of advice, and that was to start working in your field right away. So, I started at public TV in college making minimum wage. I made my way through the ranks and that helped me to build a proper foundation.
That said, there are different types of producers, such as the executive producer who provides the money. Usually, the executive producer is a studio or someone very experienced that manages other producers. There is also the Line producer who controls the overall production’s day-to-day operations as the “boots on the ground.”
What’s the most challenging aspect of being a Producer?
Everything revolves around staying on budget, making the show happen in the time allotted, plus getting a great cast and putting together a production that will be a success. There are many balls to juggle to make it all work.
What is your most memorable movie project?
Without a doubt, it was Descendants with George Clooney because the director, Alexander Payne, worked in a world that called for authenticity and realism. If the characters lived in Nu‘uanu, then we’d find a house in Nu‘uanu and shoot in the rain instead of cheating on a house in a sunnier, more convenient section of the island. Clooney played basketball with the crew at lunch, and during prep, we unwound with movie nights together at the director’s home. It was a beautiful way to work and an unforgettable experience.
How did you go from the Film Industry to creating a card game?
Amos Kotomori, an art director who worked for decades in the film industry, inspired me. One day, he woke up and said, “I’m going to build a bed and breakfast in Bali.” That was out of nowhere, and he turned around and did it. Then,he came back to Hawai‘i and designed a clothing line for Neiman Marcus after conquering stage 4 colon cancer. He gave me the hope that anything is possible.
For the last 8 years, I wanted to invent something. I believe if you can envision it, it can happen. In June 2017, I woke up and said, “I’m creating a card game.” Two years later, getCrewd Party Game launched and it has truly been a dream come true.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in launching getCrewd?
I’m a social media idiot and had to get up to speed. Plus, part of me takes issue with the shameless self-promotion of it all. I didn’t realize I would have to put myself out there.
How does it feel to go from multi-million dollar budgets to being an entrepreneur?
It’s not as much fun spending your own money. Running my own startup reminds me of producing a documentary—sometimes the most worthwhile project has very little money.
Name your most memorable behind the scenes moments.
1) Flying to Ni‘ihau with Bruce Robinson in his helicopter to scout the island.
2) Sitting in a van with Jennifer Lawrence and her parents during Hunger Games: Catching Fire and realizing through conversation how down-to-earth they are.
3) Being on a small pontoon boat at Kualoa Ranch at sunrise with Janet Jackson.
4) Going to the Producers Awards in L.A. and standing in the restroom
line with Angelina Jolie behind
me. She liked my shawl,
by the way.