Mana Up is celebrating National Pride Month by honoring local LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs showing up with purpose, authenticity, and impact in Hawa'i.
For Kapa Nui Nails co-founders Dr. Lyn Lam and Terry Lam, being LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs in Hawai‘i is about showing up authentically and leading with purpose.
“We strive to be more inclusive and more tolerant to others’ perspectives and lifestyles,” they share when asked how their identity shapes the way they run their business. “We certainly hope to be role models to anyone in any capacity we can. We love to be mentors and share our experiences to new entrepreneurs and help them navigate this challenging endeavor.”
Their commitment to their mission is unwavering. “Diligence and perseverance is what has kept us moving forward in keeping the integrity of our brand’s mission.”
Visibility is Progress
They acknowledge the importance of visibility and progress: “We could always use more representation and this is a great step. Mahalo.”
Still, they emphasize their desire to be seen simply as hardworking local business owners. “We are like any other person in Hawai‘i—working hard to succeed in our small business which does need community of all sorts to help us be successful.”
“We show up every day as our authentic selves and do not call out any one aspect of our life.”
Asked if they’ve faced any challenges because of their identity, they respond thoughtfully: “We do not focus on being any different than anyone else. We certainly appreciate the support for any group of peoples that support us where they can. We have not seen or experienced any challenges being part of the LGBTQ+ community. That's what we love about Hawai‘i—it seems to us to be very inclusive and supportive of people of differing cultures.”
As for how they celebrate Pride Month? “We show up every day as our authentic selves and do not call out any one aspect of our life.”
They hope their business can move Hawai‘i forward socially and culturally “by being ourselves and working hard to put out products that we are proud of and to challenge the industry to remove toxic chemicals from all of the consumer products. We are part of the Clean Beauty Movement and need to get out there to let consumers know there are alternatives to toxic beauty products.”
Find Your Mentors
Their advice to fellow LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs is simple and powerful: “Find your mentors and work closely with them. It really does take a village to support each other and to help each reach our goals both individually and professionally.”
A proud milestone—besides being part of Mana Up's Cohort 5, of course: “When Google chose us to represent Hawai‘i as a featured company contributing to their economic impact report. They flew us to Washington D.C. and helped us promote our brand nationally.”
Looking ahead, they remain focused on growth and advocacy: “To continue to get the word out to consumers that there is a healthier alternative to the toxic nail polish currently out in the market today. This is challenging as we are going up against giants in the industry.”
