One of the challenges new small business owners often face is branding and marketing their goods or services.
The local nonprofit Purple Maiʻa is hoping to help Native Hawaiian businesses overcome that with its Mālama Design Studio.
The nine-month accelerator program provides essential services in graphic design, website support, branding, and social media management.
"What our team provides is really nine months of kōkua where we actually join your team with a number of our creatives on our staff, and we help you build that plan," said Keoni DeFranco, the managing director of Mālama Design Studio.
"Then we'll help you train in that skillset over the course of the nine months so that when the program ends, you can continue to grow and build from there."
DeFranco said the program seeks to elevate authentic Hawaiian products and services that could be difficult to find without thorough branding and marketing.
"We're continuing to fight against the noise of all the other products on the shelves. If we're going to talk about a consumer packaged good, you know, walking into any store here, 90% of the products on the shelf were imported," DeFranco said.
The deadline for Native Hawaiian small businesses to apply is Thursday, Feb. 1.
This story aired on The Conversation on Jan. 30, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
