Meet our Friends
Ashley Johnson - Mohala Eyewear
Q: What inspired you to start your own business?
A: I’m obsessed with leveling the playing field. Most U.S. eyewear is designed for a narrow, Eurocentric face, leaving millions of women with glasses that do not fit properly, are too tight, too narrow, slide down the face, hit cheeks, or touch lashes. Mohala Eyewear is an inclusive eyewear brand with 3 unique fits, various widths and adjustable frames to create the perfect fit for every woman. Growing up as a Japanese, Chinese and white woman I often felt left out of the fashion and beauty world. Products were not always made for me, people in the media didn’t look like me, and these experiences made me feel invisible and less valued. I believe inclusivity in business advances inclusivity in mass culture. We are creating a brand where everyone feels seen.
Q: On those days when you just aren’t feeling it, what motivates you to get up, get ready, and keep pushing to grow your business?
A: That the work we are doing directly empowers girls. We donate the cost of one week of school for every pair of eyewear sold. When I am feeling discouraged I remind myself of the contributions we are making to girls’ education and that this business is not just about me, that we have the potential to make a difference in a larger way. It definitely gets hard a lot and I definitely have days when I’m not feeling it and am feeling discouraged. So I think having a social mission you are passionate about is key to helping you dig deep in tougher times and work through adversity.
Q: We love your partnership with Room to Read, which helps send girls to school to receive an education. What inspired this mission?
A: While I was writing the business plan for Mohala I watched the film “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide” and was deeply impacted by the stories of rape, sex trafficking and the lack of value in educating girls globally. I knew I wanted Mohala to be about more than just selling sunglasses. I wanted to make a difference through our business. So I cold called Room to Read and set up a commitment to donate the cost of one week of school for every pair sold before we even had a website or had sold a pair. We have now donated 170+ years of school to date. I’m passionate about impacting gender equality through girls’ education.
Q: If you could give someone your best tip for sunglasses shopping, what would it be?
A: Understanding what your nose bridge is. We have a great video to teach you what your nose bridge is HERE, and then what size nose bridge you should be wearing in your frames. Nose bridge is key to finding your perfect fitting pair of glasses and there is a VERY high chance especially if you are Asian or a person of color that you are wearing the wrong sized nose bridge. A great fitting pair of sunglasses should not rest on your cheeks, slide down your face or fall off or touch your lashes.
Q: Your mission totally aligns with our mission to empower women to feel great in their skin. What's your favorite Allison Izu style that makes you feel confident?
A: I love the Cali Skirt. It’s great because you can dress it up or dress it down. It’s comfy and flattering and it pairs well with so many of our sunglasses or prescription frame styles. I think you need it in white and black!
Meet our Friends
Kaulana Yoshimoto - Healing Crystals
Q: What inspired you to start your own business?
A: I have always had a deep desire to help people and support them on their journey to seek greater health and well-being within themselves and in their relationships. Myjourney began in psychology, working with couples and individuals with a specific desireto provide direct service to support the health, wellness and vibrancy of the LGBTQ+community. Shortly after completing my doctoral degree in psychology, my spiritual giftsto see and hear that of the unseen world of energy and spirit, returned. After years oftraining with my mentors in Native American shamanism and Native Hawaiian healingarts, my spirit guides shared with me it was time to offer services directly to thecommunity. Trusting in the guidance of my spirit guides and honoring my soulʻs journey,I opened my full-time practice as a spiritual practitioner of healing arts in 2013.
Q: What has been one of your biggest obstacles to overcome since starting your business?
A: One of the biggest obstacles to overcome since starting my business is myself. I strive to consistently offer services and tools in a safe and comfortable environment for myclients to learn, heal and grow, whether in large or small groups or through individualcoaching. There are times when this continued self-evaluation can becomeoverwhelming self-criticism and doubt. These moments have become opportunities toput mindfulness into practice, which helps me to remember to learn and grow withcompassion. Life is a continuous practice of transforming our mindset by mindfullyshifting our focus.
Q: On those days when you just aren’t feeling it, what motivates you to get up, get ready, and keep pushing to grow your business?
A: This is an interesting question. My first response is that the feeling of “not feeling it” ismy first sign of possible “burn out” and a need to set aside a little R&R (rejuvenation & recovery). It is my sign that my mental, emotional, and physical body are overtaxed, andrather than push harder, I need to work smarter. That being said, when I do have thisfeeling, I most likely could not schedule that R&R for another month or longer, so onthose days when I wake-up not feeling it, I motivate myself in a few ways. Sometimes, I remind myself of the bigger mission, vision or purpose of why I do what I do and other times, that can also feel overwhelming. In which case, I may focus on the smaller moments, such as a specific person I am looking forward to meeting that day or even smaller moments of treating myself to a special coffee and treat or deciding this is the day I will go for a walk and enjoy the outdoors rather than continue to work in the office. I rely on my exercise of mental gymnastics to help me find a new perspective so I may discover a new light for my day.
Q: We love incorporating crystals into our daily life. Do you have any words of advice for someone who’s interested in starting their crystal journey?
A: If you are starting your crystal journey, it is the perfect opportunity to practice beingguided by how you feel when selecting crystals. Do you feel yourself being drawn to aspecific crystal, color or shape? Remember everything is energy. Energy moves throughthe human body via the nerves of the central nervous system and energy movesthrough crystals through their crystalline structure, as they were birthed by the rawelements of earth (e.g. fire, water, air, and earth). When you listen to how you feel, the bio-energetic field of your body is responding to the energy emanating from the crystals. Since our bodies are programmed to strive for health, the intelligence of our bio-energetic field will seek the energy it needs in that moment of time. There is so much to explore and learn about the benefits of crystals in your life, most importantly, it is always fun and in the highest vibration. Practice being guided by your feelings, intuition and knowing and Enjoy!
Q: Do you have advice you’d like to share as we move through the second half of 2023?
A: As we embark on our journey of the second half of 2023, remember that everything you need already resides within you. Kaigen, in Japanese means “the gateway to origin or source” referring to the gateway within all of us to access the divine source of all creation within us. When you access this inner connection to the Divine Light, Source, or Godʻs Light and give yourself permission to be guided by this divine life force energy within you and around, you shall navigate the currents of this year in the highest vibration. Seek awareness of this divine connection within, choose to know, practice a mindset of compassion and continue to learn,heal, grow and be present in all that you do.
Meet our Friends
Tiffany - Green Tea Leaves
Q: How did you get into metal work/jewelry making?
A: A few years ago, I was looking for a very simple arc necklace and could not find one without ornamentation or extraneous details. A friend who had a background in metalsmithing suggested I make it and taught me the basics of metal work. I immediately loved it. Jewelry design and metal work is such a tactile and malleable medium that I love so much. I love the dichotomy of it. It calls for a great deal of precision and timing and is limited to the physical properties of metal and heat, but at the same time is so completely open to your imagination.
Q: What has been one of your biggest obstacles to overcome since starting your own business?
A: Time. I am an architect by trade and a Director at WATG, an international design firm specializing in luxury hospitality and entertainment. Like any creative field, Architecture is incredibly consuming, but I have found that whatever effort and energy you put into a creative venture you always receive back, so it has been very rewarding.
Q: On a day where you feel like you “have nothing to wear”, what is your go-to confidence outfit, jewelry included?
A: I love simple one-piece items – dresses, jumpsuits, rompers, or co-ords that act as a good base for jewelry. I love layering on different jewelry pieces, starting with my minimal pieces with more statement ones to create visual interest and a (hopefully) effortless but curated look.The Allison Izu collection and I share a very similar design philosophy – I also feel as though I too design “elevated basics” – simple yet impactful pieces for every day. Also, as we both design our pieces with the same or with very similar materiality, everything in our collections can easily mix and match with each other.
Q: If you could give someone your best tip for shopping jewelry, what would it be?
A: Jewelry, like clothing, can either detract or enhance your appearance. It's important to try everything on and make sure the jewelry accentuates the proportions of your face, your frame, and your skin tone, instead of fighting it. I love working with my clients and finding which pieces truly suit them, and/or making small design changes so that it does.
Q: Outside of your business, how do you spend your free time?
A: I make jewelry in my free time! Hammering on a bunch of metal does wonders for your soul.
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Ella Top - Firefly Cotton Modal
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Written by
Allison Izu Song
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See more of Allison's blogs
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As We Age...
Looking Back...
Fabric Fit to Last
From start to finish, I pay attention to fit and fabric above all else. I want to highlight the beauty within us all and make people feel amazing in what they wear. Wearing fabrics they love, made by people they know. Understanding that things can change at any point but when you know you can rely on what you’ve invested in, it adds a sense of community.
