Behind every big success is a fascinating journey full of risk, pain and perseverance. Mehana Pilago’s story is no exception. However, it’s hard to imagine when you walk into her beautiful new tattoo shop and creative studio in the Kaloko Industrial area. The space is bright and punctuated with eclectic pops of color and creativity. Everything about it is cool, effortlessly so. The journey is a testament to her determination and the strength that community offers us.
Her voyage into entrepreneurship started unusually early. Her grandmother encouraged Mehana to start Khushti Kini—a bathing suit line—when she was 14. “I lived in bathing suits because I grew up surfing,” she explains.
Mehana’s grandmother brought her to Indonesia to visit manufacturers. They searched through fabrics until they found what fit her style and launched the brand. It was a remarkable achievement for a 14-year-old, a clear sign of the industrious spirit she inherited. But the business didn’t have a fairytale ending. It wasn’t sustainable, and they had to shut it down. Reflecting back on the experience, Mehana admits that she didn’t know enough about marketing to make it succeed. But how much should we expect from a 14-year-old?
Despite its short lifespan, her first startup left a deep impression. Mehana learned the intricate process of building a brand—how to take an idea from conception to consumer.
Still gripped by her passions, she attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco and graduated with a degree in product development. But the fashion industry wasn’t what she had imagined. The creativity and joy of design that had captivated her disappeared. Her vision for the future was filled with uncertainty, and she entered a very dark season.
Mehana moved back to the island and searched for work. She landed a marketing position but quickly lost it during COVID. With no clear path forward and an empty bank account, she accepted her dad’s invitation to work at his tattoo shop.
This unexpected turn of events marked the beginning of her comeback. Mehana found a gap in the tattoo industry. Her fine-line technique got a lot of attention. She put her marketing skills to work and grew the business. Then, in 2021, everything changed. “Dad signed the business over to me. We rebranded, and I got to redesign his shop,” she explains.
That might have been a big enough success for many, but Mehana is a dreamer and found herself envisioning a bigger future. She wanted to build a space where creators could come together and establish a hub for creativity in Kona. She wondered if it would be possible to own her own space. No one in her family had ever owned commercial real estate. For a family of entrepreneurs, this would be breaking new ground.
When Mehana found the perfect building—an open, light-filled space with big windows—she knew it was meant to be the home for her vision. But bringing it to life would require immense work, courage and risk. For starters, she would have to invest her entire life’s savings into the building, and even that wouldn’t be enough.
But this is where the strength of the community surrounded Mehana. Her friends and family stepped in to offer loans. She began working with Tara Shim from 101 Financial. They dove into financial literacy and how to invest in real estate. Tashanna L.K.O. LoSasso from Big Island Commercial Properties filled her with courage and support through the process. And then, there was Jason Zeager from Pacific Business Funding. “After getting so many 'no’s' from banks, I felt defeated, but with their connections in the finance industry, they helped me obtain about $43,000 in business lines of credit.”
In the end, it became clear that every thread of her life was being woven together into something beautiful. Not only is the shop open, but she is surrounded by a community of people who deeply believe in her vision and helped make it happen.
Mehana’s story shows how our destiny emerges from life’s trials. Her journey inspires us to dream big and search for support from those around us. We should ask ourselves whose dream we can help bring to life. Because, like Mehana, when the next generation is allowed to dream, our island becomes a more beautiful place.
Check out: kaeohawaiistudio.com
Bright and punctuated with eclectic pops of color and creativity.
Destiny emerges from life’s trials.