Madame Kayoko Hosokawa – entrepreneur

On July 14th I was honored to attend a Salon hosted by the Japan Society of Northern California at the Consul General of Japan’s home in San Francisco.   At the Salon, Madame Kayoko Hosokawa, the former First Lady of Japan, spoke about her latest endeavors in support of musicians with special needs.  The day before, she had introduced the U.S. Japan Friendship Special (Family) Music Concert, which brought together musicians with autism from Japan and the U.S.  At the Salon, Madame Hosokawa passionately described how she was moved to start advocacy for those with disabilities over 30 years ago when she learned about a young woman who was a Special Olympian from Japan.  Since then, she has worked on several projects to promote equality.  Her efforts include co-foundering the Special Olympics of Nippon in 1994 and producing 4 movies about some of the extraordinary accomplishments of those special needs.

Why am I bringing this up on a blog about entrepreneurship?  Good question.  I do this because I would like to highlight Madame Hosokawa’s endeavors as examples of entrepreneurship that don’t fall into what people often define as entrepreneurship.  The Special Olympics of Nippon was not a brand new idea, but it took a lot of work to create this organization.  And what about films?  A film is not a new firm, but could be considered a new venture. 

What do you consider entrepreneurship? 

Inspiration Found Here - Three Ring Ranch Exotic Animal Sanctuary

Three Ring Ranch Exotic Animal Sanctuary

Inspiration found here

This entry strays a bit away from the theme of young companies.  However, it is such an incredible story that I have to tell you about it. 

Three Ring Ranch Exotic Animal Sanctuary was started in 1998 by Ann and Norm Goody.  Before starting the sanctuary, Ann was an emergency room nurse and administrator at a home health agency.  Norm was an anesthesiologist.  They met in 1997 while Ann was working on her doctorate health care administration.  That June, the couple married.  The next day, Ann was struck by lightning.  

Literally.

Recovery wasn’t easy and part of Ann’s temporal lobe was removed.  After relearning to walk and talk, Ann amazingly returned to work in health care.  Always the animal lover, Ann joked that she would like a zebra to help her recover.  In 1998, the Moloka‘i Ranch Safari Park closed its doors. Norm contacted the Safari Park and since the couple was licensed to care for wild animals, they were invited to choose among the animals that were about to be abandoned.  They found Oreo and Zoe, her new foal. Zoe is a brilliant blonde zebra, one of two known to exist in captivity in the world.  With Zoe, Oreo, and a few other rescuees, Three Ring Ranch Exotic Animal Sanctuary was born.  The Goody’s turned their 5-acre lot on the Big Island into what is today Hawai‘i’s sole federally accredited nonprofit exotic animal sanctuary, one of only thirty-three in the country.

Ann and Norm continued to work their health care for several years to support themselves and the Sanctuary.  Ann decided to focus on the Sanctuary full time after another health scare prompted her to change her life.  Norm followed a few years later.  Now they run the Sanctuary full time and support themselves with their savings.  And by run, I mean care, feed, and rehabilitate hundreds of animals.  Ann and Norm (and others) spend years rehabilitating animals. They know the personal story of each of the residents and are genuinely concerned with their well-being.  And not only do they have the knowledge to care for these animals, Ann is especially adept at understanding animal behavior. Our conversations gave me more insight into animal behavior than any book I have read or tv show I have watched. 

Over the last 15 years, the Goody’s have cared for over 100 types of animals, with more than 50 types in residence at any one time.  Many roads lead animals to the Sanctuary; often tragic.  For example the Sanctuary has rescued animals from failed zoos and directly from owners who can no longer care for them.  Several abandon or abused animals and injured wild animals have also been placed there.  If at all possible, wild animals are rehabilitated and returned to their natural habitat.  Otherwise, the Sanctuary provides a life that is similar to their natural environment.  Each is researched extensively and cared for with acute attention to distress and mental harmony. Animals are often paired with other seemingly dissimilar animals according to behavioral needs.  For example a North American bison was recently paired with a feral donkey who became best friends.  Turtles and tortoises calm distrusting birds around the grounds.  One of the goals is to create an environment in which each animal can live closely to how they would in the wild.

Also impressive are the Sanctuary’s educational endeavors.  The facility is a role model for education and animal care. They work with UC Davis, UC Berkeley, and Oregon State University providing pre-vet internships to undergraduate university students.  So far, each of their interns has been successfully placed in a competitive veterinary program.  Second-year vet students can visit as part of summer programs.  The Sanctuary also provides an after school mentoring program for younger students in local schools, focusing on children between 12 and 13.  They offer various classes to students between 8 and 11.  Community lectures have been provided as well.  The Sanctuary is a non-profit organization, supported only by donations.  It is run by volunteers and no salaries are provided for anyone.

The mission of the Sanctuary is not to be a petting zoo.  In fact, it is not open to the public, but they will provide small private educational tours.  She teaches visitors that animals have their own unique ways of communicating.  She shows you how we often misinterpret their behaviors because we do not understand their language.  If you are lucky enough to visit and learn from Ann, you might make friends with an alpaca by pressing noses, shake hands with a monkey, or be greeted by a 1500 pound bison licking your hand.  No matter what, it is an experience that you will never forget. 

From Technology to Tea

Onomea Tea

Rob Nunally and Mike Longo started Onomea Tea Company in 2003.  This was a second, if not third career for both of them.  Rob and Mike started Onomea Tea after realizing that their initial crop of choice, daylilies, would not grow as consistently as needed for cultivation.   Considering their options while drinking tea, they thought – “Why not grow tea?”  Having green thumbs and plenty of available property on Hawaii’s Big Island, they jumped in.  A new career was born.

Before Onomea, Rob lived in California.  He attended CA State University and received a BA in Business with an emphasis in Information System. This was perfect for Silicon Valley and he started in with a software support job and ultimately his own technology business. Since most of the technology was sold internationally, this business could be run from most anywhere.  In 2010 the political climate for the business changed and the business income dropped substantially, since that time he has been more focused on tea.

Mike was born and raised on the East Coast.  He grew up working in his father’s nursery and garden business and studied Biology and Chemistry at Marquette University.  After teaching high school biology, Mike’s path led him to the National College of Chiropractic and a career as a Chiropractic Physician and Natural Health Practitioner.  Mike lived in Fiji for a short time and eventually moved to Hawaii Island in 1977. He began hybridizing daylilies in the late 80's. In the mid 90's he moved to California and owned a retail nursery and a daylilies garden.  His interest in daylilies led to the creation of an online auction website for daylilies, which he still runs.

After a few years in California Mike began to feel the pull back to Hawaii. He convinced Rob to accompany him on a trip there. Rob became attached to the big island overnight. They began to look for a residence there in 1999. In a short time they discovered available land overlooking Onomea Bay that was breathtaking. They both packed up and moved to Hawaii in 2000 and began building their house. Their first tea plants were planted in 2003.

It has only been 10 years, but Rob and Mike are tea experts.  They have certifications galore and have trained with world renowned authorities.  Set on a nine acre plantation above Onomea Bay, Onomea Tea grows, cultivates, and processes some of the finest tea available.  Impressively, Onomea Tea is completely organic.  As Mike pointed out, tea isn’t washed before it is processed, so whatever is on when it is picked is on it when you drink it.  Pesticides – out, sea spray and Hawaiian sunshine – in.  Beautiful. 

The tea is picked and processed by hand on site.  They have been cultivating new hybrids of their tea plants after painstakingly selecting the best from their existing stock.  Currently, they produce and sell white, green, oolong, and black tea. Onomea does not add flavors and uses only their own crops. Recently, they produced an aged black tea “Koko Ki” that had subtle hints of cocoa.  (Yes – with no additives or flavorings they brought tea and chocolate together in one luscious cup.) Unfortunately, the demand is so high that they often sell out quickly. 

This second career seems to be working out quite nicely. 

If you are on the Big Island, contact them for a tour of the plantation and afternoon tea tasting!  You won’t regret it.

www.onotea.com