Angie : The Chief Everything Officer ( CEO )

Nestled  in the centre of the island of O’ahu, in Honolulu County, Hawaii, Mililani is a  beautiful city spread over 17 sq kms having a population of approximately 50k people living amidst picturesque environs. Mililani is home to Angie Higa, a woman with a difference, an entrepreneur whose journey inspired me to write this post today.

Angie The Banker 

Angie Higa, always had a desire to  establish something on her own. She always wanted to be an entrepreneur, but  her career as a banker was shaping up and so she kept her deep interests at bay to focus on the career at hand. However after she had served in the Banking Industry  for a good 30 years, an evolving situation led to her quitting her career and spend time at home.

A Major Decision

Angie’s daughter had to travel to Afghanistan on a Military Deployment, leaving her kids behind. Angie, to take care of her  grand children, retired from her long service to stay home and spend time as a grand mom, aged 48.  Angie was busy  enjoying her new found role, not knowing  that  her passion for entrepreneurship was about to be rekindled. Angie had to  travel with her grand children and the  airlines she was travelling on had stopped providing blankets and pillows. She therefore had to make arrangements for them for a comfortable travel. She was looking for something which was both comfortable and easy to travel with. 

Her Passion Rekindled

Angie’s interest in designing and sewing  helped her prepare  several options but none could fit the bill. Then she remembered a blanket given by her mother to her some 35 yeas ago. She made a few design changes to it, added a strap and a pocket that could even hold a neck pillow and  the perfect travel blanket was born. The innovation was so appealing that Angie decided to make it a business proposition and challenge herself in an entrepreneurial role. Her two car garage  at home became a perfect setting for her workshop. Her dream was beginning to be realised as Angie launched her company Sky Dreams LLC.

Sky Dreams LLC 

Angie’s blankets provided huge travel comfort and the success of it lead to her developing a complete range of products which  had utility and aesthetic appeal enveloped in one. She made  blankets that could be converted into bags, she had purses , masks, neck pillows and eventually a whole range of travel accessories. The products reflected the Hawaiian beauty and were trendy and fashionable. Her products began to be featured in Duty Free Catalogues and Fashion Journals giving her a massive mark up when it came to publicity. Her experience as a Banker too helped her to become a better Entrepreneur. 

A Succesful Entrepreneurial Journey 

Angie worked hard on her product line constantly improving and innovating  for the travellers and  globetrotters who had patronised her products. The constant betterment in her range of offerings gave her company a uniqueness and a strong differentiator vis a vis the existing competition and made it a visible entity in the 14 years of Angie’s   entrepreneurial journey.

Learnings from Angie

True grit, courage to seize the initiative,  a passion for what she loved to do and a desire to keep improving, that too after retirement is the hallmark of Angie’s success and a great learning for all of us. She has been an Encore Entrepreneur ( An entrepreneur post retirement ) par excellence, inspired and self motivated. She has also been a doting grandmother and was able to meet her household responsibilities alongwith developing her Company. 

Angie Higa, the CEO of Sky Dreams LLC , has rephrased her position and instead of Chief Executive Officer, she is known as the Chief Everything Officer at Sky Dreams.

Keep going Angie ! !