A club doesn’t earn trust with matching jerseys. It earns trust when coaches, athletes and parents show up with clarity, consistency, and heart. That’s where this conversation with Coach Kea lands as she shares the story behind rebranding to Ho’omau Athletics, a name rooted in perseverance and shaped by a season of real-life pressure. We get into what it looks like to build a youth volleyball culture in Hawaii that feels like family without getting soft on standards. Coach Kea breaks down the difference between a good coach and a great coach, why accountability matters more than empty praise, and how team-first habits are trained through everyday choices at practice. We also talk about the constant tension every competitive program faces: winning versus player development. Sometimes the best lesson costs points, and she explains why that tradeoff can be worth it for long-term growth. If you’re a sports parent, there’s a lot here for you too: open practices, clear parent meetings, how to handle playing time conversations, and why college recruiting often includes evaluating the parents along with the athlete. Coach Kea also shares what changes as Ho’omau heads into its third season, her move into high school coaching, how travel builds chemistry, and how she integrates faith in a way that invites rather than pressures. If you found value here, subscribe, share this with a coach or parent who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s one trait you wish every coach would lead with?

RAIN EL DAKHAKHNI is the founder of 76 Sips Bar Company, a Hawaii mobile bartending service focused on fresh juice, local ingredients, and craft cocktail quality for weddings, brand events, and private parties on Oahu. We talk through her route from working and opening bars to betting on herself, plus why she’d rather be called a “cocktail artist” than a mixologist. We also get real about what most people never see: the long nights, the paperwork, and the stress of standing in a liquor license hearing where a few commissioners can decide your livelihood. Rain shares what helped her push through, how she keeps her standards when the market rewards shortcuts, and why honesty about product quality matters more than clever menu buzzwords. Then we nerd out on the fun part: how she designs custom drink menus around an event’s theme, color palette, and glassware, including riffs on classics, acid-adjusted citrus, and ingredients like calamansi picked fresh from the farm. We also dig into the business side of growth, from social media marketing on Instagram and TikTok to delegation, training contractors, and pacing your spending so your passion doesn’t turn into chaos. If you care about entrepreneurship, hospitality, and craft cocktails in Hawaii, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a friend planning an event, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

Five years and nearly 200 episodes later, I’m still recording Above the Bridge the same way I started: showing up, hitting record, and trying to have real conversations that leave me feeling something. This annual Q and A is me answering the questions you sent in, from what made me nervous early on to the one episode that gave me confidence to do the show in front of people, and the honest truth about what it takes to stay consistent week after week. We get into the behind-the-scenes work most people don’t see when they search “start a podcast” or “grow a podcast” including booking guests, planning ahead, editing, and staying current. I also share why some interviews feel easy while others are tough, what constructive criticism actually helped me improve, and why most podcasts quit before they ever find their rhythm. I also talk about why local podcasts matter right now, especially in Hawaii. Giving local people a voice, keeping island connections strong for listeners who moved away, and sharing the way we talk and the aloha we try to live by is a big part of why I keep doing this. And I’ll tell you straight up what motivates me most: my daughter, and the idea that one day she can look back on these conversations and get to know her dad in a different way. If you’ve ever needed a reason to keep creating, press play, then subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it.

A lot of people get a past they can’t outrun, and a lot of people in construction carry more weight than anyone sees. I sit down with Aaron Siga, a Kaneohe legend who used to be known for scrapping, to talk about how he flipped that energy into something that actually builds people up: leadership, teaching, and a steady “aloha” attitude on and off the jobsite. We get into the real story behind his “hammer built” mindset, from the wake up call of prison to the grind of learning framing, metal stud work, and union life the hard way. Aaron breaks down what separates a real worker from a loud one, why the best fighters are usually the most humble, and how jobsite culture can either help apprentices grow or push them toward burnout. If you’ve ever felt stuck, underpaid, or underestimated, his approach to leveling up through responsibility and repetition hits home. Then the conversation goes deeper than construction tips. Aaron opens up about depression, suicidal thoughts, and the moments that forced him to seek therapy and rebuild his thinking. We talk about mental health in construction, the danger of screaming at people who are already struggling, and how purpose, community, and faith can pull someone back from the edge. If this connects with you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more people can find it. What’s one mindset shift that helped you keep going when life got heavy?

A side hustle that takes off because of shower curtains sounds like a joke, until you hear how it actually happened. I’m sitting down with Marnee, the owner of MarnZaza, a fast-growing local Hawaii brand with a loyal community, bold prints, and a real-world retail presence that keeps expanding. She’s also still doing hair and lashes, which makes her story hit even harder if you’re juggling a day job while trying to build something of your own. We talk through the full path: starting in the salon world, experimenting with products, then getting forced into a COVID pivot that pushes her into social media marketing. One raw Instagram reel turns into huge demand, and suddenly she’s figuring out product sourcing, sampling, outsourcing, and how to keep prices reasonable for local shoppers. She breaks down what pop-up life really requires, how different neighborhoods shop differently, and why her prints aim for “feels like home” instead of tourist shop energy, including collaborations with local artists. We also get into the parts people don’t post: dealing with negativity online, setting boundaries, and building thick skin without turning cold. Then we shift into brick-and-mortar growth at Harbor Center and Windward Mall, why foot traffic still matters, and what it takes to staff and coach a team when your business is open seven days a week. If you’re searching for real talk on small business in Hawaii, Instagram marketing for retail, pop-up strategy, and women-owned entrepreneurship, this one delivers. Listen now, then subscribe, share it with a friend who’s building a hustle, and leave a review. What’s one product or idea you’d “ride the wave” on if it started blowing up tomorrow?