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?

A band can disappear from the release radar and still soundtrack your whole life. That’s why sitting down with Ho’onu'a felt like a full circle moment for us, from the classics we grew up on to the new music they’re finally ready to unleash. Jared and Christian share what changed since the peak island music days, what stayed the same, and why coming back now is less about “nostalgia” and more about purpose, family, and perspective. We go deep on the stuff nobody warns you about: the financial chaos of kids’ sports, how raising daughters rewires your mindset, and how time gives you a wider view of your own lyrics. Then we zoom out to the bigger question fans always argue about, the status of island reggae and Hawaiian music today. They break down why comparing eras misses the point, how roots reggae and R&B influences opened new doors, and why a good song still stands the test of time when the hook is real. On the business side, we talk modern music production and promotion: recording on laptops, collaborating across Hawaii and the mainland, giving producers credit, and the grind of social media marketing for independent artists. We also get real about live concerts, viral moments, and the challenge of getting people to put the phone down and actually be present. If you love island music, band origin stories, and honest behind-the-scenes artist talk, this one delivers. Subscribe to Above the Bridge Podcast, share this with a friend who grew up on Ho’onu'a, and leave a review with the song that brings you straight back to Hawaii.

A lot of people love the idea of being a fighter. Far fewer can explain what that mindset looks like when the cage lights turn off and real life starts asking for overtime, tuition money, and patience. I sit down with Nate Yoshimura, a former MMA fighter who went from college wrestling to competing on big Hawaii cards and Bellator, and he keeps it honest about the parts nobody glamorizes: nerves, fatigue, getting rocked, and the weird calm you have to find when everything goes sideways. We dig into the lesson wrestling drills into you for years, the one Nate’s coach summed up as “Do it anyway.” We talk about the pain of discipline versus the pain of regret, why mental toughness beats raw athletic talent, and how staying humble matters when you’re tempted to build an identity around being “a fighter.” If you’re an athlete, coach, or anyone trying to stay consistent, you’ll hear practical ways that mindset carries into the gym and into everyday decisions. Then the story shifts to what Nate does now: working as a psychiatric technician at the Hawaii State Hospital while grinding through nursing prerequisites to earn his RN. We get into verbal de-escalation, professionalism under pressure, and choosing between med-surg skills and psych nursing quality of life. The conversation ends with a big personal update that puts everything in a new frame: Nate is about to become a dad. If you got value from this one, subscribe to Above the Bridge, share it with a friend who needs a push, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What part of your life needs a “do it anyway” mindset right now?