Meet Emi & Carleen: The Best Friends Leading HCC

Big things are happening at The Honolulu City Club! After an exciting leadership transition, best friends Emi and Carleen are stepping in with fresh energy and big plans for the agency. Let’s get to know them through their own words!

Where It All Started

"I was born in Tokyo, Japan, and moved to Hawaii when I was four years old," Emi shares. "I grew up in Honolulu but moved to San Francisco after college. I attended UH for undergrad and went to FIDM in SF for Merchandise Marketing. I wanted to be a buyer for a large department store, but my career took a bit of a different turn. I ended up working for Louis Vuitton Client Relations for almost 10 years. Since then, I’ve worked for Amazon, Sephora, and a fertility start-up called Kindbody."

Carleen, on the other hand, has deep roots in Hawai‘i. "I was born in Hilo on the Big Island. My passion is small business. I love watching our local economy thrive with diverse businesses and ideas. My Grandma Pearl was the first entrepreneur in our family, starting a small business selling tropical flower arrangements featuring anthurium flowers at the Mauna Lani Hotel. She was a working mom and used to bring my dad and his siblings along with her for the day, where they could swim in the fancy hotel pool. This took place in the 1950s. She was a trailblazer indeed. Her small idea led to a family legacy business that I remember working in as a young child. I currently do financial and administrative work for several small businesses based in Honolulu. My favorite tasks are systemizing for efficiency, financial reporting, networking, and getting to know people's stories and passions."

From College Friends to Business Partners

Emi and Carleen’s friendship started back in college. "Carleen and I met at UH my freshman year, and she was a sophomore," Emi recalls. "We became instant friends and spent a lot of time together because both of our college boyfriends were from Maui. Long after we both broke up with the Maui fellas, we remained best friends."

Carleen remembers their first meeting vividly. "I met Emi at a social event at the UH dorms. I was from a rural small town, and I remember thinking how cool and confident she was, how easily she moved in the 'city.' I immediately wanted to be her friend in that first minute. We have lived in different states for over half our friendship, but she always feels like home to me when I see her or hear her voice."

Taking On HCC Together

"We’ve always wanted to start a business together but didn’t know what direction we wanted to go in," Emi says. "When the talk of HCC came about, we knew this was the business we wanted to venture in together!"

Carleen adds, "We were already throwing around ideas to have a joint venture; we just were not sure what we wanted to do. We strongly encouraged Emi to take a spontaneous trip home and had a magic, fun time that weekend. She ran into Mel on an outing and was very happy to hear that Mel was looking for someone to take over The Honolulu City Club as she moved abroad. She came home and could not stop thinking or talking about it. If you know Emi, when she is obsessed, she is unstoppable."

The Best Part of Working Together

"I love being able to work with my best friend," Emi says. "Though I am still based in California and Carleen in Hawai‘i, we talk almost daily now, and it’s been amazing. Also, working on the business offers me the opportunity to fly back home more, so that’s also been a plus!"

Carleen agrees. "Working with Emi brings her home more often. I think we connect more often, but my favorite thing is having a partner I know for sure has a crazy admirable work ethic."

Life Outside of HCC

"Traveling," Emi says when asked about her hobbies. "Not a hobby, but being a mom of a very curious, funny 4-year-old takes up a lot of my time. I’ve also dabbled a little bit in makeup artistry and am taking an online course."

Carleen’s interests are just as vibrant. "My favorite thing is an outdoor reggae concert—even better if it is a band with a horn section! I also collect vinyl records, mostly used, and play them while I cook dinner for my family. I visit Hungry Ear next to one of the businesses I work with and also Amoeba Records in San Francisco when visiting Emi. Always chasing a good sound."

What’s Next for HCC?

"I’ve loved meeting and communicating with our models and would love to do more in-person meetups and events," Emi shares. "I love being able to cultivate their modeling careers and hope that I can continue to do that for many years to come!"

Carleen is passionate about HCC’s role in the industry. "I think Hawai‘i has such diverse beauty! My kids have many ethnicities. I think looking at them and not really being able to identify their ethnicity makes them shine for their personalities, manners, and talents. Mel is a creative and a photographer who taught me that unedited photos have a feeling to them. It would be nice to be known for having models that represent and exude that feeling in their work. Also, to bring the world some of our talent would be wonderful to see! Seeing a local person from a small town like me have worldly experiences but always call Hawai‘i home. Just like Emi still does. As I quote Brother Nolan (local musician), 'She’s a Coconut Girl in a High Fashion World!'"

With their shared love for Hawai‘i, passion for business, and an unbreakable friendship, Emi and Carleen are ready to take The Honolulu City Club to new heights. Stay tuned—this is just the beginning!

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