Mom Talk: Q&A With Liliko‘i Project Hawai‘i Founder Christian Whitney

A Honolulu Executive helps elevate local moms into entrepreneurs.

November 9, 2023

Laura Dornbush,

Christian Whitney believes you are a better person, and better parent, when you have time to practice what you are passionate about. She founded Liliko‘i Project Hawai‘i to help women, especially moms, take the leap and turn their hobbies into side hustle businesses.

“I find that when I make time for passion projects, my family and my work benefit as well, because I am more strategic, clear on must-haves and things to dump, and an overall happier person,” she shares.

Photo: Liliko‘i Project Hawai‘i Event. Courtesy of Christian Whitney

Her role in business development as a Director at Hawaiian Electric Company, as well as her law degree, has made her a natural sounding board for friends considering starting a business. These frequent conversations sparked the creation of Liliko‘i Project Hawai‘i in 2022. “I wanted to do something that combined what I do in the corporate world and in women’s leadership with my natural gravitation to helping women in small business.”

Named after the passion fruit (liliko‘i), Liliko‘i Project Hawai‘i hosts a series of quarterly dinner parties connecting women with inspirational speakers, business development brainstorming, and “boss babe” networking. We sat down with Christian to talk about her passions and what she loves about the holiday season.

Photo: Courtesy of Christian Whitney

What’s coming up next for Liliko‘i Project?

We just launched a fun MakeHER’s Market Holiday Sip & Shop event happening on Nov. 26 at The Tchin Tchin! Bar in Chinatown. It’s a mix between what we typically do with dinner parties, plus holiday shopping and cocktails. Featuring only women-owned businesses, it’s an intimate market designed to spark conversation with the vendors, so attendees have a chance to learn about who they are and why they are passionate about what they are selling. We are also planning something similar for International Women’s Day with Wāhine Rise in March.

How do you balance work, this passion project and family?

It’s amazing what you make time for, right!? I guess I don’t balance it per se, I just integrate it all into each other. I try to incorporate my 7-year-old daughter, Isla, where I can into my work life. I want her to understand and know what I do and be proud of my ability to juggle multiple things at once.

What advice would you give a parent wanting to start a side hustle?

I call it Passion Practice. Just go out and practice it! Find a way to dabble in it in small doses, like gifting your product or service to friends. Sometimes starting something new can be terrifying, but much less terrifying on a small scale.

Photo: Daughter Isla’s lemonade stand. Courtesy of Christian Whitney

Entrepreneurship must run in the family! Tell us about Isla’s recent lemonade stand.

She read an Amelia Bedelia series book about a lemonade stand, and she was pretty determined to have one. We decided to use the profits to buy Halloween costumes for keiki on Maui as well as collect used costumes at the stand. Isla and her friend raised $502 and collected about 10 used costumes that day! Now, she wants to make it an annual tradition.

Best gift for kids?

We gift our daughter experiences over things, like afterschool sports classes or tickets to a musical. Last year, I asked our veterinarian to give Isla a tour of the vet hospital as a gift from Santa. She loved it!

Best gift for teachers?

I still am a fan of gift cards—Bubbly & Bleu, Target, Starbucks, Jamba Juice, Aloha Salads—and my daughter makes a Christmas card to enclose with it.

Photo: Liliko‘i Project Hawai‘i Dinner Party. Courtesy of Christian Whitney

As a dinner party ‘hostess with the mostess,’ what are your holiday entertaining tips?

I love to dabble in flowers. For centerpieces, I hit up the ‘junk bin’ at Watanabe Floral where you can buy individual stems of leftover blooms at a discount. Plus, I always have a festive craft to keep the kids busy during the party, like decorating ornaments.

What is your favorite family holiday tradition?

We like to take a dinner picnic up to Pu‘u O Kaimukī Mini Park and sit under the lit-up Christmas tree. On Christmas morning, we FaceTime with our family on the mainland in our PJs and then spend the rest of the day at the beach.