You’ve heard the numbers. Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders own more than 2 million businesses in the United States — employing millions, generating hundreds of billions in revenue, and shaping industries from food and beverage to tech to consumer goods.
But here’s what the numbers don’t tell you: every one of those businesses started with a person who bet on themselves. A person who carried a culture, a story, and a vision into an economy that doesn’t always make it easy to succeed.
This May, during AAPI Heritage Month, we’re celebrating four of those people — Hello Alice grant recipients who turned heritage into fuel and built something real.
The AAPI Entrepreneurial Story Is Bigger Than One Story
One of the most common misconceptions about AAPI entrepreneurship is that it’s a monolith. It isn’t. “AAPI” spans more than 50 ethnic groups, dozens of languages, and vastly different experiences of immigration, identity, and opportunity.
East Asian and South Asian entrepreneurs face different barriers than Pacific Islanders. First-generation immigrants navigate challenges that second-generation founders don’t. And the industries AAPI entrepreneurs lead — from restaurants and retail to software and social enterprise — are as diverse as the community itself.
What they share is this: a deep sense of purpose. A willingness to build. And increasingly, a community that’s got their back.
Meet the Builders
Avani Modi Sarkar — Modi Toys (New Jersey)
Some businesses are built to fill a market gap. Modi Toys was built to fill a cultural one.
Avani Modi Sarkar launched Modi Toys to give South Asian children something she didn’t have growing up: toys that looked like them, told stories from their heritage, and made them feel seen. The brand features characters rooted in Hindu mythology and South Asian culture — joy in product form.
With support from Hello Alice’s Small Business Growth Fund, Avani has grown Modi Toys into a brand that’s both a business and a cultural statement.
“Growing up as an immigrant kid in the 90s, I never saw my Indian culture reflected in the toy aisle. When I became a mom to my first-generation Indian American daughter, I was reminded of the same gap, but this time — I did something about it: I created Modi Toys to give Hindu families a way to pass down their culture, stories, and traditions through musical plush toys. Building the brand connected me to thousands of families around the world and made me realize what connects us all is the same: we may have left India, but India never left us.” — Avani Modi Sarkar, Modi Toys
Follow Avani’s journey: @moditoys on Instagram.
Honami Inoue — Candle MOMO
You’ll need to write 2–3 paragraphs about Candle MOMO — what she built, how Hello Alice supported her, etc. You can pull from her website or grant record.
“My entrepreneurial journey is rooted in the Japanese ethos of seasonal freshness and functional simplicity. At Candle MOMO, I translate the spirit of my island-nation heritage into handcrafted candles that honor natural materials while embracing a sense of playfulness — crafting surprising, food-inspired designs that remain deeply practical.” — Honami Inoue, Candle MOMO
Find Candle MOMO: @candlemomo on Instagram.
Yudhisty Saridjo — KADOO (New York, NY)
Yudhisty Saridjo built KADOO to bring Southeast Asian aesthetics and sensibility into the gifting and lifestyle space — an industry that rarely makes room for those perspectives.
KADOO is a New York-based brand that reimagines gifting through a cultural lens, offering products that feel intentional, rooted, and distinct. With a $25,000 Antares REACH grant through Hello Alice, Yudhisty has been building the brand’s reach in a market where standing out means staying true.
“Both Juanita and I were born in Indonesia, where gifting is deeply woven into the culture as a way to express respect, gratitude, and connection. As Southeast Asian American founders, we bring that perspective into KADOO, focusing on thoughtful, meaningful details that go beyond the gift itself. We see gifting as a way to show genuine appreciation and bring people closer.” — Yudhisty Saridjo, KADOO
Find KADOO: @kadoonyc on Instagram.
Maria & Ernesto Guieb — Guieb Cafe (Hawaii)
When Maria Guieb started catering Filipino food in Hawaii, she wasn’t just launching a business — she was bringing her family’s traditions to the table. Born from the belief that food is the most honest expression of culture, what began as Guieb’s Catering grew into Guieb Cafe: a gathering place where Filipino heritage meets Hawaiian community.
Maria and her husband Ernesto run the cafe together, guided by the same values passed down through generations — hard work, hospitality, and giving back. When disaster struck and threatened their operations, Hello Alice’s Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund helped them hold on and keep serving.
“My heritage is the foundation of my business — it shapes how I serve, connect, and give back. The values of hard work, hospitality, and community were passed down to me, and they guide every decision I make. Through my work, I honor where I come from while creating something meaningful for others.” — Maria Guieb, Guieb Cafe
Find Guieb Cafe: @guiebcafe on Instagram.
What These Founders Have in Common
They’re in different industries. Different states. Different corners of the AAPI community. But they all hit the same wall at some point: they had a vision, they had the drive, and they needed a community that believed in them before the market did.
That’s what Hello Alice exists to do.
Hello Alice connects small business owners with funding, tools, and a community of over 1.5 million entrepreneurs who are building alongside them. For AAPI entrepreneurs — who are too often told to wait, prove more, or tone down the cultural specificity of their ideas — that belief matters.
Your Business Belongs Here
If you’re an AAPI entrepreneur, or any small business owner looking for the support system your business deserves, Hello Alice was built for you.
Grants. Resources. Community. All in one place.