Meet Katrina Galera | Owner & Artisan of Island Honey

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katrina Galera and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katrina, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started Island Honey in the middle of the pandemic as a creative outlet. I initially started this project as a hobby, which then quickly grew into a small business with hopes to open my own studio shop in the future. I started with making snowboard hoods during winter and I was the bestseller of that on Etsy. I started out as “krbgdesigns” which were my initials plus “designs.” When it started to get warmer, I knew that I needed to make something that people can wear/use during the spring and summer time and I started crafting with island-inspired jewelry and centered around freshwater and Tahitian pearl jewelry. Not long after I started to make jewerly, I renamed/rebranded into “Island Honey” to which it is now refined as a small business that revolves around island-inspired handmade jewelry and goods.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Surprisingly, my previous background was in law enforcement. I graduated from CSULB with a bachelor’s in criminal justice and forensic science. During that time I was a police cadet for 3 years and then got hired as my, then, dream job of being a forensic specialist (crime scene investigator). I worked in law enforcement for almost 4 years and then the pandemic happened. During the pandemic was, as we know, had a lot of backlash and hate from the public towards law enforcement and I didn’t feel safe in my uniform, even though I wasn’t a cop. During this time healthcare workers were getting the recognition that they deserved and I always admired those in the healthcare field (also my mom is a nurse). For me, the pandemic made me realize that I wanted to be a nurse so I quit my job as a forensic specialist and went back to school so I could do my prerequisite classes for nursing school. It was a long journey, but currently I am in the nursing program and set to graduate in July of 2026.

During the pandemic and the transition between careers is when I started Island Honey and really practiced on my creativity. It wasn’t just making money for me, I truly started to create because it was my stress relief and making jewelry and sewing was really therapeutic for me. Plus it was a bonus when I started making money! I started making everyday jewelry, but overtime I progressed to making bridal jewelry! I’ve currently done over 10+ bridal and bridesmaids jewelry and currently working on 2 weddings, so bridal jewelry is something I want to focus more in the future!

I started to refine Island Honey into being island-inspired because I got so much inspiration from Hawaii, Tahiti, Philippines, and other polynesian/micronesian islands. I have also been tahitian dancing for over 10 years, which the tahitian culture is also heavily engrained in me. I also surf and swim, and just revolve myself being around the beach and the islands bring me so much joy, which is why I wanted a small business that encompassed my love for the tropical island lifestyle.

I also started making badge reel lei’s and that went viral on tiktok and I’m the only person in the world that created badge reel lei’s with kukui nuts and other forever lei badge reel designs.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love this question because my boyfriend and I are long distance (he lives in Australia) and whenever he comes to visit I love sharing my favorite spots around OC.

We would begin the day with a nice hot pilates class at Ra Yoga in LB or Costa Mesa! It’s always a good day if you get a little workout in 🙂

Then we would start the day off with a good matcha or latte! I’m really picky with my matcha and coffee so I go to a select few places which is Nook Coffee in Costa Mesa, Coffee & in Buena Park, Little Ox Cafe or Made Coffee in Fullerton. Coffee & probably has the best matcha I’ve ever had and Made Coffee makes a strawberry latte that tastes just like the strawberry chupa chups lollipop (it’s quite nolstagic for me). There’s also sundream in Costa Mesa for the vibes, but their coffee is pretty basic.

For breakfast we’d get a donut from sidecar donuts in Costa Mesa because their bacon maple donuts are literally the best thing in the world.

Then we’d go to hang out at Shaw’s Cove in Laguna. It’s just such a vibe there.

Then after a long day at the beach, I’d take him to Trader Sam’s in downtown disney for tiki drinks and food and end the night getting salt & straw ice cream and walk around downtown disney (hopefully the fireworks are on).

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to first and foremost, thank God for giving me the passion and talent to pursue this hobby and turn it into a small business. Without His grace and favor, I would not be able to spread my passion with all of you. I truly believe Island Honey was created by the collective effort of my supportive family and friends. I will not be here without the efforts of every single person that has helped me throughout this journey, in the past and in the future.

I want to also thank my parents and brother for supporting me financially and emotionally as I venture through the unknown as a business owner and complimenting every piece I do, even though it might not be perfect. To the most amazing boyfriend, Daniel, thank you for always believing in me and motivating me to keep going; I love you, sweetheart.

To my favorite photographer and best friend, Jas, thank you for helping me create this vision with me. To my dear friends, thank you for sporting Island Honey wherever you go and wearing my pieces with such pride and joy.

To everyone else who has purchased any pieces in the past and in the future, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love and support of my craft.

Website: https://islandhoney.site/

Instagram: @islandhoney.co

Other: Tiktok – @islandhoney.co

Image Credits
@jasmynbphotography
@frankideas.work