Meet Vanessa Di Lullo | Founder, Mālama Hawai’i Makers Market

We had the good fortune of connecting with Vanessa Di Lullo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vanessa, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
It’s no secret Hawai’i has an abundance of budding entrepreneurs and small, creative businesses. It is what inspired me to start Mālama Hawai’i Makers Market. In Hawaiian, Mālama means to protect, or preserve – and our goal is to do just that. To preserve Hawaii’s small businesses by creating a gathering place where they are able to showcase their work, meet their customers, and network with other local makers in a supportive and creative environment.

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.
I have been a creative for as long as I can remember – constantly inspired. It didn’t matter what medium it was, if it was art, I loved it. In my early twenties, after dropping out of art school in California due to increasing student debt and a lack of funds, I moved back home to Hawai’i. To make some money, I started waitressing. Before I knew it, years had gone by and I was still working in the service industry. I absolutely hated it and was feeling more uninspired than I have ever felt in my life. One day, I picked up some gold-filled wire, sea glass, and some shells that I had found on the beach and started to create jewelry. I fell in love and eventually mustered up the courage to sell my pieces at some local craft fairs. After doing almost every event on island, I noticed I hadn’t come across one that was curated to feature vendors that sold high quality, handmade items. Feeling frustrated, I jokingly mentioned to my husband that I would start my own “makers market”. He told me that it wasn’t a bad idea and that I should. That day, that little spark set my whole soul on fire and Mālama Hawai’i Makers Market was born.

In July of 2019, we debuted our first market with 30 participating vendors. Since then, we have expanded to 3 locations across O’ahu and host nearly 130 local artists & creatives at our markets each month.

I feel so blessed to be able to call this passion a “job” and to be surrounded constantly by so many talented creatives. I have never felt more inspired – and we’re just getting started.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am an outdoorsy kinda gal so my first spot on O’ahu I would recommend would be the Kāne’ohe Sandbar by boat. Imagine beautiful, bright blue water and lush green mountains as a backdrop – it’s gorgeous. For lunch I always love a spot with outdoor seating, Buzz’s Steakhouse in Kailua is a must for their local pupus (appetizers) and delicious cocktails! For a stunning cliffside sunset view – China Walls in Hawaii Kai.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Mālama Hawai’i Makers Market would not exist without the support of Hawaii’s community of creatives. Thank you for inspiring us and entrusting us to host this special event just for you. I would like to shine a light on my husband, Steffen – for planting the seed and continuing to bring my visions to life at every market. Without him, Mālama Hawai’i Makers Market would not exist. And last but certainly not least, I would like to thank Hawaii’s creative community for constantly inspiring me and for entrusting us to host this special event just for you – thank you!

Website: malamahawaiimarket.com

Instagram: @malamahawaiimarket

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/malamahawaiimarket

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/m%C4%81lama-hawaii-makers-market-haleiwa-2

Image Credits
Photos: Keri Kubota