We recently connected with Michelle Carmack and have shared our conversation below.

Michelle, appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

In 2018, I knew I wanted to start a business, but I wasn’t sure what it would be. Despite my lack of a clear vision, I decided it was now or never. The idea was sparked by reflecting on my own family’s history. My grandmother, a single mother of five, took a brave leap and immigrated to Hawaii from the Philippines, leaving her children behind to work at the International Marketplace on Oahu, HI. She eventually earned enough to bring my father and his siblings over to start a new life. This reflection helped me realize that when we design life on our terms, we can change our trajectory, and that felt incredibly empowering. However, once the initial excitement wore off, I was overwhelmed with more questions than answers. I remember sitting in my kitchen, taking a break from Googling my way to success, feeling alone, confused, and guilty. Crying on the kitchen floor, I thought, ‘There must be other people on the island who are doing the same thing as me.’ I started hosting conferences for female entrepreneurs and shortly after pivoted to a membership model, leading us to where we are today.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

The evolution of my business unfolded naturally, with community and in-person connections at its core. From the start, I wanted to surround myself with other women who were crafting their lives through entrepreneurship, creating opportunities for authentic, face-to-face relationships. As we shifted to a membership model, I continued to foster community through in-person meetups. It was during this transition that I realized I was an event planner. Once I embraced this role, opportunities to plan destination events for friends, incentive trips, board retreats, and more began to flow my way. I loved how this aligned with my original vision of bringing people together.

As my business expanded, I saw a need for a dedicated space for our community and team. In May 2023, we opened a shared space and event venue in Honolulu, HI. When not in use for off-site meetings, certification retreats, or masterminds, our venue serves as a workspace where community members can host workshops or hold private meetings.

Today, Savon is an event company that offers memberships for women entrepreneurs and working moms in Honolulu. We provide a comfortable venue for off-sites, certifications, and retreats, alongside my destination event planning services, where I support corporations with their remote destination offsites.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Getting out there and building relationships with people I enjoy talking to has reshaped my view of networking. Before starting my business, I found networking to be transactional, calculated, and inauthentic. It wasn’t until I decided it didn’t have to be that way that I began to connect with people who approached business as I did. My most effective strategy for growing a clientele has been simply to befriend really cool and supportive people. The clients naturally follow.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

When we opened our physical space in May 2023, my initial vision was quickly challenged by the reality of operational costs. The average coworking membership barely covered the rent. However, we soon began to receive inquiries and bookings to rent our venue for meetings and gatherings, which, in hindsight, aligns perfectly with our identity as an event company. Pivoting our primary business model required extensive communication and a reset of expectations for both our community and clients. Now, at the tail end of this transition, we find that resetting expectations takes time and consistency.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://houseofsavon.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesavonhouse/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-carmack-184584b9/