Page 14 - MidWeek - July 21, 2021

14 MIDWEEK JULY 21, 2021
STORY BY GINGER KELLER PHOTO BY LAWRENCE TABUDLO
The work never stops for entrepreneurial enthusiasts Ryan and Hannah Maruyama, whose lives revolve around their own full-time jobs, a tattoo shop named YAMA Studios and a recently launched podcast called Degree Free Network.
Hannah and Ryan Maruyama don’t claim to have all the answers. But one thing the Honolulu couple does know for certain is the path to success isn’t the same for everyone, and it doesn’t have to come with a diploma in hand, either.
Hannah, 26, is an IT busi- ness analyst consultant and author, while Ryan, 29, is a firefighter with the City & County of Honolulu. Both work more than 50 hours a week and love what they do.
shop that specializes in scalp micropigmentation, micro- blading and more. Basically, they tattoo tiny dots on peo- ple’s skin to give an instant appearance of hair follicles.
in them and look in the mir- ror and see somebody they’re proud of seeing and some- body who reflects their image in their mind — that’s huge.”
That’s the message the husband-and-wife duo share with the world on their re- cently launched podcast De- gree Free Network, with the hopes of educating parents, teens and everyone in be- tween on the many different routes one can take to accom- plish their goals.
“These people are suffer- ing from hair loss and that affects their everyday life,” he adds. “Every time they look in the mirror, they see somebody who doesn’t look like themselves and it af- fects their self-talk. For me personally, having a hand in helping them turn that script
“Chemo can cause hair loss, and when it comes back, sometimes it will still grow back thin,” explains Hannah. “Scalp micropigmentation can help make the hair look thicker. It’s very fulfilling to help those clients, especially since they have been through so much.”
Hannah Maruyama tattoos a client’s scalp at YAMA Studios.
“If you grew up here, be- ing in Honolulu Fire Depart- ment and driving a firetruck was every boy’s goal,” says Ryan. “It’s the best job in the world. I love being in the department, being able to serve my community, and help people who need help.”
“Right now, Hannah and I don’t really have a life — we just work,” Ryan says with a laugh.
Among their clientele are cancer patients who are cur- rently in remission.
On top of that, the Maruyamas own and operate YAMA Studios, a Kapahulu Avenue paramedical tattoo
The business — which was recently featured on CN-
PHOTO COURTESY THE MARUYAMAS
BC’s Make It, a website and YouTube series that focuses on success, money, work and life — attracts clients from not only across the is-
land chain, but all over the globe, too. It’s a booming biz that could easily take up the Maruyamas’ entire schedule,
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