A Hawaii mom built a handmade bag business from a hobby she picked up while dealing with postpartum, a small-business success story with a local following.

• Rhys learned to sew as a girl from her grandmother, then returned to it after her daughter was born in 2024.
• She started posting her creations online, and a friend pushed her to turn it into a real business in June 2025.
• Everything is handmade by her alone — cutting, sewing, packaging, and the website — with occasional help from her mom.
• Patchwork bags are the signature product, each one different depending on the fabric, and a single bag takes about three hours to make.

Outlook: She'll be selling at a Black Friday market in November and at a school craft fair in December, with orders through her Instagram in the meantime.