People Who Make
Hawaii Work: Cayenne
Pea
Jan 20, 2017, 2:00am HST
INDUSTRIES & TAGS Commercial Real Estate, Career & Workplace
Cayenne Pea
Cayenne Pea recently joined Alakai Development, a
residential rental development firm affiliated with Forest
City Hawaii, as a principal overseeing finance and
operations.
CayennePearecentlyjoinedAlakaiDevelopment,aresidential
rentaldevelopmentfirmaffiliatedwithForestCityHawaii,asa
principaloverseeingfinanceandoperations.Hercurrentprojects
includeanaffordablehousingplantodevelopapproximately390
rentalapartmentsandapublicelementaryschoolonstatelandat
690PohukainaSt.inKakaako.
Pea,whowasbornandraisedonOahuandgraduatedfrom
KamehamehaSchools,waspreviouslydirectoroffinancefor
ForestCityHawaii.PriortojoiningForestCityin2008,shewasa
seniorauditorwithDeloitteandTouche.Sheholdsabachelor’s
degreeinaccountingfromLoyolaMarymountUniversityandisa
CertifiedPublicAccountant.Peaisamemberofthefinance
committeeontheYWCAofOahuboardandrecentlyjoinedthe
youngleadersboardofdirectorsatMake-a-WishHawaii.
Tellmealittleaboutyourjob:AlakaiDevelopmentisasmall
shop,soIwearmanydifferenthatsthatrangefromunderwriting
andevaluatingpotentialdealstomanagingoperatingassets.
WhyItookthisjob:Mostofmyexperiencehasbeenin
managerialrolesatlargepubliclytradedcorporations.Thisisthe
completeoppositeineverysenseofthewordsinceweareasmall
andlocalcompany,soIwasluredbytheopportunitytoexercise
myentrepreneurialmusclesandworkmoreindependently.
Likemostaboutthejob:Ultimatelythemostrewardingaspectof
myjobisbeingpartofthevillageittakestocreatemeaningful
placesforlocalpeopletolive.
Immediatepriority:Progressingtwoprojectsinourpipelineto
placeequitybytheendoftheyear.
Biggestchallengesinmyindustry:Theysaynottofallinlovewith
thedeal.Therearesomanywaysaprojectcandie,sothebiggest
challengeisgettingtotheclosingtable.Itinvolvesunderwritinga
structurethatsurvivesstresstests,negotiatinganagreementwith
thelandownerandanyequitypartners,securingfinancing,and
obtainingpermits-allatthesametime.
Essentialbusinessphilosophy:Peopleareyourgreatestasset.
Wheneverythingelsegetschallenging,thepeopleIworkwithare
whatkeepmecomingtoworkeveryday.Takecareofthemin
waysthatmakesenseforthem,everyone’sneedsaredifferent.
Transparencygoesalongwayandintegritylooksgoodon
everybody.
Bestwaytokeepacompetitiveedge:Followyourpassion.Ifyou
dowhatyoulove,successwillcomenaturallyandcanbedefined
withoutadollarsign.
Biggestrisktakeninmycareer:Imovedhomelessthanayear
aftergraduatingfromcollegeinCaliforniaandhavealways
wonderedifthatwastoosoon.Iwouldhavelovedmore
experienceworkingontheMainlandbuthavebeenfortunateto
workforMainland-basedpubliclytradedcompanieswhilelivingin
paradise.Notabadgig!
Mostimportantmentor:TosaythatIhaveamostimportant
mentorwouldbeunfairtoalloftheinfluentialpeopleI’veworked
with.IfIweretodescribemymentorsusingtheirmostadmirable
traitsIwouldsay:empowered,honorable,andgrounded.
I’minspiredby:Growth.Tobetrulycontentbothpersonallyand
professionallyIhavetobeinapositionwhereIambeing
challengedandgrowingwhilealsobeingabletogrowothersat
thesametime.
Favoriteisland:Kauaiforeverythingthereistodooutdoors.I
recentlyhikedtoWaipooFallsinWaimeaCanyonforthefirst
time.Thechangeinterrainisprettyneat—itstartsoffinaforest
ofmailegingerandthenturnsintodrydesertbeforearrivingata
waterfall.