Small Steps To Success | with Kolby moser
What if the key to your biggest dreams lies in taking just one small step?
Kolby Moser, raised in a small town in Ka‘ū, Hawaiʻi, turned humble beginnings into a creative empire, one small win at a time.
Humble beginnings
Growing up in Kaʻū, Moser shares how even though she was raised in a small town, she never felt like she was disadvantaged in any way. In fact, she was able to take advantage of all opportunities available to her.
She participated in sports and extracurriculars to enhance her experience. Following high school, Moser decided to attend the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo to pursue a collegiate volleyball career. As an athlete, she spent lots of time at the UH Sports Department. There, she was inspired by Liz Chun, Hawaiʻi’s first female sports director.
Proactivity & Persistence
On a whim, Moser reached out to Chun. She inquired about doing an internship with her at KGMB9 News. Chun agreed, and just like that, Moser transferred to UH Mānoa to prepare for her new adventure working in news. When Moser showed up on set one morning, Chun was confused. She likely had dismissed Moser’s internship inquiry as nothing more than an inquiry.
But, Moser was ready to work.
She proved to Chun that she was willing and open to learn, especially from such a distinguished figure. From that point forward, Moser launched her career in the broadcast news industry in Hawaiʻi.
Her tasks started off small - going to sporting events, finding highlights, writing the script for sports segments, etc. – though over time she was given more responsibility and credibility.
After moving from sports to the newsroom, Moser began working full time as the Associate Producer at KGMB. She was in charge of producing the weekend show. Her producing work for the weekend show was such a hit that she was offered the chance to produce the nightly 10 o’clock newscast.
At only 23 years old, Moser was producing the number one newscast in Hawaiʻi!
Small Steps to Success
When she started working in news, Moser knew that it wouldn’t be a lifelong career. So, after some time, she decided to leave the industry to start a media company, now known as ARIA Studios.
Initially, Moser worked alongside her co-founder, Jay Kaneshige, donating video content to a non-profit organization overseas working to combat child trafficking. While she found the work impactful, she knew it wasn’t financially sustainable.
So, in 2008, when a friend hired Moser to document their wedding, she jumped at the chance - and ended up loving it! From there, ARIA Studios evolved into a wedding videography and photography company. Today, the company also creates content for commercial and lifestyle clients.
With her experience and expanded network through ARIA Studios, Moser took on her next big endeavor: directing and producing a documentary rooted in community.
The film, Hometown Legends, shares the stories of various kūpuna from Hawaiʻi island, reminding viewers of the value and wisdom of our elders. It is a product of many collaborations - relationships fostered over the course of Moser’s career.
Moser continues her storytelling work today as the co-host of UNCUT Hawai’i, a podcast dedicated to highlighting stories from Hawaiʻi creatives and leaders.
The Takeaway
Moser emphasizes the benefits of taking small steps towards success. Volleyball led her to the news industry, and news led her to where she is today. In each step of her journey, Moser led with ambition and proactiveness, creating opportunities rather than waiting for them to arise.
“Moser demonstrates how successes—no matter how small—can build upon one another to help you reach the top.”
Each small success acts as a stepping stone, providing both momentum and motivation to pursue even further goals. By celebrating each small step along the journey, you can validate your efforts while simultaneously cultivating a mindset of accomplishment and possibility. No outcome is too far out of reach if you take small steps along the way.
Kolby’s story is featured in RiseHI’s Make IT Happen curriculum, under the Small Steps Lead to Big Outcomes module. Learn more about Make IT Happen and how you can implement it in your school or organization today by visiting our ‘Oihana Career Explorations or Frameworks page.
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