Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Wade.
Hi Lisa , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Lele Sweets was born from my deep love for Maui and my desire to give back to a place that has become a second home to me. I officially launched Lele Sweets in November 2024, but the inspiration behind it goes back much further.
The name “Lele” comes from the original Hawaiian name for Lahaina, before the town became known by the name it carries today. I chose the name because I wanted the business to honor the history, culture, resilience, and aloha spirit of one of the most special places in Hawaiʻi.
Maui has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My family has a home in Lahaina, and we also have deep roots in Kihei, where members of my family have lived for generations. We were incredibly grateful that our home survived the Lahaina fires, but many friends and members of the community we know lost everything. Watching the devastation unfold in a place that has given my family so many memories was heartbreaking and inspired me to find a meaningful way to give back.
When I started Lele Sweets, I wanted it to be more than just a bakery. I wanted to create something that brought people together while sharing a small piece of Maui with every customer. Hawaiian Banana Bread became my signature product, but I also wanted to reimagine what banana bread could be by creating flavors people had never experienced before. Today, Lele Sweets offers a growing variety of unique Hawaiian-inspired flavors that combine a familiar comfort food with something completely unexpected, creating an experience that people remember.
Like many new business owners, I had no idea what to expect in the beginning. I loaded up 60 loaves of banana bread and took them to a small farmers market in East Mesa, wondering if they would sell or if anyone would even stop long enough to hear the story behind Lahaina and why I had started the business. Little did I know that we would sell out, then sell out again the following week, and then the week after that. That one small market became the foundation for something much bigger than I ever imagined.
Within the first year, Lele Sweets expanded into multiple locations across Arizona, participated in more than 200 community events, and was honored as Phoenix Magazine’s Best of the Valley – Best Local Product. Every milestone has been a reminder that people aren’t just buying banana bread. They’re connecting with a story, a mission, and a place that means so much to me.
One of the most rewarding parts of this journey has been hearing customers tell me that one bite brings them right back to Maui. Whether it reminds them of a family vacation, a honeymoon, or simply the feeling of the islands, those conversations mean everything to me. Food has an incredible way of connecting people to memories, and that’s exactly what I hope every loaf does.
Giving back has always been at the heart of Lele Sweets. A portion of every sale is donated to the Maui Strong Fund, and I plan to continue supporting the people of Maui for years to come. Although the headlines have faded, Lahaina’s recovery is far from over, and I hope Lele Sweets can continue reminding people that the community still needs our support.
As Lele Sweets continues to grow, my vision grows with it. I’m currently taking the company into commercial production with the long-term goal of having Lele Sweets available on every Hawaiian island. More importantly, I want the business to become a lasting source of support for the community that inspired it.
One of my biggest dreams is to establish the Lele Foundation, dedicated to supporting Maui’s schools through scholarships, educational opportunities, and resources that help students succeed. I believe every child deserves access to a quality education, regardless of where they live, and no child should ever be left behind. If Lele Sweets can help create opportunities for the next generation while keeping the spirit of ʻohana alive, then I’ll know I’ve built something that truly matters.
To me, Lele Sweets has never been just about banana bread. It’s about honoring Lahaina’s history, celebrating the aloha spirit, creating meaningful connections, and proving that something as simple as a loaf of bread can bring people together and make a lasting difference.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not. Like most small businesses, there have been plenty of challenges. But before Lele Sweets ever existed, my biggest struggle wasn’t business. It was simply trying to figure out what God had planned for my life.
For many years, I stepped away from my career to stay home and raise my daughters, and I wouldn’t trade that time for anything. But financially, my husband and I were in a difficult season. We were doing everything we could to make ends meet, and I spent more than a year praying that God would show me a path where I could use my hands to build something meaningful.
Helping people has always brought me the greatest joy. At the same time, being dyslexic has presented challenges throughout my life. I’ve often had to work harder or lean on others in situations that came more naturally to everyone else. My prayer became very specific:
“God, help me find something I can do with my own two hands. Something that allows me to serve others without constantly feeling limited by the things I’ve struggled with.”
Then, while sitting in a car with my family in Maui, I felt God place something on my heart that made absolutely no sense to me.
“You’re going to make banana bread.”
I actually laughed.
I remember thinking, “I don’t even know how to bake.”
But in that moment, I made a decision. I stopped questioning it and simply surrendered. I told God that if this was the path He wanted me to take, I would give it everything I had.
Not long after, the Lahaina fires forever changed the place my family has loved for generations. Although our home was spared, I watched friends and members of the community lose everything. Seeing a town that had become a second home to my family devastated ignited something inside me. I knew I wanted to create more than a business. I wanted to build something that could bring hope, preserve the spirit of Lahaina, and continue giving back long after the news cameras left.
That’s how Lele Sweets was born.
The early days were far from glamorous. My husband and I had very little money to invest, only a few hundred dollars that we could afford to risk. Every ingredient, every market, every decision mattered. There were plenty of moments where we wondered if it would work, but we kept showing up, kept believing, and kept trusting that if we stayed faithful and served people well, God would take care of the rest.
As the business has grown, the challenges have simply changed. In the beginning, the question was whether anyone would buy our banana bread. Today, the questions are much bigger. How do we scale production without sacrificing quality? How do we maintain the same homemade experience as demand continues to grow? How do we build a team that shares the same passion and mission?
There have been many weeks where my husband and I have worked 80-plus hours combined, wearing every hat imaginable. One minute we’re baking, the next we’re loading trailers, setting up markets, managing inventory, posting on social media, responding to customers, hiring employees, creating new recipes, handling bookkeeping, and planning for the future. When you own a small business, you quickly learn that there isn’t a department for every job. You are the department.
One of the hardest lessons I’ve had to learn is letting go. As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to believe no one can do the job quite the way you can. But I’ve realized that if I want Lele Sweets to continue growing, I have to trust other people and allow them to become part of the mission. Building a strong team has been one of the biggest challenges, but also one of the greatest blessings. Growth requires trust, and trust requires letting go of control.
Today, our newest challenges are commercial production, nationwide shipping, and eventually expanding internationally. Every new chapter brings new obstacles, but I no longer look at challenges as roadblocks. I look at them as classrooms. Every obstacle teaches us something new, strengthens our business, and prepares us for what’s next. Before long, the things that once felt impossible simply become part of what we do every day.
Looking back now, I realize Lele Sweets was never just about banana bread. It was about faith. It was about surrender. It was about discovering that sometimes the biggest opportunities begin with the smallest acts of obedience.
Today, my husband and I run the business together, and every milestone reminds us where we started. We know how quickly life can change, which is why we’ll never lose sight of the reason we began. Our mission has always been bigger than selling banana bread. It’s about serving people, honoring Lahaina, and using whatever success we’re blessed with to make a lasting difference in the lives of others.
I’ve learned that every season of business brings new challenges, but it also brings new growth. If you’re willing to keep learning, keep adapting, and keep trusting God through it all, those challenges don’t become the end of your story. They become the reason you’re ready for the next chapter.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Lele Sweets specializes in one thing, and I believe in doing that one thing exceptionally well: Hawaiian Banana Bread. From the very beginning, my goal wasn’t to create a bakery with hundreds of different desserts. I wanted to become known for making the best banana bread people have ever tasted. Every loaf is topped with our signature crumble, which has become part of what makes Lele Sweets instantly recognizable. Over the past year, I’ve created nearly 30 unique flavors, each with its own personality and loyal following. Some of our customer favorites include Banana Pudding, which has become our best-selling flavor, along with White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Turtle (Chocolate, Caramel & Macadamia Nut), Ube, Pineapple Coconut, and Passion Fruit. One of my favorite things to hear is customers debating which flavor is the best because everyone seems to have their own favorite.
What I’m most proud of isn’t just the growth of the business or the awards we’ve received. It’s knowing that I built something from the ground up that brings people together. Within our first year, Lele Sweets expanded into multiple locations, participated in more than 200 community events, and was honored as Phoenix Magazine’s Best of the Valley – Best Local Product. But the real reward is watching someone take their first bite, smile, and immediately start telling me about their trip to Maui or a special memory the bread brings back.
I also believe what sets me apart has very little to do with banana bread. I genuinely love people. I don’t go to markets just to sell a product. I go to build relationships. If you walk through most farmers markets, you’ll often see vendors sitting behind their tables looking at their phones while customers walk by. That’s never been me. I’m standing, talking, laughing, telling the story of Lahaina, handing out samples, and making sure every person who visits my booth feels welcome. My background in theater and acting gave me the confidence to connect with complete strangers, speak comfortably to large groups, and create an experience that people remember long after they’ve left.
Another thing that has shaped me is growing up with dyslexia. I’ve failed at a lot of things throughout my life, and because of that, I no longer fear failure. Every challenge taught me resilience, and today I’m willing to take chances that others might avoid because I know failure is often part of building something meaningful. That mindset has become one of my greatest strengths as an entrepreneur.
At the end of the day, I don’t want Lele Sweets to be known as a company that makes a little bit of everything. I want it to be known for making the best Hawaiian Banana Bread anywhere. I believe that when you dedicate yourself to mastering one thing, stay true to your mission, and genuinely care about the people you serve, you’re able to create something far greater than a product. You create a brand that people remember and a community people want to be part of.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
There are so many ways people can be part of the Lele Sweets journey, and that’s one of my favorite things about this business. Of course, the easiest way to support us is by visiting one of our farmers markets, local events, or retail partners and sharing our story with others. Every loaf purchased not only supports a small business but also helps us continue giving back to the Maui community.
I also love collaborating with other local businesses that share a passion for community, quality, and creating memorable experiences. Whether it’s a special event, a unique partnership, or bringing Lele Sweets into a local business, I’m always excited to explore new opportunities.
As we continue to grow, we’re also always looking for passionate people to join our team. More than anything, I look for individuals who genuinely enjoy serving others, creating connections, and bringing positive energy to every customer interaction.
One of the initiatives I’m most excited about is partnering with schools. We’ve begun working with local schools through campus events and are developing a fundraising program that helps athletic teams, clubs, music programs, and school organizations raise money for uniforms, travel, equipment, and other important needs. My hope is that this program continues to grow and eventually reaches schools across the country because I truly believe businesses have a responsibility to give back to the communities they serve.
At the end of the day, my vision has always been bigger than banana bread. It’s about building community, creating opportunities, supporting education, and sharing the aloha spirit wherever Lele Sweets goes. If someone wants to collaborate, host us at an event, partner on a fundraiser, or simply stop by and say hello at a market, I’d love to meet them. You never know where one conversation can lead.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://WWW.LELESWEETS.COM
- Instagram: @lelesweetsbakery
