AAPI month is every month ~ an ode to family business

Swan General is a family business, and by that I mean it is owned by myself, my brother and my wife. By family business I also mean that our entire very large family work in this business, all of our brothers work in this business and our father worked in this business and our uncles and cousins and on and on. Masonry, building things, is in our blood.

We are 12 siblings total and of Japanese/Filipino/Caucasian descent. Our dad worked his whole life as a Master Mason in Hawaii and Massachusetts, where we learned the trade from a young age. In Hawaii, we ran around barefoot, worked crew, and learned masonry. In Massachusetts, we played football, developed our accents, and learned masonry. By the age of 10, we were brought on jobs and expected to pull our weight, and absorbed our father’s, uncles and cousins skills, artistry and dedication to their craft.

Today, we all run Masonry and Outdoor Design businesses from Hawaii to Los Angeles to Massachusetts. We work side by side, laughing and building shit. Is it stressful? Yes. Do we fight? Yes. Is it an honor to be with Ohana and carry on the family tradition? Absolutely.

Every brick is laid with Love, Legacy, and Aloha.