Meet University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补 alumnus Colby Takeda, who is the CEO and cofounder of Pear Suite, an AI-enabled healthcare company supporting community health workers, doulas and community-based organizations. He oversees operations, marketing, sales, health plan partnerships and national expansion efforts.
Prior to his current position, Takeda worked at Blue Zones Project and The Plaza Assisted Living. He earned his master’s degree in business administration from Shidler College, as well as a master’s degree in public health from the University of California, Berkeley, and his bachelor’s degree from Willamette University.
Tell us about a day at the office.
“In the early days, we had only a few employees. I was doing everything from onboarding new customers to providing direct services to community members in need. Today, we have over 60 employees, so I’m focused on building great teams, driving the company’s vision and working on creative ideas that could reshape how community-based healthcare is delivered and scaled. At the same time, there are still some tactical things that I still like to do, such as designing new marketing campaigns, mentoring student interns and attending industry conferences.”
What did Shidler teach you?
“Shidler’s MBA program and opportunities through PACE () gave me exposure to nearly every aspect of building and leading an organization. Shidler also gave me the confidence to think bigger. Growing up in Hawaiʻi, it can sometimes feel like transformative innovation only happens elsewhere, but Shidler reinforced that it’s possible to build ambitious, nationally impactful companies while staying deeply connected to your community and values.”
What made Shidler memorable?
“Entering the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship’s Venture Competition. Our company was called Pear at the time, and we had already started gaining traction with customers, funding and strong outcomes, so we were convinced we’d do well. Instead, we didn’t even qualify for the finals. It was the first major rejection we faced, and it became an important lesson in resilience. Since then, we’ve faced countless setbacks, but our ability to adapt, iterate and keep moving forward has been one of the biggest drivers of our growth.”
What should students know?
“I’d encourage students to say yes to opportunities, even when they feel uncertain or unconventional. Some of the most impactful experiences in my career came from taking chances on things that didn’t fit a traditional path. It’s also important to invest in relationships early. Hawaiʻi is an incredibly connected community, and the people you meet through Shidler, internships, jobs and professional organizations can become lifelong mentors, collaborators and friends.”
For the entire Q&A and more alumni stories like this, .