Morning Glass Coffee, founded in 2011 by Eric Rose, began with the mission of serving great food and coffee with excellent service in a welcoming environment, which he believed required taking care of employees. Mahina Akimoto Reppun joined as a manager and became Eric's right-hand person. Eric mentored Mahina, teaching her how to cook and run the business. In 2019, Mahina and her business partner Lani Ng took over ownership. Eric remains involved in a consulting and creative capacity. The transition occurred right before COVID-19, presenting numerous challenges, but they’ve learned many lessons and feel optimistic about their progress this year.

Morning Glass Coffee continues to prioritize full benefits for all team members, ensuring no one is kept under 20 hours to avoid paying benefits, viewing this as a human right. This commitment has cultivated a loyal team, with some employees having been with the company for up to 13 years. Located in Manoa Valley, the business has 17 employees and prides itself on sourcing the best products and delivering high-quality offerings, ensuring customers feel their hard-earned money is well spent. As a community-focused establishment, they’ve seen regular customers grow up and strive to make everyone feel safe and welcome. Their approach to employee relationships is based on mutual respect and trust, creating a safe and comfortable environment that sets them apart in the service industry.

Before becoming an MBDA client, Morning Glass Coffee faced numerous challenges, especially with the added layer of stress from COVID-19. The day-to-day operations often overwhelmed Mahina, who is deeply involved in the business, typically working five to six days a week. Finding the time and bandwidth to keep track of finances and make strategic decisions was difficult, and these tasks often got put on the back burner.

Mahina studied English and environmental science in San Francisco and never intended to enter the food and beverage business. Born and raised in Kaneohe, she moved to San Francisco for school, expecting to become a writer or teacher. After returning to Hawaii, she found the Morning Glass Coffee job on Craigslist. With previous experience at a café in San Francisco, she initially viewed this job as temporary. However, she fell in love with the work, the creative space Eric provided, and the constant challenges, which have kept her engaged in the business.

Mahina participated in the James Beard Foundation’s Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) Program in 2023. This 10-week advanced educational, training, and networking program is designed for women owners or co-owners of brick-and-mortar food or beverage businesses in the United States. Partnering with Cornell University, the program covers leadership, strategy, financial models, and more, equipping participants to scale their businesses and enhance their leadership skills.

Morning Glass Coffee was also listed on Eater's "The 38 Essential Honolulu Restaurants" in May 2024 and won the Best Sprinkle Cookie award in Honolulu Magazine’s “Best of HONOLULU 2024: Food and Drinks on O‘ahu” in July 2024.

Mahina’s business partner Lani Ng was part of the third cohort of women entrepreneurs in the WE by Rising Tide program, sponsored by the Central Pacific Bank (CPB) Foundation and aio Foundation, in partnership with the Patsy T. Mink Center for Business and Leadership. The 11-session program is designed for women entrepreneurs to hone financial management skills, develop marketing strategies, and network with business professionals.