Suma Metla
Three Little Ducks
Suma Metla founded Three Little Ducks LLC in January 2022 with the goal of addressing the lack of child development educational resources and private physical therapy services in Hawaii. Specializing in pediatric care, Three Little Ducks offers a range of services, including baby motor classes, family yoga, infant massage coaching, and pediatric physical therapy. Suma's mission is to support families and promote healthy child development through both preventive care and parent education.
In addition to her services, Suma recently authored The Three Little Ducks Explore Hawaii, a keiki board book that introduces young readers to Hawaii's unique landscapes and culture. The book is a reflection of her dedication to early childhood development and her passion for creating educational resources that foster learning and exploration from a young age.
Before becoming a client of YWCA Oʻahu, Suma faced challenges related to business growth, financial understanding, and operational efficiency, especially as she prepared for maternity leave. However, her involvement in the YWomen in Business Accelerator proved to be transformative. The program boosted her confidence in managing the financial aspects of her business and helped her prepare for a sustainable business operation while she took time away.
The Accelerator is a cohort-based program designed to help established women-owned businesses in Hawaii grow and increase profits. The program covers critical areas such as financial statement analysis, business principles, and pitch preparation, with personalized one-on-one counseling from instructor Mariko Gordon. In addition to this program, Suma worked closely with advanced business counselor Doug Okamura, who provided strategic financial advice.
Suma’s participation in these programs and services have been pivotal in her business’s growth. Three Little Ducks now has three employees, including Suma, and plans to hire another by the end of the year. She’s also secured an $18,000 line of credit with a local bank, allowing her business to continue expanding.
Suma’s achievements haven’t gone unnoticed. She’s a graduate of the Patsy T. Mink Leadership Alliance, won the growth category of the YWCA Level Up! Pitch Competition, and was named one of Pacific Business News Women Who Mean Business for 2024. Additionally, she received the 2023 BBB Spark Award, further demonstrating her success as a business leader in Hawaii’s community.
Reflecting on her experience with YWCA Oʻahu, Suma says, “Going through the Accelerator widened my level of education. The one-on-one with Mariko made me feel more confident and brave. The Accelerator was a timely experience as I was preparing for maternity leave. I gained confidence from Mariko to take time away and learn about the cushions that I had. It was very helpful. She really made me feel confident and comfortable in leaning on my team and instilled that I shouldn’t put it all on myself. I always attribute YWCA Oʻahu to the growth of my business. All the programming is so high quality and timely. I’m always grateful for the services they provide.”
Suma also completed the Marketing Bootcamp: Next Level Growth with Ryan Mae Sweeney, where she learned how to create effective ads, understand various advertising media, and receive real-time feedback. The bootcamp helped prepare her to allocate a larger marketing budget and take her business to the next level of growth.
Her story is one of strategic growth and the power of leveraging community resources to build a thriving business.