We were lucky to catch up with Maho Taveesub recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Maho, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
Growing up in Japan, I was a shy girl who never had much confidence in myself. I always compared myself to others and felt inferior, thinking I had nothing special to offer.
What changed me was the time I spent in the U.S. and meeting my American husband. When I lost my job during the pandemic, I decided to study Web design, something I’d always been interested in. But I wasn’t confident I could actually make a career out of it. Then, at just the right time, a friend reached out and offered me a project. I didn’t know if I could do it, but I decided to try anyway. As I kept challenging myself, little by little, I started building confidence.
My husband once told me,
“If you never try, the answer is always no. If you try, the answer can be YES or NO.”
Experiencing that truth firsthand became the foundation for launching my own journal brand later on.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Hi, I’m Maho, the owner of Lily Latte, a Journal brandI created in Los Angeles with the hope of helping people live more fulfilling and exciting lives as their true selves.
I started this brand after going through a period of self-reflection when I lost my job during the pandemic. Journaling helped me rediscover what I truly wanted and gave me the courage to start again.I was also deeply inspired by the journaling and affirmation culture in the U.S.—something that isn’t as common in Japan. I wanted to bring that empowering mindset to Japanese readers, combining reflection and positivity in a gentle, approachable way.
Recently, I’ve been joining pop-up events in Los Angeles to connect with our community in person, and I’m also creating new journaling tools and stationery that make it easy to bring reflection into your daily life.
Through Lily Latte, I hope to continue inspiring people to slow down, listen to themselves, and design a life that excites them from the inside out.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, three things that really shaped my journey are taking action, having a growth mindset, and staying focused on your purpose.
Taking action pushed me to try new things, like, making a journal from scratch, even when I wasn’t sure anyone would buy it. Having a growth mindset helped me keep improving and learning, even when things felt difficult and I almost gave up on my brand. And staying focused on my purpose with the journal gave me direction and motivation, guiding me through challenges and eventually inspiring Lily Latte.
For anyone just starting out, my advice is simple: don’t be afraid to take the first step, keep learning and improving, and always remember why you started. Growth happens bit by bit, so be patient with yourself and celebrate even the little wins—they really add up.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
The person who has been most helpful in my journey is definitely my husband. He has a way of encouraging me to take action and reminding me of an important truth: “If you never try, the answer is always no. If you try, the answer can be yes or no.”
Beyond him, I’ve also been fortunate to have friends who supported me by purchasing my journals even when my brand was still very small. Their warm messages gave me the confidence to challenge myself, learn through experience, and gradually develop the skills I needed.
I think having a supportive network—people who believe in you and gently push you to try—is invaluable when building both confidence and capability.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LilyLatteShop
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maho_lilylatte/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@lily-latte
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
