Meet Gabriella Wilson-Rytting, Founder of Essence Marketing & Design
Introduce yourself with your degree information and tell us what you do now.
Aloha! I earned my Associate in Liberal Arts from Kaua‘i Community College in 2018 and later graduated from UH Mānoa with a BFA in Graphic Design and a BA in Cultural Studies. Today, I’m the founder and creative director of Essence Marketing & Design, a boutique studio based on O‘ahu. We specialize in branding, website design, content creation, and digital strategy for small businesses, with a strong focus on culture, storytelling, and design that truly reflects the essence of a brand.
What is your favorite part about your current work at Essence Marketing & Design?
My favorite part is being able to collaborate with passionate business owners and bring their visions to life in a way that feels authentic, strategic, and creative. No two projects are the same, and I love being able to dig deep into a client’s mission and turn that into a visual identity or online presence that makes people stop and feel something. It’s also empowering to have full creative freedom and know that I’m helping people build something meaningful.
What makes Essence Marketing & Design unique?
Everything we do is custom and intentional—there’s no cookie-cutter work here. We go beyond surface-level aesthetics to understand the heart of a business and build branding and digital strategies that reflect its core values, story, and audience. As a Native Hawaiian woman and small business owner myself, I understand the importance of culture, depth, and representation—and I bring that lens into every project we take on.
You started taking Kaua‘i Community College dual credit classes while still in high school. Tell us about that experience and how you balanced the workload?
It was definitely a new challenge at the time, but I was so motivated to start college early that I didn’t mind the extra workload. I treated it like a chance to prove to myself that I could handle more. I took a math course and a public speaking class, and while it was intimidating at first, it taught me discipline and time management—and gave me a real taste of college expectations before I even graduated high school.
What do you remember most about your time at Kaua‘i Community College and how did it help shape your path today?
I remember how supported I felt by my professors and how much freedom I had to explore different areas of interest. The photography and illustration classes in particular lit something up in me—they made it clear that design was what I wanted to pursue. I also appreciated the business class that opened my eyes to entrepreneurship, and the Hawaiian Studies program, which helped me reclaim and better understand the cultural context I grew up in. All of that shaped who I am today—not just as a designer, but as a business owner and storyteller.
Tell us about your transition from Kaua‘i CC to UH Mānoa. What advice would you give students going through a similar transition?
The transition felt like a big leap—moving off-island, adjusting to a new campus, and being surrounded by so many new faces. But having already earned my Associate degree made me feel grounded and prepared. My advice: trust your foundation. Community college gives you such a solid base. Don’t be afraid to speak up, seek out support, and lean into your own story. Your experiences from a smaller campus are still incredibly valuable, and they give you an edge when navigating a bigger university setting.
Why do you think it’s important for alumni to stay connected to the UH ‘ohana?
Because it’s all connected. The relationships we build during college—whether it’s with peers, mentors, or the larger community—can open doors long after graduation. Staying connected reminds us where we started, keeps us rooted, and helps us pay it forward. Whether it’s offering advice, mentorship, or even just showing what’s possible, alumni can help inspire the next generation coming through these doors.