It’s been said that your father, the late George Harilela, gave you a US$3 monthly allowance. How did that impact your determination and drive to succeed?
I was in high school at the time and it wasn’t even enough money for me to pick up a date. I’ve seen my father work from scratch and I idolised him. I didn’t mind it. I had a driver, car, food and I was pampered. But it made me think about how to make my father’s life easier. My whole life, I’ve been very independent. I went to study business at the University of Southern Carolina and was the first person to go to university in my family. I thank him for these lessons. I always taught my kids that they need to sustain themselves. I have always tried to prove to my father that I could be at least half the man he was, because he was totally self-made.
You’re considered an expert in the licensing world and have worked with companies like Disney and Warner. How did you first get into this line of work?
I was in trading first and I always wanted to add creativity and value. I partnered with an Australian company and we owned many notable Disney licences. The biggest licence we ever got was for the World Cup in 1994 in the US. We created a store with 250 items. You could buy a towel, a stuffed toy or a soccer ball. It was challenging and a lot of fun.
Was the dream always to join the family business?
This story is from the February 2024 edition of Tatler Hong Kong.
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This story is from the February 2024 edition of Tatler Hong Kong.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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