The Rising Star is a woman entrepreneur who has established a critical milestone in her business and has displayed high potential for enduring entrepreneurial success

Kalika Yap CEO & Founder Citrus Studios, Inc. // Luxe Link // The Waxing Co.

A native of Honolulu, Kalika Yap attended NYU where she found the everyday activity of life in New York – from subway and taxi rides to visits to the Union Square Farmer’s Market – exhilarating. A journalism major, Kalika worked for several media firms including Bloomberg and CNBC until 1996 when she uprooted herself again, and moved out west to Los Angeles.

Kalika, an early adopter of the world wide web, immersed herself in the still little understood internet. She quickly realized the vast global potential of the web, which she parlayed into a position at the Los Angeles Culture Net, a collaborative initiative project of the Getty Information Institute and California Culture Net. She developed web curriculum and web site design workshops for individual artists, art & educational institutions, and students K-12, all the while developing an affinity for the creative professional community.

While at the J. Paul Getty Trust, as a web developer, Kalika interacted directly with non-profit organizations during which time she discovered her true appreciation for non-profit, mission-driven work. As a result, to this day, she integrates the value-based culture of philanthropy within all her business units.

In 1998, Kalika founded Citrus Studios, Inc., an award-winning interactive design and consulting firm focused on the development and implementation of engaging and effective web sites for corporations, institutions, museums and universities. Citrus Studios counts the Annenberg Foundation, USC, UCLA, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles as some of their clients.

Kalika is the inventor and patent design owner of Luxe Link, a unique fashion accessory responsible for keeping thousands of women’s purses off the floor. Luxe Link has been featured on the Today’s Show and is available in over 70 International and US stores, as well as online.

During the pits of the 2009 recession, Kalika took a leap of faith and launched a new business – The Waxing Company; the first high-end waxing company to arrive in Honolulu. Kalika’s conservative projections of profitability were proven wrong when she turned a profit within 120 days of launch.

Seemingly un-phased by the many challenges of the recession, Kalika ventured out again. The serial entrepreneur invested in mycommerce.com – a robust online commerce/content management solution for small to medium sized businesses. So far, she has picked up clients such as the Lakers, the Grammy's, We are the World (Haiti), and American Idol.

Despite owning four successful entrepreneurial endeavors, Kalika’s most treasured company is that of her family – her husband Rodney and their two daughters. Both Kalika’s work family and personal family are located in Santa Monica where she feels most at home.