In ‘Touch’ With Visitors

on February 25, 2015 at 10:48 am

Enrico and Katharina Becker
Owners, Touch Kauai

Please tell us about your business. Katharina: Touch Kauai specializes in massages, island tours and retreat vacations. We offer a completely customized service; we listen to our customers, who come from anywhere around the world, and create their packages accordingly.

: One of Touch Kauai’s more adventurous group tours | Photos courtesy Katharina Becker

: Enrico and Katharina Becker | Photos courtesy by Coco Zickos

: Katharina Becker is a professional masseuse | Photo courtesy Katharina Becker

How does it work for customers when they contact you? Katharina: We would ask you how many days you will be here, what your intention is for your Kauai vacation and what you’d like to experience. Some people come here to heal, and if that’s the case, we go to places that are quieter; others might want more adventure, and so we take them on hikes. If people just want to relax and are already on island, we offer them massages and we take our time with each of them.

Enrico: We talk to people over the phone or on Skype to get a feeling for what they really want. Then we figure out how to accommodate them, such as taking them to visit Makaleha Stream to relax in the pools. It’s very touching for people.

Why did you start this business? Katharina: When I first came to the island I worked at a bed- and-breakfast, and I was experiencing people coming here at certain times in their lives. Listening to them about why they are coming to Kauai in that moment in their lives — it’s usually a transitional time — and helping them discover what they came here for felt incredible.

How did you start your business? Katharina: I was working at the bed- and-breakfast, talking to people and learning about them. I took them to my favorite places, and it was a natural progression that I found out I had something to offer them. I started my business in 2005. Enrico started working with me in 2010 after arriving here in 2008.

Why do you continue to do what you do? Enrico: I like to share the aloha and love with people.

Katharina: I love to see people happy, and to be a contribution to the world and really touch people is beautiful.

Where are you from, and why did you move to Kauai? Katharina: We are originally from Germany. I always was interested in cultures that are in tune with nature. When I first heard about Hawaii, it was very intriguing to me. I took a three-month journey here, and I was blown away by the people and the culture. I went back to Germany but returned five months later in 2002.

Enrico: I had a business in Germany and I took a business course that offered coaching on Kauai. I met Katharina, who did massages for the business-coaching group, and she took me on a half-day tour. We didn’t start our relationship until I returned to Germany. We began communicating through Skype and now I’m here.

What’s the most challenging aspect of your business? Katharina: Having to charge people — to fine-tune and put an actual price tag on our services.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your business? Katharina: The incredible impact that we have on people. We sometimes see them again after so many years and still hear how grateful they are for their experiences. touchkauai.com

In ‘Touch’ With Visitors

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