Kai Stone Pulls Back The Curtain On Reality TV And The Mental Toll

Kai Stone doesn’t play by anyone else’s rules, and that’s exactly why people can’t stop talking about him. The Hawaii-born surfer, multi–seven-figure entrepreneur, and founder of StoneSystems.io has built one of the fastest-growing software platforms for contractors in the country, all while remaining unapologetically himself. Now, with an upcoming reality TV debut on the horizon, Stone is stepping into a new spotlight, one he admits he never planned for, but ultimately couldn’t resist.

Stone’s rise didn’t come from flashy venture capital or Silicon Valley playbooks. It started small, helping a handful of local builders back home in Hawaii streamline their operations. That modest project eventually grew into StoneSystems.io, a multi–seven-figure software brand now serving contractors across the U.S.

Grounded in his island upbringing, Stone approaches business much like surfing. Timing matters, patience is power, and authenticity is non-negotiable. That mindset has become central to his leadership style, and increasingly, to his public persona.

When it came to stepping into the reality TV spotlight, Stone says there was no master plan behind the move. “Honestly, the opportunity just kind of came to me,” Stone told The Blast in his first-ever Zoom interview. “There was no real reason. It just came to me, and I thought it’d be fun. I like to say yes to a lot of stuff.”

While Stone says he can’t reveal much about his reality TV experience, he admits the process challenged him in ways he didn’t expect. “I don’t think I was myself as much as I wanted to be,” he shared candidly. “Not that I was unauthentic. I just wish I could have been more.”

He added that the emotional experience surprised him, particularly when things didn’t go his way. “I didn’t expect to feel the way I did when things were wrong,” Stone said. “I thought it’d be different. Not better or worse. Just different.”

Despite the pressure of cameras and potential edits, Stone says he never felt pushed by producers. “The cool part about reality TV is nobody truly pushes you to do anything,” he explained. “A lot of the uncomfortability was completely made up in my head.”

For someone rooted in Hawaii’s slower, more intentional way of life, the high-drama environment of reality TV was a sharp contrast. “It was rough,” Stone admitted. “Very, very un-Hawaii.”

To cope, he leaned into familiar rituals. “I’d wake up early, go meditate a little bit, and take a step back and realize it’s not actual reality,” he said. “But I won’t lie, it’s much harder mentally than people would ever expect.”

Stone didn’t shy away from sharing his thoughts on modern dating, especially as an entrepreneur navigating visibility and success. “I think the main problem with dating is men are being feminine and women are being asked to be masculine,” he said bluntly. “That’s unnatural for both people.”

For Stone, masculinity and femininity aren’t about power, they’re about balance. “Women want to feel feminine, and men want to feel masculine,” he explained. “It’s like opening a door. She could do it herself, but it makes her feel feminine when a man does it.”

As for red flags? Stone didn’t hesitate. “When she knows all the bouncers,” he joked. Green flags, on the other hand, come down to energy. “Just a soft, loving presence.”

While reality TV may have been an experiment, Stone says his focus is shifting back to what he knows best. Business, growth, and building long-term impact. “I think I tried it out, and I’m not sure if it was for me,” he said of reality television. “What’s next is more business-oriented, more professional. More YouTube, more education, not reality ranking.”

Still, Stone acknowledges the experience changed him. It tested his mental resilience, challenged his authenticity, and forced him to reflect, all while introducing him to a wider audience that will likely love or hate him in equal measure.

And he’s okay with that. “As long as you’re as authentic as humanly possible,” Stone said, “you’re good to go.”