Turning Passion Into Profit: How Hawai‘i Entrepreneurs Are Building Businesses at Local Markets
Whether a side hustle or full-time pursuit, these ventures are vital in coping with Hawai‘i’s steep cost of living.
New Stories
Noem Vows to Review Case of Deported Hawai‘i Purple Heart Veteran
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified this week that she would review the case of Purple Heart Veteran Sae Joon Park who was forced to self-deport from Hawai‘i to South Korea in June.
Matson in Motion, "Ship-to-Shelf" in Photos and Text
Hawaii Business Magazine takes you down on the docks when the Matsonia container ship arrives at the company's Honolulu port. A precision-timed symphony of giant machinery and semi-trailer trucks work in concert with crane operators to unload hundreds of huge containers, packed with goods headed to stores near you.
Exclusive Interview with Hawaii Business Magazine's CEO of the Year: Ann Teranishi of American Savings Bank
Teranishi helped steer American Savings Bank through the COVID-19 crisis and its landmark 2024 transition from Hawaiian Electric Industries to an independent, investor-owned bank.
Artificial Intelligence in Hawai‘i K-12 Education - Part 2
Even those educators excited about the benefits of using AI in the classroom understand the challenges and obstacles. Here’s how they plan to deal with them.
Artificial Intelligence in Hawai‘i K-12 Education - Part 1
They recognize AI’s challenges and long-term unknowns, but they also believe that with proper guardrails, AI is already enhancing education, and students are benefiting. These early adopters are riding the wave, not trying to hold it back, and here’s how they’re doing it.
126 Years of Serving Hawai‘i’s Families
The mission of Child & Family Service is to offer a wide range of family services and to support everyone from keiki to kūpuna
Hawai‘i's Young Pragmatists Are Choosing Trades Over College and Making Six Figures
Gen Z is flocking to trade careers in Hawai‘i, earning six-figure salaries while avoiding student debt. With only 43% of four-year college graduates finding jobs requiring degrees, the state's young workers are taking a more practical path to financial success.
Hawaii I.C.E. Map Taps Into Community Concerns About Unorthodox Raids
Masked I.C.E. agents are appearing more often in Hawaiʻi and across the country, raising concerns about due process and accountability. Reports show laborers, employees and legal residents being detained without clear identification or warrants. The trend is prompting broader questions about transparency and constitutional rights.
Nominate an Outstanding Small Business
We’re now accepting nominations for our 2026 SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Awards
Kirk C. Hubbard, IV
Cades Schutte LLP welcomes Kirk C. Hubbard, IV as an Associate in the Litigation Department. Kirk was born and raised on Hawai‘i Island and is a graduate of Parker School in Waimea. He earned his law degree from the University…
Landen M. L. Moran
Cades Schutte LLP welcomes Landen M. L. Moran as an Associate in the Litigation Department. Landen earned his law degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawai‘i, cum laude. During law school, Landen served as a…
Andy Z. Lei
Cades Schutte LLP welcomes Andy Z. Lei as an Associate in the Finance and Real Estate Department. Andy earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law, where he served as…
Ryan K. King
Cades Schutte LLP welcomes Ryan K. King as an Associate in the Litigation Department, practicing in the areas of commercial and real property litigation, construction, and employment. Ryan earned his law degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law,…
Jake Honigman
Cades Schutte LLP welcomes Jake Honigman as an Associate in the Litigation Department. Prior to joining Cades Schutte, Jake spent ten years serving on active duty in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps, four years as an associate in…
Lists & Rankings
Hawai‘i’s Best Places to Work 2025
90 Companies and Nonprofits Where Employees Thrive.
Black Book 2024: 410 Executives of Hawai‘i’s Most Influential Organizations
Profiles of business and nonprofit leaders in every sector, from construction and energy to education and health care.
Hawai‘i’s Most Charitable Companies 2024
107 organizations donated more than $300 million to help Hawai‘i’s nonprofits, with a significant portion going to support Maui’s recovery.
Hawai‘i’s Most Profitable Companies 2024
The No. 1 company earned $297 million in profit last year; the last-place company lost almost as much.
Hawai‘i’s Top 250 Companies 2024: List Now Available
The 41st annual ranking of the state’s largest companies and nonprofits shows revenue was up, but the Lahaina catastrophe was widely felt – especially among small and medium businesses with Maui operations.
Top Performers in Real Estate 2024
Hawaii Business Magazine identified the leading real estate companies and invited them to submit their Top Performers. This page profiles many of these Top Performers in real estate. Consider these agents and companies when preparing to make your next real estate transaction.
Partner Content
Money talks at the table: navigating family finances during the holidays
Make room for leftovers and honest money talks this holiday season
A Local Bank for Local Businesses
We know you are passionately committed to Hawaii, and so are we.
2025 IIDA Hawaii Ho‘ohuli Design Excellence Awards
A night at ‘Alohilani Resort honoring design excellence, community, and Hawai‘i projects that transform how people live, work, and connect.
Building Hawai‘i's Health Care Future
Through internships, mentorships, and youth development programs, Kaiser Permanente is working with community partners to. build a stronger health care workforce in Hawai‘i.
Shidler College awards $1.2 M+ in scholarships as students thank donors
More than 300 students and donors gathered at the annual luncheon to celebrate scholarship support that’s shaping Hawaiʻi’s business leaders.
Parting Shot Enters the Digital Age
As Parting Shot leaves print, the beloved photo feature finds new life on our digital platforms.
Helping to Feed Hawai‘i Since 1913
Y. Hata & Co. is a locally owned and operated company that uses trucks and barges to transport food, ingredients, supplies and other necessities from their warehouses to businesses statewide.
Not an Ordinary Bakery
Breadshop, located in Kaimukī, isn't your typical bakery. Founder and owner Chris Sy says from its inception, he wanted Breadshop to be "an exploration of bread products" and "make a difference in what was available here."
Harbors Vintage Brings Y2K and Streetwear Style to Honolulu
A vintage streetwear shop born from pop-ups, Harbors Vintage now has two locations and a loyal following. Owner Arik Ma saw a gap, and filled it.
A Master Woodworker Makes Furniture That Endures
At his woodworking shop in Hālawa, Dae Son turns local hardwoods into custom furniture.
This Kaimukī Shop Helps Customers Make Their Own Jewelry
Brendan and Jill Barry’s Bead It! is stocked with jewelry-making materials and offers classes in soldering, drilling and other techniques.
His Business Is Helping Families With Their Business
After 15 years at Bank of Hawaiʻi, Mike Miyahira launched Business Strategies to help family-owned companies tackle their toughest challenges, from succession planning to deciding who gets ownership stakes.
Haleakalā National Park’s Nick Clemons Talks About His ‘Dream Job'
Name: Nick Clemons Job: Chief of Interpretation, Education and Volunteers, and Public Information Officer at Haleakalā National Park Haleakalā National Park's world-famous views, hikes and 25,000 acres of wilderness draw as many as a million visitors a year, and the…
My Job Is Bringing Homes to Life Through Technology
Andy Kinghan is the go-to guy when you want a “smart home” that takes advantage of the latest technology in audio, video, networking, security, lighting and even automatic window shades.
He’s Part of the “Pit Crew” for a Maunakea Telescope
Derek Petrowski landed his dream job as a telescope support technician at the Keck Observatory.
My Job Is Sharpening Hawai‘i’s Saws, Scissors and Knives
From his Kalihi workshop, Dexter Freitas has sharpened blades for cooks, print shops, furniture makers and others since 1988.
My Job Is Helping People Destress Through Forest Bathing
A certified forest-therapy guide leads visitors and locals into the woods.
In-Depth Reports
Navigating Hawai‘i’s Family-Leave Maze
Rules and policies can leave parents broke and jobless, or push them back to work long before they or their infants are ready. Can the system be fixed?
Native Hawaiians Don’t Own Many Local Hotels. Here’s Why That May Change.
While the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and ali‘i trusts collect land rents from 18 hotels, some Hawaiian groups are aiming for ownership.
Hawai‘i’s Public Schools Are National Leaders in Academic Recovery. Can They Keep Up the Momentum?
Here’s how three Title I schools are making improvements, including expanded assessments, tutoring, and after-school and summer learning.
The Governor’s Choice: Hawai‘i’s Undemocratic Cycle of Influence and Power
The governor’s power to fill vacant seats in the state Legislature has been used at least 82 times. Some appointees then launched big political careers.
Cesspools Are Killing Hawai‘i’s Coral – But It Doesn’t Have to Be That Way
An expert explains how to reverse the damage from the state’s 83,000 cesspools, including using treated wastewater for irrigation and landscaping.
Some Vacationers Wonder: Is It Possible to be a Good Tourist in Hawai‘i, or Should I Just Stay Away?
Globally, many popular destinations are experiencing a backlash against tourism. Here are multiple perspectives on the message that Hawai‘i should send to potential visitors.
Special Advertising Section
Making Business Simple for Hawaiʻi since 1969
1969 In 1969, Bill Guss opened Labor Services Inc. to provide a flexible, on-demand workforce to O‘ahu warehouses, trucking companies, contractors, and naval shipyards. From his office across the street from Waikīkī Beach, he would raise a blue flag to…
The 2025 Guide To Hawai‘i’s Shipping, Air And Transportation
Shipping companies are start of operations at the new Kapalama Container Terminal beginning in the fall, slow revenue growth, probable rate hikes, and more sustainable shipping practices. Although the numbers fluctuate somewhat month…
Better Business Bureau: Trust Drives Growth
When customers trust your business, they choose you – and they keep coming back. For over a century, BBB has helped businesses build credibility and stand out with confidence. Hawai‘i’s most successful companies prove that earning customers’ trust is the key to lasting success.