Jan Harada knows there’s nothing like kung fu to get the blood flowing after a hard day and to stave off burnout. “My work is very rewarding, but it’s also very stressful,” says Harada, president and CEO of the nonprofit Helping Hands Hawaii. “You need to have something outside of the workplace that’s just yours, something you do for you….
When Kara Shibata’s son “graduated” from Central Union Preschool in May, she realized she would miss the bag of fresh local produce that was delivered every other week by Holoholo General Store. “I knew it would be difficult to continue picking up my bag at the school when my son no longer went there, so I approached our office manager…
Brian Kajiyama’s assistance dog, Zeus, is a Labrador retriever that has learned sign language to help Brian, who has cerebral palsy. Beside the usual skills of retrieving items, turning on lights and opening doors, Zeus can even take the jump drive out of Brian’s computer. Zeus is a graduate of Hawaii Canines for Independence, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Makawao,…
Cloud-storage and collaboration tools are readily available, but how do you choose the best fit for your needs? What makes each unique? This month I’ll compare two popular options, Box.com and Dropbox.com, and next month, I’ll look at Google Drive, Apple iCloud, and Microsoft SkyDrive. First and foremost, Box and Dropbox differ in the audiences they target. While Dropbox now…
A meeting of the Maui Business Brainstormers is like speed dating for business people. The monthly lunchtime meetings mix networking with problem solving and information exchange in a rapid give-and-take. Grace Fung and Carmel Patterson, who met at a Toastmasters club, are the organizers and sparkplugs for the Brainstormers, which has grown to more than 100 members since it was…
When Denyse Ray opened her manufacturing and retail operation in Kakaako in April, she opened a floodgate. Her original plan was to create a place where her company, Ease Collection, and its staff of 20 would make the company’s surgical masks, golf shirts, visors and other products, plus provide manufacturing help to local designers. Little did she know all the…
Q: I’d like to put in a solar-electric system to reduce my business’ energy costs, but I’m concerned about grid saturation. How does it affect me? A: Distributed solar power energy in Hawaii has reached levels unprecedented elsewhere in the United States. This is largely because Hawaii businesses have embraced photovoltaic solar power as a reliable way to reduce rising electricity costs….
Volta Industries has established a network of free-to-use charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) across Oahu. Scott Mercer, Volta’s co-founder and CEO, talks about finding partners and expanding the business. Who are your partners? Mercer: We provide our stations to shopping malls and parking facilities at which we believe they will see the most use, and then look to local companies…
People have joined the growing Eat Local movement for myriad reasons, including reducing their carbon footprint, supporting Hawaii businesses and keeping agricultural lands in agriculture. Grocery stores and restaurants tout their local-food credentials, and more farmers markets keep popping up and attracting loyal customers. A study by the Ulupono Initiative found that 74 percent of Hawaii consumers believe that it’s…
10:18 am, Thursday HECO Manhole #191F, Rodgers Blvd. at Airport Substation Photographer: Twain Newhart >> Working foreman Bobby Nakaji, left, and senior cable splicers Dean Ponimoi and Mike Oasay, right, work to complete the installation of a primary underground power cable. These kinds of installations are typical of the work that HECO does every day under the streets…
What it is: frii is a daily deal app for iPhones and iPads where everything is free. Users can browse categories where merchants list their giveaways for free. Freebies have included shave ice, fish tacos, chiropractor exams, ice tea and a slice of pizza. Founders: Aidan Millar and Michael Martone are both recent graduates of the MBA program at the University of…
Companies with more women in leadership and board positions financially outperform those without, according to a 19-year study of Fortune 500 companies conducted by Pepperdine University. The 25 firms with the best record of promoting women were a whopping 18 percent to 69 percent more profitable than the median for their industries. Large studies by Catalyst and McKinsey & Co….
Frank took the helm of the YWCA of Oahu in January. She had been owner of Kimberly Frank Consulting since 2006, and, before that, served as organizational development manager at Servco Pacific Inc. The attorney and mother of three young children talks about her vision and reflects on her first nine months on the job. What are your plans to move the…
Malia Espinda is a survivor. Her friend, Sydney Kline, wasn’t as lucky. The two were once victims of domestic violence. Espinda is now in a healthy relationship and thriving in her career as a legislative analyst at The Queen’s Health Systems. Kline, a former business manager for the Department of Education, was brutally murdered two years ago by a boyfriend who…
Hawaii shoppers and businesses have long taken advantage of “tax-free” purchases from online retailers such as Amazon and eBay, but many legislators are trying to put an end to that free ride. As cash-strapped governments hunt for more revenue, and online sales continue to grow, state legislatures across the country have passed “e-fairness” laws to collect taxes on remote transactions….
Download Pathways Offered by Each School (PDF) Download Classes Within Each Pathway (XLS) Instead of joining the chorus of complaints that high school students are not prepared for today’s workplace, Russ Ogi, Eric Kim and Derek Kurisu are doing something about it. They and many other business people are advising and supporting Career and Technical Education programs in the…
In the C-suites of America’s biggest corporations, just 14.1 percent of the executive officers are women, according to the 2011 Catalyst survey of Fortune 500 leadership. That’s one woman for every six men, and Catalyst says that basic ratio hasn’t changed in six years. No such comprehensive survey has been done in Hawaii, but one key indicator provides a similar…