How do I prevent competitors from poaching my employees? You can’t control what your competitors do, but you have a lot of control over whether your employees want to stay or go. A perfect storm of low unemployment, geographic isolation, highest-in-the-nation cost of living and aging population has forced a mad scramble for qualified workers across all local industries. Top-notch…
It is difficult to become a better leader when you don’t know precisely what changes to make. But some people are so afraid of constructive feedback they don’t ask for it. Or, their negative response to feedback may cause others to stop offering it. Or, they might not know what to do with it. Presentation coach Pam Chambers offers tips…
When Lawrence and Zachary Hester were booking activities for a family vacation in Hawaii, they noticed it wasn’t always a smooth process – so they took it on themselves to make a change. Their solution is FareHarbor, an online booking and management platform for more than 1,000 activity and tour companies. Since its launch on Oahu in January 2013, FareHarbor’s…
Aaron Okubo says organizations like Legacy of Life Hawaii saved his life. “Indirectly, I feel I’ve benefited from their efforts to encourage others to donate their organs and tissues for transplant,” reflects the 61-year-old senior program development manager at MC&A Inc., a destination and event management company. In 2006, Okubo had both liver and kidney transplants due to cirrhosis of…
With consumers seeking healthier options, small producers like Molokai Livestock Cooperative are enjoying a spike in popularity. “We have seen an increase in consumer demand over the years,” says GM Jack Spruance, 62. “But marketing is not our biggest challenge, animal procurement is, and getting ranchers to realize quality makes a huge difference in this process.” Tyson Tamanaha, 28, cuts…
The state’s Professional & Vocational Licensing Division is one of those government agencies that operates quietly, without much public notice – until people need its help. In 2012, a hailstorm damaged hundreds of roofs in Kailua, which meant hundreds of homeowners needed contractors to repair the damage. The problem is, after a natural disaster such as a powerful storm, sometimes…
Photo: Josiah Patterson Tuesday, 11:34 am Pearlridge Center Photo by Josiah Patterson Stephanie Lake stores the elements to her larger-than-life holiday displays in this room at Pearlridge Center. Awaiting her creative touch are 16 plastic Christmas trees, a giant red viewfinder, a 6-foot teddy bear, 5-foot playing cards and a lot more. This picture was taken as she was assembling…
When it comes to bikini shopping, there’s a vital statistical difference between the buying habits of locals and those of Island visitors. It all comes down to cheeks – the okole, that is – and just how much a lady is willing to reveal. “The Hawaii girl wears skimpier swimsuits,” says designer Malia Jones. “The tourists who are here on…
“Are you breathing?” Emergency-room doctor David Williams leans over a “patient” covered in realistic-looking ash and blood. Surrounding him in the pop-up hospital tent lie a dozen more volunteer victims, ready for triage after a plane has crashed at Kahului Airport. Don’t worry yet, it’s a simulation, part of a training program by Maui Memorial Medical Center and other local emergency-service…
This new monthly column looks at innovative programs elsewhere and asks: Might this work in Hawaii? In our first column, we explore the city of San Francisco’s mission to bring low-income students onto the college track and hear how one local foundation plans a similar program on Oahu. As difficult it is for most families to afford the cost of…
The BOSS Survey is conducted twice a year for Hawaii Business by QMark Research. We ask about 400 business leaders, mostly company owners and CEOs, a host of questions: How is your company doing on revenue, staffing and profit? Will you be hiring next year? Do you think Hawaii’s economy will grow or decline in the coming year? Taken together,…
Name: Stephanie Lake Job: Creative Designer Responsibilities: For Stephanie Lake, the Christmas season stretches year-round. “I live in glitter,” says Lake, whose company, Platform, installs holiday displays at many of Oahu’s largest shopping centers. At other times of the year, she does projects such as backdrops for fashion shows or large interactive displays at Pearlridge that have featured Ice Age…
YES! A Memoir of Modern Hawaii By Walter Dods Jr., with Gerry Keir and Jerry Burris Walter Dods Jr. was born in Honolulu just before Pearl Harbor, the first of seven children in a close-knit family that struggled to pay its bills. From those modest beginnings, Dods grew to play a major role in the modern history of Hawaii. He…
Henk Rogers, Hawaii Business’ CEO of the year, does not follow conventions – he ignores or breaks them. Henk Rogers is an unusual choice for Hawaii Business magazine’s CEO of the Year. Past CEOs of the Year have led some of the state’s largest companies; Rogers’ computer game empire is composed of a handful of publishing companies, copyright and trademark…
As we step up our efforts to reduce homelessness, we need to work harder to prevent it. One way is to increase the number of people who have enough savings to weather a short-term financial crisis – a lost job, a broken car or a big bill – so they can still pay their rent and don’t end up on the street….
What bosses and employees should know about holiday gifts, parties and bonuses.
Disappointed with a neighborhood Santa Claus as a kid, Mike Ching has made it his mission for three decades to offer a better Santa experience for his clients. It’s all in the details. Some of his custom-made Santa suits weigh almost 50 pounds and take about 30 minutes to get into. Each are outfitted with accessories such as gold buckles…
Those who view gift wrapping as a superficial formality are missing a key message that creative packaging can project. “The attention spent on putting together a beautifully wrapped present means someone really cares about you,” says Shiho Masuda of Shiho Style & Design. “When I worked as a gift-wrapping designer and consulted with clients, I always asked if the receiver…