Greg Ventayen, 50, has renal failure and congestive heart failure, is blind in his right eye and visually impaired in his left. About two years ago, the former industrial salesman was referred to the nonprofit Assistive Technology Resource Centers of Hawaii. “They help me with computers,” says Ventayen, who’s been disabled since 2006. “My instructor, who’s also blind, teaches me…
A childhood fantasy has become reality for two Hawaii Kai sisters Brooke Watson and Shyrah Maurer dreamed of running a business together and in 2002 they opened the home and gift shop called SoHa Living. Sixteen years later, there are eight Hawaii locations with over 100 employees, and four stores in California that opened this past summer. Business is booming…
Daniel Lankford opened the first store of his Ohana Greenhouse chain when he was just 23. Thirteen years later he has four locations. Daniel Lankford is compelled to succeed. “I’ve worked a full-time job since I was 14 and I started my first business when I was 16,” says the president and co-owner of Ohana Greenhouse. “I was a straight-A…
The fifth annual East Meets West event, organized by Blue Startups, is a two-day conference where entrepreneurs and investors convene – indoors and outdoors Chenoa Farnsworth attends 10 to 15 business and tech conferences across the U.S. and Asia each year. She knows the good from the bad. That’s why in 2014, when the managing partner of Blue Startups joined…
The BOSS Survey and 808 Poll are conducted twice a year for Hawaii Business by the Research Division of the Anthology Marketing Group. Here is the methodology on both surveys. The latest BOSS Survey was conducted using a list of Hawai‘i companies purchased from Equifax Polk Business Directory as well as Hawaii Business’ Top 250 list and classified Yellow Pages…
The nature of today’s workplace and workforce is rapidly changing. Technology is disrupting the way we do business and no business is – or will be – immune. Job descriptions are changing, and so are workers’ expectations about what they want from their jobs. Attracting and retaining talent is one of the biggest challenges facing employers. To ensure a deep…
Malia Obama interned at the Kaimuki restaurant during the summer of 2017 Two and a half years after its founding, the name Mud Hen Water still raises eyebrows. But that’s the point. Mud Hen Water is a restaurant named after the road on which it is located, Waialae Avenue. “It’s a literal translation,” explains owner and founder Ed Kenney. “In…
The latest version of the BOSS Survey, conducted by the Research Division of the Anthology Marketing Group for Hawaii Business in Fall 2018, talked to 350 business leaders from all sectors of Hawaii’s economy. A separate survey-within-a-survey was conducted with 136 business leaders who said a significant part of their companies’ revenue came from the tourism sector. We asked those…
Name: Kamakaniolu De Dely Age: 36 Job: Unexploded ordnance technician team leader Start: The Waianae High School graduate received a certificate from Texas A&M University’s Unexploded Ordinance Technician Level 1 program in 2006 after working as a bomb sweeper for several years. “My older brother worked clearing ordnance on Kahoolawe for many years, and I thought it was pretty cool,” De…
As more companies assess their employees’ personalities, there are ways to reassure workers and use the test results to help everyone Q: On one of the first days at my new job, I was given a personality test. I thought it was a census-type thing for the corporate head office, so I took it quickly and didn’t think more about…
The issues facing big and small businesses are not always the same. Big businesses generally have greater infrastructure and management depth that allows them to delegate specific issues (like labor law, contracts and taxes) to employees specifically trained to handle those issues. Smaller business do not have this luxury. Bigger businesses normally have a longer history and stronger finances, both…
Attending Summer Sessions at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is an excellent way for the student in your life to stay on track to graduate, improve their GPA, and get tough courses out of the way. Through the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Outreach College, Summer Sessions offers more than 800 undergraduate and graduate courses in 100 subject areas….
In the restaurant sector, trying to balance the financial interests of employees, customers and owners is difficult. A higher minimum wage will drastically change that equation. A proposal to raise Hawaii’s minimum wage from $10.10 to $15 an hour has support heading into this year’s legislative session, and that’s generating plenty of conversation in the food service industry. Balancing the…
Business leaders can make a big difference in the community by volunteering for nonprofit boards. Andrew Rosen suggests ways to use your skills, background and business acumen for the greater good. 1. Find your passion: Serving on a nonprofit board or committee requires time and energy. It’s easier to be generous with both when you believe in the organization’s mission….
It started with the letter O. “The paddlers should be inside the O,” said Kawika Mahelona as he and his friend, David G. Kim, hashed out a logo for their budding idea, which eventually became Oiwi Ocean Gear. Mahelona and Kim met in design school at UH. Their idea for a clothing brand lingered even after they graduated, and it…
This story explores the power of local in business ownership, corporate leadership and consumer preferences. Attorney Jeff Watanabe, who has served on the boards of several large local companies, has spoken often about the subtleties of Hawaii’s culture. He says being local is a powerful tool, but it’s also a moving target, especially in business. “Absolutely companies can leverage being…
There’s a new partnership in Hawaii between seasoned small business owners and early-stage entrepreneurs. Experienced CEOs who belong to the Entrepreneurs’ Organization are mentoring the founders of 11 young companies currently under the tutelage of Mana Up, an accelerator aimed at turning local companies into global brands. “This way of sharing experiences is such a unique way of learning for…
In March, Brad Miles became director of operations for the 74 Hawaii McDonald’s restaurants, as well as eight locations on Guam and two on Saipan. Originally from Australia, Miles has been with the fast-food company since 2003; while still Down Under he oversaw initiatives such as mobile ordering and table service. His goal is to similarly modernize Hawaii’s restaurants. Q:…
Outrigger is changing with the arrival in April of Wagoner as CEO and an infusion of $310 million from the strategic sale of six Asia-Pacific hotels. Wagoner – who hails from New York City and has an extensive background in operations – plans to expand the company’s global footprint, revitalize properties and adopt new technologies. He says, however, No. 1…
Most say their companies still performed well in the seventh year of this economic expansion. But asked about the near future, their collective enthusiasm is down. The BOSS Performance Index The Performance Index measures changes in employment, gross revenues and profit among the businesses surveyed and compares those results to similar surveys over the past two decades. Highlights The…
Former President Barack Obama said “Hawaii is going to be indispensable” as the Obama Foundation launches its leadership development program in Asia-Pacific and throughout the world. “Hawaii has always been a bridge between East and West. It is part of the fabric of the United States and it is also part of the broader community of the Pacific Islands and…
Finding good workers in Hawaii’s current labor market is tough. But perhaps even tougher: retaining the employees you already have. Lack of recognition continues to be one of the top reasons why employees quit. Some research even suggests that the more talented the employee, the faster they leave. So how can employers come out ahead of Hawaii’s talent war? Start…
A crop of cannabis plants grow under artificial lights at a facility in Oregon. A man with tattoos is pruning them. He is wearing gloves and is visible from just below elbows to fingers. There are others in the background working.A friend from California brought me a gift: two chocolate bars infused with THC, the substance in marijuana that gets…
A Hawaii Island-based company is part of a fast-growing industry: making cannabidiol, or CBD products, for people seeking natural pain relief and other benefits. Steve Sakala and Melinda Goossen are part of one of the country’s fastest-growing industries: making and selling cannabidiol, better known as CBD. It all started on their farm in Honaunau, South Kona. The couple was making…