APEC Gives Hawaii a Chance to Redefine its Image
When up to 20,000 guests attend the APEC 2011 Leaders’ Week in November, the local blue-ribbon committee promoting business investment here won’t be touting Hawaii’s old standbys. …
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Data on Women and Money in Hawaii and Nationally
Wage gap holds steady after shrinking for decades Almost no change since 2001 Hawaii Wage Gap 2009 Median wages in Hawaii for adult, full-time, year-round workers: Success in College Women are 1.5 times more likely than men to graduate from college or…
Raising Koi
When Bob Armstrong moved into his Nuuanu home 20 years ago, he couldn’t tell if there were fish hidden in the muddy water of his backyard pond. He didn’t know it then, but, along with the pond, the CEO of…
Local Kine Rinds
Darrin Yakabu-Muramoto and Joie Yuen like their pork rinds, but wanted more than just plain or spicy flavors. They also didn’t like the Mainland varieties, which grew stale by the time they arrived in the Islands, so the two started…
English Bulldogs
The dog you choose as your best friend can make a big difference on your wallet. One of the most expensive pure breeds is the English bulldog, which can cost $4,000, according to the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association. Bulldogs are…
Vodka For Locavores
Years ago, Dave Flintstone worked as a scuba instructor in the Caribbean where “I gathered an appreciation for rum.” He also did his homework and learned how to make sugar cane-based spirits from local distilleries, planning that, one day, he…
Some Hawaii Pet Stores Don’t Sell Pets, But Offer Adoptions Instead
Some pet stores in Hawaii have stopped selling cats and dogs, and are instead partnering with animal shelters and rescue groups to offer adoptions of homeless animals. The unusual marketing strategy may be partly due to more pet-store owners’ concern…
4 Successful Women’s Roads to the Top
Each person’s road to success is unique, but these four women shared similar challenges and goals. Each explains that success has never been about money or power, but about personal goals and helping communities. • Attorney Crystal Rose, chair of Central…
Unusual Doughnut Fill a Hole
Last year, Jessie Salvador wanted to open his own business, a doughnut shop specializing in cake doughnuts. His employer didn’t want to see him go, so it opened a retail doughnut shop, Regal Bakery, and put Salvador in charge. The…
She Finds the Perfect Location for Movies and Ads
Name: Angela Tillson Job: Film-location scout/manager and casting director on Kauai Years on the job: 22 Experience: Tillson’s worked with big-name movie directors, including Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Spike Lee, Alexander Payne and Rob Reiner, and hung out with actors…
No worries, local companies speak your language
Millions of people visit Hawaii every year from all over the world and many speak little or no English. Many local companies offer foreign-language tours for those visitors, usually focusing on travelers from the big Asian markets of Japan, Korea…
Ask SmallBiz: Picking an HR Company
Q. I’m planning to outsource my company’s payroll and other human resource needs. What should I look for when choosing an HR company? A. With so many providers entering this field, you need to choose wisely. Here is what ProService suggests…