Ask SmallBiz: Transferring Ownership
Q. We are growing our business and want to make sure that we are able to perpetuate it long after we are no longer active in the company. We have no children, so what are our options to ensure the…
All Stories
My Favorite Things
John Henry Felix, dapper CEO of the Hawaii Medical Assurance Association, is a collector of South Pacific and Oriental art — a fascination he attributes to a childhood spent in the shadow of the Honolulu Academy of Arts and years…
A Quiet Stroll Through History
Want to escape from your downtown office into the fresh air? Consider a stroll to the Mission Houses Museum, across the street from City Hall and next to Kawaiahao Church. One of the museum’s three buildings, Ka Hale Laau, was…
Whats it Worth?
$500 What Is It? The No Ka Oi black rooster was first bred by Paul Romias from stock developed by William McRae. These blacks, members of the Mel Sims family of roosters, are highly valued as breeding stock, say members…
MBA Has Big Costs but Big Payoffs, Too
David Akina spent $50,000 over two years and sweated through evening and weekend classes for a master’s degree in business administration. He’s never been sorry, not for a single moment. That degree launched his company, Paradise Pages, into the stratosphere,…
Many Hands Turned the Water Back On
About 30 Kohala farmers were devastated when their water was cut off three years ago by a 6.7 magnitude earthquake that badly damaged the 14.5-mile Kohala Ditch. When the ditch’s owner, Surety Kohala Corporation, said it couldn’t afford to rebuild,…
Naked Cows
In a state where most dairy farms have gone out of business, Waianae’s new Naked Cow Dairy is carving a niche with all-natural flavored butter and cheese. Naked Cow specializes in feta, cream and other soft cheeses, and butter with…
Biodiesel Certification
Kelly King thinks you should know more about your biodiesel. King, the vice president of Pacific Biodiesel, America’s oldest biofuel company, has long been a proponent for sustainably produced fuels and, when it comes to sustainability, she says local is…
Calling All Entrepreneurs
Inspiring and training entrepreneurs are the main goals behind Global Entrepreneurship Week and that’s why one of the week’s highlights is the pitch competition. Bee-Leng Chua, director of Hawaii Pacific University’s Entrepreneurship Center, says the competition’s focus is more on…
State of Repair
6 leaders discuss power & how to fix Hawaii Who & why Hawaii Business invited six influential people in Hawaii to talk about power in the Islands and how to create positive change. The moderator was Jerry Burris, editor-at-large of…
Ask SmallBiz: Getting Loan Approval
Q: I’m a small business owner and I’ve heard about the new ARC loans. How do I get approved for these loans? A: For small-business owners, the American Recovery Capital loan seems like a silver bullet, the solution to many…
Marketing Lessons
Jon Jepson knows the Hawaiian seas like the back of his hand, but when he began marketing for Makani, the $1.8 million catamaran he helped hand-build, Jepson found himself testing new waters. Now in its third year, Makani Catamaran takes…