Independent Investigations
Question: An employee may have stolen a lot of money from our company, but we’re not sure. What should we do? Answer: This kind of nightmare can come in many forms: An employee may or may not have stolen from you or a…
Author: Hawaii Business Staff
5 Steps to Creating a Clear Sense of Purpose
When properly done, mission statements inspire people by giving their work meaning and proclaiming the organization’s purpose. However, there are fundamental flaws in most mission statements: Too many words. Too many concepts. Addressing only the mind and not the heart.…
Ask the Expert: Managing Delinquent Accounts
Question: Delinquent accounts are hurting my business. What can I do to get this problem under control? Answer: Delinquent accounts are an unfortunate part of any business that extends credit. Effective collection efforts can help reduce your losses, but the…
All of Hawaii’s Eight Gecko Species are Nonnative
Geckos are iconic in Hawaiʻi, as much as pineapples or ukuleles, and, like them, are not native to the Islands. The Polynesians brought them here about 1,500 years ago along with other plants and animals.
Ask the Expert: Motivating Salespeople to Sell More
Question: I have six salespeople: four veterans and two who are quite new. While they are all selling, I know they could be selling more, and I’m amazed that the new ones are outselling the experienced ones. Any suggestions? Answer:…
5 Steps to Negotiating Conflict
Conflict negotiation arises in many contexts, both business and personal, but successful negotiation does not just happen. Sharon V. Lovejoy, litigation attorney with Starn O’Toole Marcus & Fisher, offers these tips to help you negotiate a successful resolution. 1. Improve your…
Parting Shot: Laying the Foundation
Tuesday, 11:50 AM Coulter Construction, Manoa Valley Photographer Twain Newhart >> A crew from Coulter Construction lays down the concrete foundation for a custom-built home in Manoa. Pouring the concrete takes a week, but site preparation starts weeks in advance. The…
Thirty Meter Telescope could boost Hawaii Island’s economy
A $1.4 billion construction project would be a big deal anywhere in the world, but for struggling Hilo and Hawaii Island’s moribund construction industry, it’s a gift from above – figuratively and literally. “It’s a huge project for us,” says…
Winners and Losers in Hawaii’s Job Market
Source: Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations One way to follow a changing economy is to track the fastest-declining and fastest-growing jobs. The following infographic report outlines the state’s forecast for the biggest changes in Hawaii’s labor market, both in…
Ask the Expert: Business Payment Options
Lawrence Pai VP and Business Banking Team Manager, Central Pacific Bank Question: What’s the best way to accept payment from customers? Answer: As a small business owner, the more payment options you offer customers, the more convenient and accessible are…
Ask the Expert: Setting Company Goals
Steve Novak Business Operations and Strategic Planning consultant, Owner, PPR Management Services, LLC Question: Our company is having trouble turning a vague list of long-term ideas into a concrete plan. Even worse, we can’t seem to reach our short-term targets…
2013 Hawaii Business Top 250
Welcome to the Hawaii Business Top 250, the most comprehensive ranking of Hawaii’s business elite. We list local companies based on annual gross sales, and include the number of full-time employees, names of key executives, a description of the business, parent company, website…
Are CEOs Worth the Big Bucks?
Are they worth it? That’s the question asked each year by shareholders, regulators, politicians and the public when publicly traded companies reveal how much they pay their CEOs. Different methods have emerged to try to answer the question of “Are…
Ask the Expert: Preparing Your Successor
Question: I am the founder of our family business and five years away from formally retiring. My daughter has been in the business for 12 years, but I feel she lacks the commitment and work ethic to run the business.…
The Rise of Kau Coffee
Loreto “Lorie” Obra and her husband, Restituto “Rusty” Obra, were unlikely coffee farmers. They had emigrated from the Philippines to New Jersey in 1972 to begin their careers, Rusty as a chemist and Lorie as a medical technologist. However, while…
Parting Shot: Dough Check
Wednesday, 2:34 PM Love’s Bakery, Kalihi Photographer David Croxford >> Nenita Ramos, oven infeed operator, checks the quality of the loaves heading into the 400-degree oven. This batch of Hawaii’s Hearth 100 percent Whole Wheat bread is one of 276…
Ask the Expert: Buying a Home While Owning a Business
www.honhl.com 808.681.7500 loansonline@honhl.com Question: I’m a small business owner. What should I do to ensure I’m in the best position to finance a new home? Answer: When someone wants to buy a home or refinance one, a mortgage company looks…
Parting Shot: Diagnostic Laboratory Services
Thursday, 2:17 PM Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Aiea Photographer David Croxford >> Medical laboratory technician Jayson Ababa checks complete blood count samples using an automated hematology analyzer system. DLS tests samples from Hawaii, Guam and Saipan and performs about 37,000…
Ask the Expert: Preventing Financial Fraud
Secure DNA provides information technology security and compliance services. www.secure-dna.com Question: How can I protect myself from Automated Clearing House fraud? Answer: The ACH network is used by financial institutions to process direct deposits, checks, bill payments and cash transfers. Unfortunately,…
Parting Shot: Preparing Papayas
Kamiya Gold Inc. Packaging Warehouse, Laie Photographer David Croxford >> Pat Kamiya washes and sanitizes papayas before packing them at her family’s farm,Kamiya Gold. Within 24 hours of being picked, the papayas are delivered to Kamiya’s customers: mom and pop…
Accountable for Results
Possibly the best way to improve public schools in Hawaii is to set goals around student achievement and to hold administrators, teachers and principals accountable for results. Here are three report cards on what is being done about accountability in…
Ask the Expert: Bring Your Own Device to Work
EXPERT OF THE MONTH: BEAU MONDAY, INFORMATION SECURITY DIRECTOR, HAWAIIAN TELCOM, WWW.HAWAIIANTEL.COM Question: Most of my employees access their work files from home or using their personal, mobile devices. What should I do to ensure our company network is not compromised?…
5 Steps to Creating a Culture of Innovation
New products, services and processes are a great way to increase your revenue and strengthen the bottom line. Management consultant Vino Mehta offers this guide to creating a culture of innovation: 1. Generate ideas. Encourage every employee to come up…
Hawaii’s Best Places to Work 2013
Large Companies Fitness, Healthcare and Chances to Get Ahead 1 Servco Pacific U.S. Headquarters: Honolulu www.servco.com Employees: 935 (Hawaii) Years on the BPTW List: 9 Wednesday is Rick Ching’s favorite day of the week. It’s when the executive VP of Servco Pacific…
Top Employee Perks in Hawaii, Illustrated
Hawaii's best places to work offer many great perks for their employees and we have to admit that we're very jealous. To help us feel better, illustrator Jon Murakami takes an irreverent view of our favorite perks. (Other Best Places…
Paid to Play
Professional athletes often say they love to play the game, but the best of them get paid very well to have fun. Here’s the latest balance sheet on 21 athletes currently in the major leagues who were either born in…
Ask the Expert: Should I Buy Gym Memberships for My Staff?
Question: Does it make sense for me to pay for gym memberships for my employees? Answer: The answer is an unequivocal yes. Many times, small businesses think this is an extra perk they cannot afford, but a little bit goes…
Hawaii Business’ SmallBiz 2013 Editor’s Choice Awards
Winning companies in five categories: Green Business, Innovation, New Business, Woman-Owned, and Long-Term Best Green Business KYA Sustainability Studio Nominator: Scott Cooney, The GBO Group BY PAVEL STANKOV KYA Sustainability Studio is a think tank that specializes in environmentally friendly…
Parting Shot: Sharper Imaging
Tuesday, 1:27 PM Hawaii Advanced Imaging Institute, Honolulu Photographer Kevin Blitz >> Chanel Kaneshiro, lead MRI technician at Hawaii Advanced Imaging Institute, tests a patient in a 3.0T Open MRI scanner. One of only two such devices in the state,…
Hawaii’s Best Small Businesses 2013
32 local companies and champions honored as some of Hawaii’s best Each year, the Hawaii region of the federal Small Business Administration celebrates some of the state’s best small businesses and small-business advocates. Hawaii Business honored the 2013 winners at…
Products are Glamorous, But Not The Job
Name: Lo Kaimuloa Job: Owner/Buyer, Riches Kahala Years of experience: 30 STARTING OUT: Kaimuloa spent five years learning high-end retail with jewelry designer Bernard Hurtig, then, in 1986, she opened Riches Kahala, an 87-square-foot kiosk in Kahala Mall. She expanded to 200 square…
5 Steps to a successful media interview
Delivering a strong message and making sure it is clear, effective and memorable in a media interview is not as easy as it seems. In fact, many business owners miss opportunities to be quoted because they don’t communicate clearly. Lori…
Ask SmallBiz: Advice on Effective Selling
Question: What’s the magic behind professional selling? Answer: Professional selling should be simple, ethical and highly effective, and it may appear almost magical. Learn and practice these basic tools and watch your clients appreciate you and your new skills. Tool…
20 for the Next 20: People to Watch 2013
Each year, Hawaii Business selects 20 emerging leaders who have already made big contributions to Hawaii and are expected to have an even greater impact over the next two decades. Let us introduce you to the Class of 2013. …
Parting Shot: Making Slippers
MAKING SLIPPERS >> Thursday, 1:56 PM Island Slipper FACTORY, Pearl City Photo by DAVID CROXFORD Linberto Refuerzo uses a sole press machine during the process of “spotting” or “fitting” a sandal’s upper to its outsole. Each day at Island Slipper…
Ask SmallBiz: Design Your Logo
Question: I need a new logo for my small business. What should I do to ensure I get the most effective one? Answer: Your company logo is the heart of your brand image. It affects whether people accept what you…
5 Steps to Writing a Business Plan
One of the critical milestones in starting a business is writing the business plan. It should be your first priority, given its standing as the road map for how your business idea becomes a reality. JW Ellsworth, counselor and mentor…
Ask SmallBiz: Building Teamwork on Construction Projects
Question: I am involved in a construction project whose contract provides for performance-based penalties and rewards. What can I do to help get all the companies to work together? Answer: It’s essential that people who work together have good communication, teamwork and strategies for…
Parting Shot: Whole Ox Deli
11:17 am, Tuesday The Whole Ox, Kakaako Photographer: David Croxford >> Robert McGee inspects beef at his butcher and deli in Kakaako. Its beef, pork, venison and lamb come from local sources that birth, raise and process the animals. Each…
Innovation: Mammograms with less pain and better results
Problem: Breast cancer strikes one of every eight women in the United States. “Everyone knows someone or is related to someone who has breast cancer,” says Dr. Beth Rhodes of the Breast Care Center of Hawaii. “But, today, (a breast cancer diagnosis)…
Hawaii Business BOSS Survey – December 2012
13 Insights from the BOSS survey of 401 local business leaders Seven of the 13 are good news, one not so good and two are just plain odd. You decide about the other three. 1. Overall Economy Maintains Momentum The…
Ask SmallBiz: Expansion
Q: I have a successful company and am thinking of expanding to another island. What should I consider before taking the leap? A: The desire to grow is imbedded in the DNA of most business owners. Of course, any kind of expansion…
Parting Shot: Kamehameha Schools
11:37 am, Thursday Warehouse in Kakaako Photographer: David Croxford >> Nuulani Atkins works on Kamehameha Schools ahupuaa-themed float, “Kuu Home, Kulaiwi Aloha.” Atkins’ father helped design the float, which was presented at the 66th Annual Aloha Festivals Floral Parade on Sept. 22. The…
Hawaiʻi’s Most Charitable Companies 2012
You might think that compiling a list of the most charitable companies in Hawaiʻi would be straightforward. After all, you just have to ask: How much money does your company and its employees donate to charity? But, it isn’t that simple.
Ask SmallBiz: Grid Saturation
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.…
Parting Shot: HECO
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…
Publisher’s Note: More women needed in the C-suite and boardrooms
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…
Ask SmallBiz: Business Expenses
Q: What’s the best way to pay for my business expenses? A: Small businesses face many everyday expenses, from inventory to office supplies. It’s important to understand not only the pros and cons of the different types of payment methods, but that…
Parting Shot: Building Management
9:32 am, Wednesday Downtown Honolulu Photographer: David Croxford >> We occasionally hear strange sounds coming from the mechanical room of the Cades Schutte building, which is across the hall from the Hawaii Business offices on Bishop Street. So…
Ask SmallBiz: Exit Packages
Q: One of the key, long-term managers at our family-owned company – someone who is not a family member – is asking for an “exit package” in the event she is terminated or decides to leave the company on her own.…
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Hawaiʻi's Geckos Play a Positive Role in Your Home
Many eat cockroaches and ants, while others dine on spiders and centipedes. Though you may see your home as yours, geckos see it otherwise. They are often highly territorial and usually claim a part of your house as their own.
Hawai‘i’s Best Places to Work 2026
Hawaii Business Magazine’s annual survey of Hawai‘i's Best Places to Work shows top companies deliver great benefits and best practices to keep workers engaged, happy and productive. But some employees still say they can’t afford to live here.
