Ask SmallBiz: Mediation Clause
Q: As I read through the fine print of our new office lease, I noticed it stipulated that mediation would be used in case of a dispute. Should I agree to this? A. I think you should. In fact, this stipulation will…
Author: Hawaii Business Staff
Aloha Air Cargo’s New Arrival
10:30 am Monday Aloha Air Cargo Hangar, Honolulu International Airport Photo: Olivier Koning >> Captain Grant Arakawa, the fleet manager, and pilot Jeni Shibata familiarize themselves with Aloha Air Cargo’s latest plane, a Saab 340A turbo-prop named Ke Kela, meaning “excellence.”…
Hawaii’s Most Profitable Companies
For 28 years, Hawaii Business has been publishing a list of Hawaii’s Top 250 organizations based on gross revenues, because we think that’s the most effective way to measure a company’s size. However, there have always been critics in the…
Parting Shot: Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle at Work
10:38 A.M. Tuesday Peter Carlisle’s private office, Honolulu Hale Photography by Twain Newhart >> Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle gets most of his work done in his inner office, not the ceremonial office that you often see on TV. He…
Boss Survey 2011
HIGHLIGHTS AND LOWLIGHTS TOUGH TIMES PERSIST: The news remains bleak on three key measures: jobs, revenue and profi t. In each case, more companies surveyed suffered declines during the past year than enjoyed increases. OPTIMISM STEADY: The outlook for the…
Ask Small Biz: Facebook For Business
Q. I set up a Facebook page for my store. What should I do to engage customers and bring them in? A. With more than a half billion active users worldwide, Facebook is the major social-network player. The average Facebook user has about…
Parting Shot: Tax Day At The Hawaii State Tax Office
10:00 A.M. Monday, April 18 State Department of Taxation, 830 Punchbowl St., Honolulu Photography by Olivier Koning >> The room handling incoming tax returns was busy but orderly on April 18. That Monday was the deadline for federal returns…
Letters to the Editor: Feedback – Dump the DOE, Local Produce at Big Boxes, and Rude Phones
Dump the D.O.E., Allow Vouchers I don’t believe it’s everyone’s responsibility (“Businesses Help Public Schools,” May). People and businesses meet their responsibilities by paying taxes. Why should parents who are already burdened paying private school tuitions be forced to pay…
Hawaii’s Top 100 Realtors 2011
Welcome to the 2011 Hawaii Business Top 100 Realtors list, based on total sales volume for transactions that closed in 2010. We ranked the top 25 on this page and listed all 100 alphabetically on the following pages. The accounting firm PKF…
Paying For Honolulu News
Hawaii’s rapidly changing news media are facing two challenges at the same time: 1. How to gather and deliver news when, where and how people want it; and 2. How to pay for all that. The old ways of delivering…
Biggest Hawaii Real Estate Sales 2010
OAHU Price: $22 million This 1.4-acre, beachfront estate on Kahala Avenue has an indoor pool, a helicopter landing area, a tennis court and access to a small boat. It also comes with some history: Its most famous guests include Jacqueline…
Ask SmallBiz
Q. I’m told my business would not have been covered if we’d been hit by the March 11 tsunami. But, last year, I added “water damage” to my insurance. What gives? A. I can see why you’re confused. A tsunami is…
Parting Shot: Office Views
10:00 A.M. Monday Hokua Condominium, Honolulu Photography by Twain Newhart >> For World Wide Window Cleaning, height is never an issue. From cleaning to specialty work, the fear is not height – it’s windy conditions. Cleaning Hokua’s windows takes five…
Banking Revolution
Choosing a bank used to be fairly simple: People typically selected the bank that was closest to home or work. That was before the Internet. Now there's banking everywhere through smartphones, with First Hawaiian Bank rolling out its app this…
Hopes and Dreams– Extended Version
Yu-Hsuan “Anthia” Chen, 25. Born: Taiwan. MBA: HPU, marketing. Plans after graduation: Start my career in Hawaii. Maria Goto, 26. Born: Honolulu. MBA: UH, general. Plans after graduation: Work for N&K CPAs. Kandice Johns, 29. Born: Wailuku, Maui. MBA: UH,…
Hopes & Dreams
Moderator Steve Petranik, editor of Hawaii Business Yu-Hsuan “Anthia” Chen, 25 Born: Taiwan MBA: HPU, marketing Plans after graduation: Start career in Hawaii, then return to Taiwan to help father’s business Maria Goto, 26 Born: Honolulu MBA: UH, general Plans…
Ask SmallBiz: Paying for a PV System
Q. As a small-business owner, what are my options to pay for a photovoltaic system? A. Photovoltaic systems are expensive and complex to finance. A typical PV system for a small business could run anywhere from $10,000 to more than a…
Coaching was a Solid Foundation for Salesperson of the Year
Rick Blangiardi, general manager of Hawaii News Now, was named 2011 “Salesperson of the Year” by the Honolulu chapter of Sales & Marketing Executives International. Blangiardi talked with Hawaii Business publisher David Tumilowicz about his strategies for success and his…
Owned and Operated by Our Employees
Don Morrison Can readily list the equipment and vehicles his Kapolei company purchased in recent years. Morrison, CFO of Pacific AquaScapes Inc., says money was available for the acquisitions because of the company’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan, which shields the company from federal…
SBA Award Winners 2011
These are the 2011 winners of the Small Business Administration Awards in Hawaiʻi.
Parting Shot: Meadow Gold Dairies
Local Whey 9:00 A.M. Wednesday Meadow Gold Dairies, Honolulu Photography by Olivier Koning >> Joshua Kauwe of Meadow Gold stirs cottage cheese curds while it drains liquid, called whey. Approximately 20,000 pounds of cottage cheese is made a week. The…
Hawaii’s Coolest Office Winners
OVERALL WINNER JON DUARTE DESIGN GROUP In creating work space for the Jon Duarte Design Group’s eight employees, the firm wanted a “collaborative environment” that was warm and welcoming, where designers could work together easily but also meet casually. Dark…
Hawaiʻi’s Best Places to Work 2011
Methodology The Best Places to Work in Hawaii is a partnership between Hawaii Business and Best Companies Group of Harrisburg, Pa. BCG is an independent workplace-excellence research firm that partners with local publications and organizations to create similar lists nationwide.…
What Makes a Workplace One of the Best?
Some of Hawaiʻi's Best Places to Work are adding special benefits to help turn new hires into lifers and keep them excited about their jobs.
Ask SmallBiz: Selling the Company
Q. I’m nearing retirement and interested in selling my business. How do I determine the value of my company and maximize its value before selling? A. After all those years building your business, you are finally ready to enjoy a well-deserved…
Expansion Lessons
Chinatown Newspaper-Honolulu, published by Nella Media Group, while just 22 monthly issues old, has expanded to Portland, Ore., and Cutinella and Sanchez explain how the early stages are sometimes the best time to grow your business. HB: What did you learn…
Parting Shot: Affordable Caskets
R.I.P. 1:10 P.M. Thursday Affordable Casket, Honolulu Photography by Olivier Koning >> Affordable Casket sells about 30 caskets each month with an average price tag of $1,695. While the company has built a reputation for providing cheaper funerals and…
Talk Story with Don Murphy
Q: What’s the secret to running a great pub? I think it’s just enjoying what you do and being around people and understanding what your customer wants. I was a customer for enough time that I think I know! It’s…
20 for the Next 20: 2011
When we select this annual list of emerging leaders, we look for individuals whose intelligence, energy and vision make them people to watch over the next two decades. They come from different backgrounds and serve in various fields, but they…
What’s New in Hawaii’s Agriculture Scene?
Seeds Seeds are Hawaii’s fastest growing major crop. The value of seeds grown in Hawaii has almost tripled from $77.3 million in the 2005-06 season to an estimated $222.6 million in 2009-10. Harvested acreage was 6,630 – up 11 percent…
Businesses Love to Hate the Hawaii PUC
Critics say The state Public Utilities Commission is slow, inefficient and secretive, but this small agency has a lot on its plate. It regulates: 4 electric utilities; 1 gas company; 176 telecommunication companies; 38 private water and sewer companies; 4…
Hawaii 2011 Our Quality of Life
Understanding Hawaii, Then Acting to Improve Our Quality of Life Building a better future for Hawaii begins with a clear understanding of who we are and where we stand – our vital strengths and crippling weaknesses. This report provides key…
SmallBiz Success Awards 2011
From a family-owned jewelry store on Kauaʻi to an emerging residential solar company in Honolulu, all of this year’s nominees proved that success is possible, even in a slow economy.
Ask SmallBiz: Intellectual Property
Q. Our employees have specialized knowledge and are often trying new things. How can we harness that expertise to add value to our small business? A. Employees who think about ways to improve your business can create intellectual property (IP) that…
Parting Shot: Manoa Valley Theatre Muppeteers
6:45 P.M. FRIDAY Manoa Valley Theatre, Manoa Photography by Olivier Koning >> Cast members polish their puppeteering skills with Master Muppeteer Pam Arciero (top row, middle) in preparation for Manoa Valley Theatre’s Hawaii premiere of “Avenue Q,” the coming-of-age Tony-Award-winning…
Hawaii’s coolest business cards
Most business cards serve a basic purpose: providing your name and title, and the best ways to reach you. But some cards do more: They help you stand out from the crowd. We got more than a hundred entries for…
Connectivity Lessons
John Adversalo and his staff at Architects Pacific sometimes work late into the night or on weekends. He needed a way to get quick answers in the least obtrusive way possible, so he equipped everyone with Apple’s smartphone. HB: Why…
Ask SmallBiz: Creating a Succession Plan
Q. My wife and I plan to retire in about 10 years. What should we do to get ready to turn over our business to our children? A. The good news is that you have time to carefully plan and execute…
Parting Shot: Inside the Aloha Tofu Company Factory
7:00 a.m., Friday Aloha tofu factory, Kalihi Photography by Olivier Koning >> Kam Lan Sou of Aloha Tofu pours water over blocks of freshly made tofu. Tofu mostly consists of water and must be kept from drying out during the journey from…
Innovation: ATCO Software’s Kiosk Makes Restaurant Reservations Easy
ATCO Software’s Web-based technology lets users quickly make real-time reservations for restaurants, tours and attractions without picking up the phone. How it works Tourists can book online before arriving, or visit the hotel’s concierge desk or an ATCOKiosk. For example, the…
Ask SmallBiz: Protecting Your Data
Q. My business would be a disaster zone if our data were lost or stolen. What should I do to protect it? A. Today’s small businesses are under assault on many fronts. In October, the FBI warned of a new wave…
Parting Shot: Paper Cuts
9:10 A.M., Thursday Aiea Photography by Olivier Koning >> Mika Fonoti of Access Information Management Hawaii stands in front of 1,200-pound bales of shredded documents. Every month, the company destroys more than 500,000 pounds of material containing confidential information. Its shredder has…
Ask SmallBiz: Creating a Team Environment
Q.We have great employees, but everyone seems to operate from a different agenda. How can we create a team approach? A. Employees are willing to collaborate when they have the necessary tools and work environment to support and reward teamwork. Managers…
Parting Shot: Resurfacing the Mirror
6:32 a.m. Thursday Basement of Gemini Observatory, Mauna Kea summit, Hawaii Island Photo Courtesy of Gemini Observatory >>Technicians from Hawaii and Chile combine forces about every four years to resurface this 24-ton, 27-foot mirror from the Gemini North telescope. Hawaii…
Letters to the Editor: Feedback
Appointed board will help schools I attended the symposium sponsored by the Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs and Hawaii Business magazine on the topic of appointed vs. elected school board (Sept. 30, Waikiki Prince Hotel). As I listened to both…
Ask SmallBiz: Successful Women
Q. How can a woman small-business owner succeed in the male-dominated construction industry? A. Women leaders face unique challenges in the workplace, no matter what industry we are in. Yet, as women, we bring abundant talents to the table and can…
Parting Shot: Catwalking at Mickey’s Place
6:32 A.M., Thursday Aulani, Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina Photography by Twain Newhart >>Father and son crane operators Jim and Mike Beyer walk along the counter-jib catwalk of dad’s crane, 280 feet above the Aulani site, to check…
Power Players
Participants in this discussion: Margery Bronster Partner, Bronster Hoshibata and former state attorney general Shari Chang Senior VP, marketing and revenue management, Aston Hotels and Resorts Kathryn Inouye COO, Kobayashi Group Constance Lau President and CEO, Hawaiian Electric Industries Janet Liang President, Hawaii Region, Kaiser…
Ask SmallBiz: Leadership Training
Q. We have some great managers in our company but still need to improve our leadership skills. What do you suggest? A. Managers play a vital role in cultivating work environments where employees feel valued and customers are satisfied. Companies can…
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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.
