Business & Industry

China is the Land of Opportunity

Hawaii-born Russell Leu loves working in China, though he recognizes living there offers challenges. The Hawaii attorney wears a top quality, high-tech, air-filter mask on the street on days with heavy air pollution, and has a phone app that tells…

Creativity in Their Business

Roberta Oaks, Fashion Designer and Retailer Oaks did not start out to be a fashion designer. She majored in photography and art history, and then worked in restaurants for 10 years. Not until her late 20s did it hit her:…

New Attitudes About Social Media

Companies love social media because they can be inexpensive ways to reach lots of customers. But, companies worry about social media because they have little control over what others say about them. In fact, one of the biggest concerns companies…

Talk Story with Coralie Chun Matayoshi

Coralie Chun Matayoshi, CEO, American Red Cross, Hawaii Chapter & Pacific Islands Region The Eastern Pacific hurricane season begins May 15 and runs through Nov. 30. In this interview, Matayoshi talks about disaster preparedness and the role the Red Cross plays…

Ask the Expert: Loan Options

Question: I’m in the early stages of growing my small business. What are my best loan options if I have limited qualifications for financing?   Answer: Securing capital through a loan can be challenging when you are just starting or…

Not Your Parents' College Degrees

The world will always need people trained in traditional fields such as education, medicine and law. But many college students today are looking to emerging fields where the number of jobs are growing, not shrinking, or careers that seem more…

Ecofriendly Wrapping Paper

Problem: After years of attending weddings, birthdays and baby showers, Sara Smith had reached a tipping point. “I was feeling the weight of all the rubbish that was created by gift giving,” the Maui resident says. So she founded Wrappily last year…

Ask the Expert: Retirement Plans

Question: What are the best retirement plans for the self-employed?   Answer: If you are self-employed or have a side business in addition to another job, the best retirement-savings options are solo 401(k) plans (either Roth or regular) or a…

The Commerce of Hawaii Political Campaigns

The best political candidate in the world might get nowhere without a team of marketing, direct-mail, advertising, polling and other professionals to help refine the message and effectively deliver it to voters. It’s an election year and Alan Tang is…

High-Rises Design Inspired by the Ocean

It’s not your imagination, Honolulu is packed with high-rises. In fact, it ranks sixth in the United States —right behind San Francisco—and 30th in the world among cities with the most skyscrapers, according to Emporis, a building-industry information clearinghouse. Since…

Raising Funds for Hokulea's Worldwide Voyage

PHOTOS BY MONTE COSTA   “Raising funds in today’s economy is no easy task,” says Clyde Namuo, CEO of the Polynesian Voyaging Society. Neither is travelling around the world in a traditional Hawaiian sailing canoe, but the voyaging society is simultaneously…