Business Trends

Johnson Choi, founder and president of the Hong Kong China Hawaii Chamber of Commerce, can tell right away if a business will be a good fit as a member.  He asks: Is your company only interested in doing business in…

Using the same networking ideas as Facebook and MySpace, ridesharing sites are popping up all over the Web to connect drivers and riders.  “I know traffic is an issue in Honolulu,” says Steven Schoeffler, creator of eRideshare.com, based in Illinois.…

Richard Okazaki is president and CEO of Diagnostic Laboratory Services, which has 44 locations statewide. He’s a huge sports fan and an avid skier who also appreciates a good glass of wine and the theater. Weekend hobby He enjoys poker…

Everyone benefits from fresh perspectives and new ideas. Here’s a fun way to get those benefits for the price of a couple of plate lunches. With a few colleagues, choose a popular park near your workplace. On the way, pick…

Why so special? This is a 100-percent, hand-loomed Italo Feretti silk tie from Italy. The maker says that, prior to sewing, each silk thread is individually dyed. It features an intricate patchwork design and a buttonhole that allows the tie…

Want to be a rich woman and increase your financial IQ? Hawaii’s nine Cashflow Clubs teach financial literacy using the Cashflow Game, which shows how to make your money work for you and how to distinguish between good and bad…

The Shops at Mauna Lani on the Kohala Coast is now home to the state’s only “4-D theater.” Movies shown on the 19-foot widescreen by twin HD projectors are synchronized with full-range motion seats, a surround-sound system and effects such…

Christmas is big business, so despite the slow economy, Hawaii malls and hotels didn’t try to save money by cutting decorations. Some even increased their displays this year. Ala Moana Center and Windward Mall both say they added more holiday…

The buzz about “sustainability” and “buying local” has not only helped sales of Hawaii-grown papayas, bananas and other produce, but also spurred sales of locally raised and grass-fed beef. Kulana Foods, a slaughterhouse and processor in Hilo, processes only locally…

If you’ve ever been called “big boned” — and have had a chip on your shoulder ever since — listen up. Lee-Ann Watanabe, a former couch potato turned triathlete, and Nicky Perry, a personal trainer who just competed in her…