Sumida Farms: 2022 SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Award Winner – Agriculture
The family watercress farm adjacent to Pearlridge Center has flourished through the pandemic, says its fourth-generation leader.
Small Business
Surface Shield Roofing Co.: 2022 SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Award Winner – Specialty Construction
Over the last 15 years, this growing company has expanded from a team of two to about 65 employees.
Ho‘okele Health Services and Vivia: 2022 SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Award Winner – Health Care
The founders say a new way of organizing home health care is better for patients, their families and the caregivers who help them.
Nathan Wood General Contractor: 2022 SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Award Winner – Kaua‘i
The family construction business has focused on the island’s renewable energy sector for 15 years.
Industrial Battery Solutions: 2022 SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Award Winner – Industrial
Their niche is batteries for forklifts, which “move everything that you eat, buy (and) touch.”
Island Maid: 2022 SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Award Winner – Long-term Success
The 41-year-old company keeps alive the flavors that Hawai‘i’s people grew up with.
Goldwings Supply Service: 2022 SmallBiz Editor’s Choice Award Winner – Native Hawaiian Owned
At 35, the company continues expanding and diversifying beyond its origin as an aircraft parts supplier.
Hawaii Entrepreneur Awards 2022
Profiles of winners of the annual Hawaii Venture Capital Association awards.
Vintage Mu‘umu‘u “Transcends Generations”
Marion Jones is turning her love for Hawai‘i’s signature garment into a new nonprofit devoted to workshops and learning.
Love Roller Coasters? Then Join the Local Restaurant Business
2021 was a wild ride of exhilarating ups and terrifying downs, unexpected twists and turns, and high supply and labor costs. And for owners worried if their restaurants would survive, it was a year of nonstop anxiety. The forecast for 2022 is better: more customers plus growth in takeout and delivery.
3 Women-led Accelerators Are Funding the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
Blue Startups, Elemental Excelerator and Mana Up are working to diversify Hawai‘i’s economy.
Here Are 5 Ways That Small Businesses Get Sued. Would Your Insurance Plan Protect You?
Without the right coverage, crashes, hacks and honest mistakes can leave you vulnerable.
How Covid Changed Restaurants in Hawai‘i
People inside the industry describe their struggles, innovations and hopes for the future.
Sport of Climbing Continues to Rise in Hawai‘i
Climbing has gained popularity in Hawai‘i and around the world in recent years, culminating in the sport’s debut at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Here’s How Generational Differences Play a Role in Family Business Succession
A new survey found that the retiring and upcoming leadership differ in terms of perspective, approach and attitude toward the succession process and commitment to that process.
August Bad, September Much Worse for Hawai‘i Restaurants
Every restaurant sector suffers, but sales drop the most in resort areas, says the Food Gurus Index. Preliminary October results are similarly grim.
Prices Inch Up as Hawai‘i Restaurants Face Higher Costs and Wages
The best numbers were enjoyed by restaurants on Maui, by casual and fine dining restaurants statewide and by restaurants in Waikīkī and other resorts
5 First Steps to Expanding Your Business
Lisa Miller, an entrepreneurial strategist at Business Consulting Resources, says these five indicators will help you decide.
Restaurant Sales Keep Growing – But Not Everywhere in Hawai‘i
O‘ahu sales are flat on average, but gains continue elsewhere, according to the Food Gurus Index.
Handmade Noodles with Okinawan Sweet Potatoes are a Staple at this Kāne‘ohe Takeout Restaurant
Homegrown in Hawai‘i, these noodles are a work of art.
My Job: Why Olive Oil? “It’s Liquid Gold”
After Angèl Foster and her husband, Brian, opened Island Olive Oil Co. in 2012, they discovered their company was a lot like an onion, with far more layers than they could have ever imagined.
“Solopreneurs” Hit Hard But Bouncing Back
For many months, the pandemic closed the craft fairs that sustain a lot of small local businesses. But entrepreneurs at those businesses innovated, increased online sales, and are now feeling more confident as fairs reopen, customers return and sales rebound.
April Was Great, May Even Better for Hawai‘i Restaurants
The Food Gurus Hawaii Restaurant Index finds Waikīkī and Neighbor Island resort areas did especially well last month.
15 Tips from Small-Business Owners Who Pivoted and Prevailed
The pandemic has crippled thousands of small businesses in Hawai‘i and forced tens of thousands of people to find new jobs. Amid these personal tragedies are stories of grit, perseverance and transformation.