Chocoholic’s Paradise
Ricard Muszynski loves to create chocolate treats by hand and wants to show you how to do it, too. At his Waikiki shop, Kokoa Bar by Ricard Chocolat, you have many choices: You can ogle and taste artisanal confections such…
Small Business
Express Yourself
If it’s been a long time since you colored outside the lines, visit Clay Cafe Hawaii, where children and adults paint on premade pottery and flex their creative muscles. “To think outside the norm, we encourage that here,” says manager…
Lighting it up
Fireworks create such a magical experience that you might not realize all the work that goes beyond just igniting the rockets. Wayne Hikiji is the entertainment and production expert for Envisions Entertainment & Productions,…
Alive and Doing Well
Reports of the death of books have been greatly exaggerated, as the local publishing industry keeps evolving to meet demand Despite the closing of bookstores around the Islands, local publishers say they are thriving. Books about Hawaii still sell –…
Winter Wonderland in the Tropics
Mainlanders who miss cold winters and locals who dream of a white Christmas are lucky to have a place on Oahu where mittens, scarves and snow jackets are appropriate. The Ice Palace, the only ice rink in Hawaii since 1982,…
5 Steps to Getting a Sponsor
Mentors and coaches can help your career, but sponsors play a different role. Executive coach and business consultant R. Scott Simon explains that role and how to get the right sponsor to help fast track your career. 1. UNDERSTAND…
Starving for New Experiences?
When conjuring up interesting pau hana activities, cooking may not come to mind first. But CookSpace proves you can burn off steam (literally and figuratively) and have fun, whether you’re a novice cook, a top chef wannabe or just enjoy…
If You Can Read This, You Can Help
Attorney Nancy Youngren was looking for a volunteer opportunity that would really make a difference in an individual’s life when an ad for Hawaii Literacy caught her eye. She looked no further. Starting in early 2011, for almost three years,…
Ask the Expert: Effective Operating Agreements
Question: We are forming a limited liability company with multiple owners. Does our LLC need an operating agreement and, if so, what makes one effective? Answer: Yes, you should have one. An operating agreement, which defines an LLC’s operations and…
His Business is Ruff
PoochFit founder gets paid to run with dogs When Dustin Metzler shows up for a client meeting, it’s pandemonium – the clients are jumping with excitement, crowding each other to get close to him, even licking his knees. It’s all…
Brewed and Bottled in Hawaii
Owning and running a brewery or brewpub is a lot of people’s idea of a fantasy job. The reality is there are casualties spread across the Hawaiian Islands. Companies that recently failed include Alii Brewing, Pacific Breach Brewing, Aloha Beer…
Sun Noodle's Ever Expanding Universe
It’s as if the noodles from Sun Noodle have a life of their own. In 1982, the first batch emerged from a Kalihi warehouse. Three decades later, Sun Noodle makes enough noodles each week to circle the world at the…
Created In Hawaii, Made For The World
Hollywood has long loved Hawaii, flying A-list actors and crews to the Islands to produce an eclectic mix of TV shows and movies. But what about Hawaii’s own filmmakers and their stories? Global Virtual Studio had those local storytellers in…
Ask the Expert: Health Insurance Plans
J.P. Schmidt President & CEO, Family Health Hawaii familyhealthhawaii.com Question: What steps should I take to make sure I choose the right health insurance for my employees without breaking the bank? Answer: Dealing with health insurance doesn’t have to be…
Amazon Queen
In the downstairs office of a quiet home tucked into a side street in Pukalani, a 49-year-old married mother of two is plotting her next murder. And with a production schedule that sees her churning out five to six new…
Maui Favorite Going Global
When David Yamashiro opened his 65-square-foot shave ice shop in Lahaina in December 2008, he had to beg people to try his product. “In the beginning, we were selling about 15 shave ice from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.,” Yamashiro…
Pau Hana With Ashley Gadow and Walter Villalba
Volunteering Is Fun For Ashley Gadow, volunteering is often a family affair, as she tries to include her 11-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter. “They’re water babies,” Gadow says, so one of their favorite causes is Malama Maunalua, which aims to…
Your Credit Card Partner
Credit cards are no longer an “if” question for most businesses, but “what” and “who” questions. “What technology should I use to process credit card payments and who will be my partner?” Answer those questions well, and you will take…
Picnic Lunch with a View
Spalding House is an idyllic spot for a contemporary museum – a 3.5-acre estate on Makiki Heights with panoramic views of Diamond Head and Waikiki – and also a great place to picnic. The cafe on the museum’s first floor…
Design Repurposing at Chai Studio
Amerjit Ghag strolled around her shop, Chai Studio, at Ward Warehouse and pointed out everything that was repurposed. There was a lot. Like the large wooden mills used to grind grain that she topped with cushions using old sari material…
Ask the Expert: Attracting Foreign Investment
Question: The Chinese have been investing heavily in the U.S. mainland. Now their interest is spreading to Hawaii. How do I ensure that, once I meet with potential Chinese investors, I can attract them to my local business? Answer: Creating…
Businesses that Support Their Communities
Successful business owners in Hawaii know they have to focus on more than just the bottom line. They must support employees, commit to customers, conduct business ethically and support the communities that sustain them. For some small businesses, community outreach…
Familiar Name Back in the Funeral Business
In late 2012, Ken Ordenstein started his own funeral business, building on a lifetime of experience. His mother and father were Anna and Francis Ordenstein, co-founders of Hawaiian Memorial Park. At the Ordenstein home, which included four sons and three…
Now "Made in Maui"
Clothing designer and maker Luis Diaz left L.A. and set up his factory on Maui, offering local designers an alternative to manufacturing at an offshore company Luis Diaz fell in love with Hawaii and moved to Maui. His plan was…