Coming to a construction site near you: greener bulldozers, road graders and other diesel-powered equipment. Local heavy-equipment sellers say the first of the new-generation machines are arriving here this year as federal clean-air mandates phase in. “It’s all about being…
It's every entrepreneur's dream: free expert advice for your small business from some of the best specialists in the state on marketing, accounting, HR, cost-cutting and more. A surefire way to take your business to the next level, right? That’s…
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…
K.D., A General contractor on Oahu, has a hint of dismay in his voice when he talks about not yet getting fully paid for a job completed at the end of 2009. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are still owed…
Where is THE meeting place? It used to be the Columbia Inn’s bar, but times – and people – have changed, and the “in-the-know” gathering places are now quieter and more sober. You used to be able to find one…
Sometimes there’s no better way to meet a new client or seal a deal than with your business card in one hand and a drink in the other. Whether it’s at a well-organized networking event or just standing at the…
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…
The state got just what it was expecting in its Christmas stocking. Unfortunately, it was another lump of coal – more bad news about the state of Hawaii Employee Retirement System, which covers both state and county employees. In its…
Matson Navigation Co. is a tiny blip on the radar compared to the 20 other major global transportation companies serving the China market. Still, as the first American shipper to enter the China trade, it’s secured an impressive client base…
Hawaii’s tourism industry blasted a sigh of relief as fierce as the strongest tradewinds as visitor counts rebounded and hotel rooms filled last year. Yet for one group, the recovery hasn’t come fast enough. Those are the owners of resorts…
It seems so easy. Get a truck, create a menu, make a few hundred plate lunches and find a spot in a business district or near a beach. The investment is minimal, the hours are great, the money is easy.…
Tokyo, Japan — High on the stage of the Hawaii booth, overlooking the hubbub of Japan’s biggest travel fair, the musical group Manoa DNA launches into “Aloha You, Aloha Me.” It’s a catchy tune, sung mostly in Japanese, that has…
Watching the death of Act 221 was like watching the Superferry ordeal unravel all over again,” says attorney Jay Fidell, president of ThinkTech Hawaii. “Why this state continues to oppose progress and kill measures that so many people and businesses will benefit from…
It’s no secret that small businesses typically don’t qualify for the risk-assessment and loss-prevention counseling that large firms get from insurance companies. Big customers paying tens of thousands of dollars in premiums can get specialists to visit their businesses to…
There’s no question the business community came into the 2010 elections with more than a few concerns about candidate Neil Abercrombie. While Abercrombie has been a good friend of the Hawaii economy through his work on military appropriations in Congress…
Businesses must pay GET earlier, but state takes longer to cash checks For decades, the state has taken weeks on average – even months – to cash taxpayers’ checks. Now, with government-worker furloughs and restrictions on temporary hires, the check-cashing…
Hot sauce isn’t a common condiment for pizza, but it works when it’s from Broke Da Face Sauces. Used at the V Lounge Kiawe Fire Pizza in Honolulu, it gives a flavorful, spicy kick that does more than just “broke…
Manny Miles and Cheryse Sana were nominated for an award for “Employees that support farm owners and contribute to farm excellence” at this year’s Hawaii Agriculture Conference. Both are in their 20’s and co-managers at an organic farm in the…
The hotel owner waited patiently to chat with Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle in the steel-and-glass enclosed lobby of the Kai Wah Plaza International Hotel in Kunming, China. When they met, Chau Lai Kai thanked Lingle for staying at her property…
When geothermal steam was first harnessed to generate electricity on the Big Island almost three decades ago, the project left many residents with a bitter taste. The technology was substandard, the community wasn’t consulted and environmental protestors became fixtures outside…
It's been a dizzying year for Craig Carapelho, CEO of Honolulu-based Team Vision Virtual and honcho of what’s billed as the world’s first 3D travel Web site. In April, he completed a Series A round of investor financing, led prominently…
Hawaii is not an easy place to be a fashion designer. While inspiration abounds, the business of fashion in the Islands presents a unique set of problems. It costs more to source materials and have them shipped here. Finding people…
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…
