Hawaii Business Magazine - January 2018

From Big Mouth to Booming Business

When Raul Torres’ brothers called him boca, which means mouth in Portuguese, they were making fun of him. “Brazilians love to pick on your flaws,” says Torres, who grew up in Brazil. His flaw was his big mouth, according to…

We Work Hard to Earn Your Trust

Facebook is changing the way it evaluates millions of news sites around the world and that process will change what you see on your Facebook news feed. One key question Facebook will ask you and other users in its surveys…

IRS Opens Tax Filing Season

The IRS announced today that it is accepting tax returns, with April 17 as the filing deadline for individuals.  The IRS also explained tools and resources that will make the tax filing season a little easier for taxpayers. Here is…

Kealopiko: Eat It or Wear It, It’s the Best

A clothing venture seems an unlikely calling for two botanists and a journalism major. But the three local women share a common desire: to see Hawaiian language, flora and fauna accurately and more fashionably portrayed on clothing. In 2006, Hina…

We Swear: Fook Yuen Is a Compliment

Casey Kwok owns Fook Yuen restaurant but he didn’t choose the provocative name. The landlord did. Twenty-five years ago, Kwok was vying for a restaurant location in Honolulu’s McCully Shopping Center. When the center’s landlord asked if he would accept his…

Entrepreneurs and Investors to Converge in Honolulu

East Meets West Conference: Interview with Blue Startups Managing Partner Chenoa Farnsworth The annual East Meets West Conference brings together tech industry entrepreneurs and investors from markets in Asia, the U.S. Mainland and Hawaii. The event will take place on…

Our Green Future

Contents Hawaii Forward The Power of Now: Achieving Hawaii’s Green Future Reduce & Save Work Smarter: Conserving Energy from 9 to 5 Get Inspired It’s Electric Bright Thinking Power Safe Mode The Clean, Green Team Meet Your Allies Sustainable Living…

Corporate Anniversaries 2018

What does it take to succeed in Hawaii? Here are stories from local companies that are celebrating important milestones. Each has its own unique recipe for achievement and accomplishment.   Contents Texaco Island Energy Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific (more…)

West Oahu Magazine 2018

Seeds of Success West Oahu Students Cultivate A Community To Learn, Live and Thrive Table of Contents Welcome Letter from the President Introduction West Oahu's Big Promise Healthcare Home is Where the Health is Hospitality Elliot Mills On Your Mark.…

When A Creative Passion Becomes Your Career

Art will rarely make you rich, but if the stars align, you might be able to turn your creative passion into a full-time job https://vimeo.com/250328380 Retired District Judge Leslie Hayashi writes children’s books. UH Manoa associate professor Chae Ho Lee,…

A Taste of Down Under in Honolulu

When Mason and Dixie Rose say everything is better in the arvo, Australians will understand. For the rest of us, arvo is an informal Aussie way to say afternoon. When the husband and wife opened their coffee shop in Kakaako…

Making Art From Glass

https://vimeo.com/249754529 Time: Monday, 11:45 a.m. Location: University of Hawaii at Manoa Photographer: Jeff Hawe After making a “gather” of molten glass for a sculpture, Jonathan Swanz removes a small piece that accidentally broke off the inside wall of one of his furnaces. These…

Project Delays at Hawaii's Airports

Modernization and expansion projects at Hawaii’s airports are years behind schedule and tens of millions of dollars over budget. Some say the solution is an independent statewide airport authority. Twenty-one hours out of the day, Hawaii’s largest airport has enough…

Overtourism and Crowding at our Favorite Spots

The number of tourists coming to Hawaii keeps climbing and many are now crowding into places that were once reserved for locals. It’s a worldwide situation. However, the solution to “overtourism” may not be to cap the number of visitors…

Are You Already as Smart as You Ever Will Be?

Ah, January, the first month of a bright new year. Business plans have been developed, goals set, personal resolutions made. Whether we achieve those goals remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: We will all face changes this…

35 Hawaii Legislators have a Second Job

Nearly half of our state legislators hold second jobs, from pilot, doctor and lawyer to business owner, real estate agent and more. Most people would be surprised to see a state senator mowing the lawn or cleaning the restrooms at…

"Networking's for Suckers, Not Me"

Q: I swear I hear the word “networking” a hundred times a week. My co-workers insist it’s the only way to climb the business ladder. My parents tell me it’s how to meet friends. My boss tells me it’s a…

Reviving a Legend: The Coco Palms Resort

After others failed over two decades, a new team is hoping to rebuild the Coco Palms Resort The once iconic Coco Palms resort is now a set of dilapidated brown buildings in the middle of a jungle. Guinea grass…

DeafTax Serves Everyone

The financial services company uses technology, American Sign Language and lip reading to serve both hearing and nonhearing clients Joshua Beal was born deaf. “It was very isolating. I always felt different as a child growing up,” recalls the owner…

Restoring Hawaii’s Forests

The long-term goal of the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative is to plant 1.3 million trees “Forests aren’t like other commodities. You cannot accelerate the time it takes to grow a tree,” says Jeffrey Dunster, executive director of the Hawaiian Legacy…

5 Steps to a New Look for Work

In the new year, many women and men want to freshen their looks but still appear professional for work. Kim Smith, a wardrobe stylist in Honolulu since 2004, offers these tips on how to get started. 1. Purge! Before you hit…

How’s Your Luck?

Name: Cheryl Ohta Age: 58 Job: Fortune cookie writer and treasurer/HR manager, Hawaii Candy Inc. Start: The Mililani resident received her business degree in marketing from the University of San Francisco in 1981. “My husband, Keith, is the third-generation owner. His grandfather started…