Hawaii Business Magazine - November 2014

Bright Idea

WEfficiency lets you support your favorite nonprofit and still get repaid How many people does it take to change a light bulb? Ask David Aquino and he’ll say it often takes a crowd. Aquino, the project director of Blue Planet…

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,…

3D Innovator

Hawaii Kai’s Remington Scott is a global pioneer in making video-game and movie creations come to life Remington Scott understands the unpredictably of life. Growing up in New York in the pre-Internet era, Scott thought he was going to be…

Pro Bono Architects Help Nonprofits Thrive

Palama Settlement has served low-income and immigrant families in Kalihi and Palama for more than a century, but the facilities have deteriorated over the years and some can no longer be used. “We’re land rich but asset poor,” says Wendy…

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…

A New Way of Thinking

Five years ago, Honolulu consultant and social-media expert L.P. “Neenz” Faleafine was talking with Ian Kitajima, corporate development director of the Honolulu R&D firm Oceanit, when he told her about a new idea called “Design thinking.” Developed at the Institute…

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…

As the Nation Turns, Hawaii is Still Driven

Ever since the rise of the Model-T more than 100 years ago, cars have shined as potent symbols of independence, status and freedom. But that image seems to be losing its allure in America. Recent studies show that, after nearly…

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…

Can Hawaiʻi Feed Itself?

A lot of elements are needed to make Hawaiʻi self-sufficient in food. Here are a few examples of struggles and resiliency that enable more productive local farming and food production.

Hawaiʻi's Most Charitable Companies 2014

Hawaiʻi's Most Charitable Companies is the most comprehensive listing of corporate philanthropy in the Islands. Since its debut in 2012, the list has grown from 53 organizations to 113 this year.

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…

Editor's Note: Love the Aina, But Love the People, Too

As Dennis Hollier’s story on page 40 points out, there are many impediments to local farming, but a shortage of farmland is not one of them. In fact, 45.8 percent of Hawaii’s 4.1 million acres are classified as agricultural district…

Still Crazy After All These Years

During Crazy Shirts’ 50 years of business, many T-shirt styles and designs have come and gone. What has persisted in the company’s culture, say longtime employees, is creativity, a sense of humor and a “go big or go home” attitude.…

Defense against Disease

Name: A. Christian Whelen Job: Administrator, state Laboratories Division Experience: 28 years in healthcare Responsibilities:  If the Ebola virus somehow found its way from Africa to Hawaii, Chris Whelen would lead the local analytical testing to help the national Centers…

California Dreaming

Each year, the world’s best surfers – both men and women – compete against each other for millions of dollars in prize money at tournaments around the globe staged by the Association of Surfing Professionals and other promoters. Hawaii surfers…

Trust is No. 1

Earning trust is absolutely crucial if nonprofits are going to succeed, says a national expert who will be speaking at a Hawaii conference on National Philanthropy Day James M. Greenfield, a national expert on fundraising, says the most important best…