When properly done, mission statements inspire people by giving their work meaning and proclaiming the organization’s purpose. However, there are fundamental flaws in most mission statements: Too many words. Too many concepts. Addressing only the mind and not the heart.…
Question: Delinquent accounts are hurting my business. What can I do to get this problem under control? Answer: Delinquent accounts are an unfortunate part of any business that extends credit. Effective collection efforts can help reduce your losses, but the…
Imagine a retail business in which one key measure of sales growth was up 42.2 percent last year, with similar growth this year. You’d be on Easy Street, right? Except this same business is plagued by a perennial problem: Customers…
Some local businesses have an anxious relationship with Yelp, the international website that carries consumer reviews about everything from restaurants and stores, to auto mechanics and plumbers, and even hikes and radio stations. They say there are several reasons for…
Obtaining a camping permit in Hawaii is quicker than ever. Rather than mailing an application or waiting in line, you can get a permit for most sites online. But first, you’ll have to figure out whether your desired site falls…
Name: Summer Shiige Job: Personal Stylist/Shopper Years of Experience: One year STARTING OUT: Shiige had always wanted to own her own business and, last year, after working in the retail industry for more than a decade, she started Summer Style,…
Geckos are iconic in Hawaiʻi, as much as pineapples or ukuleles, and, like them, are not native to the Islands. The Polynesians brought them here about 1,500 years ago along with other plants and animals.
Kimberly Hahn says no escape waspossible. Growingupwithonly brothers near the red-dirt cane fields around Mililani meant growing up riding dirt bikes and loving it. “The boys weren’t going to play Barbies,” she says with a laugh. “So you either play…
What was formerly a storage area under Shirokiya has become Vintage Cave Honolulu, a venue for food and fine art. Membership in the “private society” ranges from $500,000 for charter members to $50,000 for special members; member benefits include discounts…
It costs just $8 for Hawaii residents to see the animals at home in the Honolulu Zoo, but each of those homes can cost millions of dollars to create. In fact, zoo exhibits nationwide are expensive. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium…
My wife says I’m crazy for taking on this subject and she’s right. The reasons for caution are endless: I’m no theologian; passions are running high; I have friends and family with strong views on both sides; this is a…
Sellers joined Bank of Hawaii in 1987 as an officer in private financial services and has worked in various management roles since then. In 2003, she assumed responsibility for the risk management division and was promoted to vice chairman and chief risk…
If you have lived in Hawaii for a while, the ranking of the richest and poorest ethnic groups shouldn’t surprise you. The hierarchy has remained the same for the past four decades, says UH ethnic studies professor Jonathan Okamura, who…
Payday is always a great day. It means more money in your wallet or bank account. But imagine if your pay stub had an asterisk and tiny print that was hardly readable: *Each dollar worth only 82 cents. That’s what…
PHOTOS BY MARK ABEIT When people think about the fashion business, they tend to focus on the designer’s creative ideas and the finished products they buy. The beginning and the end. But it takes a great deal of work…
Chinese companies and individuals are investing tens of billions of dollars in America. Here’s how Hawaii businesses and nonprofits are creating relationships with their Chinese counterparts and working to get a share of those investments, with varying degrees of success.…
Ahi, also known as yellowfin tuna and bigeye tuna, have suffered from overfishing and are becoming harder and harder to catch in the wild. That’s why farm-raised ahi are so coveted, but the prize has proved elusive. Others are trying…