Name: Steve VanDermyden Job: Artisan bread baker and new owner of Coffees N Epicurea, a bakery and coffee shop in Captain Cook on Hawaii Island. Experience: Two years. STARTING OUT: Two years ago, VanDermyden was thinking about opening a…
When Denyse Ray opened her manufacturing and retail operation in Kakaako in April, she opened a floodgate. Her original plan was to create a place where her company, Ease Collection, and its staff of 20 would make the company’s surgical…
A meeting of the Maui Business Brainstormers is like speed dating for business people. The monthly lunchtime meetings mix networking with problem solving and information exchange in a rapid give-and-take. Grace Fung and Carmel Patterson, who met at a Toastmasters…
Cloud-storage and collaboration tools are readily available, but how do you choose the best fit for your needs? What makes each unique? This month I’ll compare two popular options, Box.com and Dropbox.com, and next month, I’ll look at Google Drive,…
Brian Kajiyama’s assistance dog, Zeus, is a Labrador retriever that has learned sign language to help Brian, who has cerebral palsy. Beside the usual skills of retrieving items, turning on lights and opening doors, Zeus can even take the jump…
When Kara Shibata’s son “graduated” from Central Union Preschool in May, she realized she would miss the bag of fresh local produce that was delivered every other week by Holoholo General Store. “I knew it would be difficult to continue…
Jan Harada knows there’s nothing like kung fu to get the blood flowing after a hard day and to stave off burnout. “My work is very rewarding, but it’s also very stressful,” says Harada, president and CEO of the nonprofit…
Q: I’d like to put in a solar-electric system to reduce my business’ energy costs, but I’m concerned about grid saturation. How does it affect me? A: Distributed solar power energy in Hawaii has reached levels unprecedented elsewhere in the United States.…
Volta Industries has established a network of free-to-use charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) across Oahu. Scott Mercer, Volta’s co-founder and CEO, talks about finding partners and expanding the business. Who are your partners? Mercer: We provide our stations to shopping…
People have joined the growing Eat Local movement for myriad reasons, including reducing their carbon footprint, supporting Hawaii businesses and keeping agricultural lands in agriculture. Grocery stores and restaurants tout their local-food credentials, and more farmers markets keep popping up…
10:18 am, Thursday HECO Manhole #191F, Rodgers Blvd. at Airport Substation Photographer: Twain Newhart >> Working foreman Bobby Nakaji, left, and senior cable splicers Dean Ponimoi and Mike Oasay, right, work to complete the installation of a primary…
What it is: frii is a daily deal app for iPhones and iPads where everything is free. Users can browse categories where merchants list their giveaways for free. Freebies have included shave ice, fish tacos, chiropractor exams, ice tea and a…
Companies with more women in leadership and board positions financially outperform those without, according to a 19-year study of Fortune 500 companies conducted by Pepperdine University. The 25 firms with the best record of promoting women were a whopping 18…
Frank took the helm of the YWCA of Oahu in January. She had been owner of Kimberly Frank Consulting since 2006, and, before that, served as organizational development manager at Servco Pacific Inc. The attorney and mother of three young children talks…
Malia Espinda is a survivor. Her friend, Sydney Kline, wasn’t as lucky. The two were once victims of domestic violence. Espinda is now in a healthy relationship and thriving in her career as a legislative analyst at The Queen’s Health Systems.…
Hawaii shoppers and businesses have long taken advantage of “tax-free” purchases from online retailers such as Amazon and eBay, but many legislators are trying to put an end to that free ride. As cash-strapped governments hunt for more revenue, and…
Download Pathways Offered by Each School (PDF) Download Classes Within Each Pathway (XLS) Instead of joining the chorus of complaints that high school students are not prepared for today’s workplace, Russ Ogi, Eric Kim and Derek Kurisu are doing…
In the C-suites of America’s biggest corporations, just 14.1 percent of the executive officers are women, according to the 2011 Catalyst survey of Fortune 500 leadership. That’s one woman for every six men, and Catalyst says that basic ratio hasn’t…