Sherri Loo and her Hawaiian Electric Co. coworkers have found an easy way to clean out their closets and help other women. For two years, Loo, environmental services manager at HECO, has coordinated a suit drive to benefit Dress for…
What if you could get hundreds, even thousands, of customers with little effort and no upfront costs? That’s the promise of online group buying sites such as Groupon, Play Hawaii, Living Social and Hot Deals Hawaii. …
In recent years, Hong has presided over major capital investments at Young Brothers. Here, he talks about long-term vision and what it means to young executives. What’s a good example of how long- and short-term vision differ? Young Brothers recently…
Last year, the state of Hawaii was worth $298 billion – at least as far as the taxman was concerned. That was the total valuation of all the taxable real property in the state, according to the latest figures compiled…
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…
The 15 artists at the Artists’ Cooperative Gallery at Ward Center were astonished: December 2010 sales increased by 168 percent over the previous December and broke all their records. While stores were closing around them, the gallery was booming. Their…
Q. I’m nearing retirement and interested in selling my business. How do I determine the value of my company and maximize its value before selling? A. After all those years building your business, you are finally ready to enjoy a well-deserved…
Chinatown Newspaper-Honolulu, published by Nella Media Group, while just 22 monthly issues old, has expanded to Portland, Ore., and Cutinella and Sanchez explain how the early stages are sometimes the best time to grow your business. HB: What did you learn…
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…
R.I.P. 1:10 P.M. Thursday Affordable Casket, Honolulu Photography by Olivier Koning >> Affordable Casket sells about 30 caskets each month with an average price tag of $1,695. While the company has built a reputation for providing cheaper funerals and…
Medicom Technologies says its Medical I.D. Wristband is the first device with audio-visual capabilities that stores, displays and voices a patient’s complete medical history in up to nine languages for first responders and hospital personnel in an emergency. “This could be…
As editor of this magazine, my greatest obligation is to stimulate a discussion about big economic issues in Hawaii and how local businesses can succeed. I am honored to have that duty. The discussion begins with the magazine’s stories, with…
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…
When we select this annual list of emerging leaders, we look for individuals whose intelligence, energy and vision make them people to watch over the next two decades. They come from different backgrounds and serve in various fields, but they…
Imagine finding these fine foods at your grocery store: Maui-brand olive oil, jars of savory Kula olives and antioxidant-rich olive-leaf tea grown high on Oahu’s slopes. Even better, imagine stopping on your way home to fill your car with biofuel…
Seeds Seeds are Hawaii’s fastest growing major crop. The value of seeds grown in Hawaii has almost tripled from $77.3 million in the 2005-06 season to an estimated $222.6 million in 2009-10. Harvested acreage was 6,630 – up 11 percent…
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…
Critics say The state Public Utilities Commission is slow, inefficient and secretive, but this small agency has a lot on its plate. It regulates: 4 electric utilities; 1 gas company; 176 telecommunication companies; 38 private water and sewer companies; 4…