Cory Asuncion was born to sell. He jokes that he would have rented space in his mother’s womb if that had been possible. “I could sell oil back to the Saudis,” Asuncion says confidently, and with good reason. He’s had…
Shawna Emery and Danni Fry startedD&S Fry Plumbing in April and already have so many jobs they each work nearly 80 hours a week. Here, the two women share their early triumphs and obstacles. What are you doing to build your…
Just about everyone has a family recipe or talk-of-the-town potluck dish they think is ono enough to be a grocery-store bestseller. These are our six steps to take your product from concept to consumer. Most of our guides are entrepreneurs…
Just when you thought you had perfected your company’s website, many consumers are turning to mobile apps for information, interaction and convenience. Brian Dote, the founder of Tapiki, a mobile-app development firm, provides these tips to help create an app…
Next to Kona International Airport, at Keahole Point, sits a potential gold mine that is home to some of the state’s biggest exporters and groundbreaking research being done nowhere else in the world. The Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority…
Teri Orton caught the triathlon “bug” about 15 years ago. Today, she’s accomplished something that few athletes around the world have: She is an Ironman. Orton, VP of condominium resort marketing for Outrigger Enterprises Group, completed the Ironman Canada on…
When was the last time you went to a luau and enjoyed deep-fried onion ring chips with your squid luau and lomi salmon? Never, that’s when. But Tim’s Cascade Snacks doesn’t care. The Washington-based manufacturer makes a lot of money…
Problem: Piracy costs the U.S. movie industry more than $20 billion annually, according to industry experts, who say illegal downloads and bootleg copies prevent many independent filmmakers from turning their passion into a livelihood. Solution: EggUp.com is a platform created in Hawaii…
There’s a way to avoid long airport lines and manhandling by TSA security agents, but it’ll cost you. What: Charter a private jet to fly you and your friends from Honolulu to Los Angeles, and you won’t have to arrive…
Kurren isn’t a typical business executive. She’s not a natural risk taker, has never thought of herself as ambitious, and credits others for recognizing her abilities and challenging her to accept greater responsibilities, which eventually gave her the confidence to…
Donald Horner has a saying:"When life hands you challenges, you have two choices - you can be…
Vance Roley Dean of the University of Hawaii’s Shidler College of Business As a student at Harvard University, Roley was determined to earn his master’s and Ph.D. in four years, so he set a strict 14-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week schedule. “I didn’t…
Local television news was once a great way to make money, but now its future is as clear as 3-D movies without the glasses. Revenues from advertising sales are up, but nowhere near what they were in the glory days…
What it's worth? $5,678 If you’re always entertaining guests at home and want to make a good impression, forget about your boring china and antique vases. The Toto Neorest 600 Elongated Toilet/Bidet is a way to make a statement, says…
Wish you could afford to run commercials promoting your company and products all day long? Now you can with Pacific Digital Signs’ sexy new Digital Nametag. “This will definitely stop people in their tracks and deliver a perfect message every…
Comedian Gilbert Gottfried is the latest celebrity to be fired over social media, because of callous tweets about the devastating tsunami in Japan. In February, Rep. Chris Lee, R-N.Y., resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives after stories emerged that…
How can something as perfect as a Spam musubi possibly get any better? The answer: batter it, deep-fry it and drizzle it with homemade teriyaki sauce. Chefs at Da Kitchen on Isenberg Street, next to the Saint Louis Alumni Clubhouse,…
Straub Clinic and Hospital and Kauai Medical Clinic say they are the first healthcare facilities in the state to allow patients to access their medical records from an iPhone, iPad or iTouch using a new, free mobile app called MyHealthAdvantage.…
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. …
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…
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…
The Orchid Suite at the Halekulani is the ultimate luxury retreat. The 2,356-square-foot haven is separate from the main hotel and accessed by a private lift, offers floor-to-ceiling views of Diamond Head, a posh master bedroom, an expansive living room,…
Komeiji knows all about taking risks. After working for more than 30 years for the prestigious Honolulu law firm Watanabe Ing and Komeiji, which he co-founded, Komeiji took a leap of faith and joined Hawaiian Telcom’s new management team at…
Matson Navigation Co. is a tiny blip on the radar compared to the 20 other major global transportation companies serving the China market. Still, as the first American shipper to enter the China trade, it’s secured an impressive client base…
How many times have you heard the expression: “Laughter is the best medicine?” Well, get ready to O.D. with a blast from the past. It is the 30th anniversary of “Pidgin to da Max,” Hawaii’s original pidgin-English dictionary. First published…
Watching the death of Act 221 was like watching the Superferry ordeal unravel all over again,” says attorney Jay Fidell, president of ThinkTech Hawaii. “Why this state continues to oppose progress and kill measures that so many people and businesses will benefit from…
Many small businesses don’t have the budget to hire a marketing firm to disseminate information about new products, special promotions or upcoming events, so it’s important to know how to get the word out when you are your marketing team.…
Big Island Abalone Corp. has been operating on a 10-acre farm at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority in Kona since 1996 and is currently expanding. Over the years, its abalone has been served at some of Hawaii’s finest…
HB: What makes a good leader? I think you lead people but you manage affairs and situations. To be a good leader, you have to be a good people person. You need to understand others and have empathy. You need…
Looking for a great holiday gift? If so, Big Island Candies has put a spin on its world-famous diagonally dipped macadamia-nut shortbread cookies by dunking them in a rich white cream coating with matcha (finely milled green tea). “Green is…
Location-based advertising is creating a lot of buzz, but how do restaurants, stores and other small businesses get on board without breaking the bank? Conversely, how do creators get paid for mobile apps that can cost thousands or even hundreds…
When geothermal steam was first harnessed to generate electricity on the Big Island almost three decades ago, the project left many residents with a bitter taste. The technology was substandard, the community wasn’t consulted and environmental protestors became fixtures outside…
Transforming your workplace from an electricity-sucking abyss to an energy-efficient operation offers tons of benefits – it’s good for the planet, could increase employee productivity and morale, and may even win you a few new customers. But beyond the “soft”…
One group of high-powered executives is giving new meaning to the old concept “Ladies Who Lunch.” The Art of Lunch (AOL) is an informal, all-wahine networking group formed on a whim about two years ago when Louise Ing, a shareholder…
When kamaaina think back to the old plantation days, many don’t immediately recall the poor living conditions and backbreaking work. Instead, they reminisce about a tight-knit community of people from all backgrounds pitching in and pooling resources to get things…
Douglas Smith, the president and CEO of Hawaiian Island Shine, was fortunate that when local sales began to slump because of the recession, his export business began to takeoff. His car-care products are now sold in six countries and he…
Imagine the huge cost to your small business if the 2010 Legislature had raised the general excise tax or failed to cut unemployment insurance premiums. Every year at the state Capitol, similar make-or-break laws are debated and that’s why it’s…
What is the most important thing you’ve learned about yourself during your career? It sounds cliché and it’s easier said than done, but the most effective way of leading is to trust being yourself instead of what you think other…
Robert Hiam is president and CEO of HMSA, which provides healthcare insurance to about half of Hawaii’s 1.3 million residents. Gadget Hiam is on his new Apple iPad every day checking the latest news and financial information from Bloomberg.com. He can…
If you’re one of those people who consider the act of lifting your beer from the table to your lips repetitive exercise, your workouts just got a little easier. Kona Brewing Co. recently replaced its original 8-ounce beer bottle with…
For two decades, the Hawaii Community Reinvestment Corp. has partnered with local banks to help build more than 3,100 affordable housing units. The nonprofit, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, provides financing and technical assistance to developers, investors and…
National company Yoli will launch its new Fun Active Blast sports drink in the Islands this month with support from the World’s Greatest Athlete — Hawaii’s own decathlete Bryan Clay, who says the drink has enhanced his training and overall…
We saw what happened to Aloha Airlines when go! flew in and started a price war that…
Green Car Hawaii is the first car-share service in the state and the nation’s first aimed at tourists, say founders Warren Doi and Justin MacNaughton. Concept Rather than rent a vehicle for whole days or an entire visit, Green Car…
One billion dollars a year. That’s the estimated taxes in Hawaii that don’t get paid by contractors and waiters, accountants and attorneys, hairdressers and everyone else who hides all or part of their cash income. Just about everyone contributes knowingly…
Don’t be alarmed if you see smoke billowing and a crowd gathered in front of the Davies Pacific Center around lunchtime on the second or fourth Tuesday of the month. It’s not a fire, it’s the Merchant Street Market, which…
Health insurance is the second-biggest expense for most employers after payroll. And that cost keeps soaring: Hawaii companies have been paying an average 9 percent more in premiums each of the past 10 years – and that will likely continue.…
Constance Lau is president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Industries, ranked No. 1 on our Top 250 list of the biggest Hawaii companies. What is the most important lesson you learned at your first job? My first job was as…
LeeAnn Crabbe is vice president of the Queen Liliuokalani Trust, which cares for orphaned and destitute children. She is also the proud adoptive mother of two children. Food Pre-kids, she and her husband would splurge at Chef Mavro’s. “Now, we’re…
Find out who led the way in 14 categories, and how two organizations attract and keep employees despite serious challenges.
Each of the garments made at Kealopiko’s screen-printing workshop are one-of-a-kind and tell a story.
