Kahala Caterers had difficulty recruiting dishwashers and general laborers for its chef staff a few years ago. “People were coming in but weren’t motivated,” company president Winston Gample says. “They all just want to be executive chefs or the next TV…
In November 2009, in the difficult aftermath of the Great Recession, Matthew Bittick left a cozy position as principal broker and sales manager at the Hawaii office of PM Realty Groupto strike out on his own. Now, as his new company, Bishop…
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…
Yu-Hsuan “Anthia” Chen, 25. Born: Taiwan. MBA: HPU, marketing. Plans after graduation: Start my career in Hawaii. Maria Goto, 26. Born: Honolulu. MBA: UH, general. Plans after graduation: Work for N&K CPAs. Kandice Johns, 29. Born: Wailuku, Maui. MBA: UH,…
Moderator Steve Petranik, editor of Hawaii Business Yu-Hsuan “Anthia” Chen, 25 Born: Taiwan MBA: HPU, marketing Plans after graduation: Start career in Hawaii, then return to Taiwan to help father’s business Maria Goto, 26 Born: Honolulu MBA: UH, general Plans…
If you want Mike Ledger to create your next tattoo, get in line. He is booked for the next two years, with a waiting list. His elaborate tattoos can take months and many repeat visits to complete, but his fans…
Methodology The Best Places to Work in Hawaii is a partnership between Hawaii Business and Best Companies Group of Harrisburg, Pa. BCG is an independent workplace-excellence research firm that partners with local publications and organizations to create similar lists nationwide.…
Some of Hawaiʻi's Best Places to Work are adding special benefits to help turn new hires into lifers and keep them excited about their jobs.
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…
This fictional short story will be published in March in the local journal Bamboo Ridge I dunno how for respond to da boss’s question when she asks me, “What are you, some kind of Jedi?” I nevah intend for anybody see…
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…
There are many factors that determine where you buy your groceries: location, service, selection, and product quality. But price may be the most important, because everyone likes a deal. During three weeks in May, I visited 22 grocery stores all…
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.…
When you think of a great place to work, a hospice probably doesn’t come to mind. Emotional and physical pain are a daily part of the job, as employees try to comfort people in the last days of their lives.…
Raymond Jefferson has already given a lot for his country and for his comrades. During Special Forces training in 1995, Capt. Raymond Jefferson lost all five left-hand fingers as he shielded teammates from a grenade that exploded prematurely. He spent…
More than 50 percent of marriages in the United States end in divorce and Hawaii accounts for about 5,000 of those breakups every year. Of those who remain married, true love is not always the reason. That’s why relationship experts…
The Corner Office Curmudgeon offers advice about life on the job I suspect one of my co-workers has a drug problem. It has not impacted his work performance as far as I can tell, but I’m concerned that things might…
There’s a reason some people are wealthy: they learn to manage their time, resources and passions. Leading financial adviser Diane Kimura of Merrill Lynch shows how you can get your life in order, financially and emotionally, so you can make…
BY LEN FUKUSHIMA FINANCIAL ADVISER, UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES I own a successful architectural firm in Honolulu. I’d like to expand my business but am having difficulty finding a lender. I have capital assets, including real estate and a portfolio of…
Three Ways To Make Your Office Truly Digital A great stack of banker’s boxes dominates the scanning room of Sterling & Tucker, a law firm that specializes in estate and financial planning. The neatly labeled boxes are packed with hundreds…
Q. We are growing our business and want to make sure that we are able to perpetuate it long after we are no longer active in the company. We have no children, so what are our options to ensure the…
Q: I’m a small business owner and I’ve heard about the new ARC loans. How do I get approved for these loans? A: For small-business owners, the American Recovery Capital loan seems like a silver bullet, the solution to many…
In good times or bad, motivating employees is an important, but often overlooked, aspect of running a business. Nicholas Mitsakos, chairman of Arcadia Holdings Inc., explains how to keep workers excited for the workweek, or “how to help your team…
Credit-card processing is a ubiquitous and major expense for businesses. Most of the cost is upfront, according to Matt Sakauye, senior consultant at credit-card processing firm Gravity Payments. Once things are running, he says, “credit-card processors are pretty automated. But…