Photography by David Croxford In April, the state Public Utilities Commission ordered Hawaiian Electric’s utilities on Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island to take action in four ways: “aggressively pursue energy-cost reductions, proactively respond to emerging renewable-energy-integration challenges, improve the…
1. Target the Trinity Always talk to the most important person in the room, such as the guest speaker. Also challenge yourself by meeting someone who might intimidate you as well as someone you can learn from. Meeting these individuals…
Question: As electricity rates rise, so do operating costs. How do I make my business more energy-efficient? Answer: Invest in energy-efficiency solutions. The savings are immediate and the benefits are lasting. Here are some ideas: Switch to Smart Lighting Hawaii’s…
Hawaii-born Russell Leu loves working in China, though he recognizes living there offers challenges. The Hawaii attorney wears a top quality, high-tech, air-filter mask on the street on days with heavy air pollution, and has a phone app that tells…
We rank individual Realtors and real estate companies by the dollar value of total sales during 2013 and by the number of transactions. One Realtor led both lists; turn the page to find out who. Methodology How We Compiled the…
I recently read “Flash Boys,” Michael Lewis’ account of how Wall Street has stolen from you, me and our 401ks. I was astonished by the sophisticated corruption, and about how many people and companies thought it was OK to cheat…
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID CROXFORD & COURTESY OF PUPU COOLER Problem: How long did you leave poke out at your last party? According to the FDA, seafood and other perishable food should always be kept cool in a refrigerator, on…
Question: My family owns a local business. I am a second-generation clan member who helps run it, but I want to change careers. How do I get out gracefully and keep the relationship with my family intact? Answer: Deciding…
Leaders who thrive know the importance of having a strong team. David S. Chang offers these tips to position yourself for success: 1. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you. You can’t be an expert at everything, so…
Roberta Oaks, Fashion Designer and Retailer Oaks did not start out to be a fashion designer. She majored in photography and art history, and then worked in restaurants for 10 years. Not until her late 20s did it hit her:…
Companies love social media because they can be inexpensive ways to reach lots of customers. But, companies worry about social media because they have little control over what others say about them. In fact, one of the biggest concerns companies…
While most of the state’s leasehold single-family properties have converted to fee simple ownership over the past few decades, the leasehold option remains alive in the condo market.
Coralie Chun Matayoshi, CEO, American Red Cross, Hawaii Chapter & Pacific Islands Region The Eastern Pacific hurricane season begins May 15 and runs through Nov. 30. In this interview, Matayoshi talks about disaster preparedness and the role the Red Cross plays…
Small-business consultant Patrick Snow is frequently asked for the best way to attract more paying clients. His answer: Write and publish your book and give it away to prospects. This works, he says, because it allows you to stand out…
Question: I’m in the early stages of growing my small business. What are my best loan options if I have limited qualifications for financing? Answer: Securing capital through a loan can be challenging when you are just starting or…
The world will always need people trained in traditional fields such as education, medicine and law. But many college students today are looking to emerging fields where the number of jobs are growing, not shrinking, or careers that seem more…
For a week in February, a team of 28 volunteers helped heal some of the poorest people in Tuguegarao and the surrounding region of the Philippines. The visitors from Hawaii’s Aloha Medical Mission and their local partners saw 1,300 patients, performed 22…
Delaney launched HiHR in 2009 and the company has made the Hawaii Best Places to Work list in every year for which it was eligible – four straight now. In the same time, HiHR went from revenues of $6.1 million in 2009 to $123…
Problem: After years of attending weddings, birthdays and baby showers, Sara Smith had reached a tipping point. “I was feeling the weight of all the rubbish that was created by gift giving,” the Maui resident says. So she founded Wrappily last year…
Question: I want to open my own restaurant. How do I pick the right location? Answer: For many people, there’s no more romantic notion than opening a restaurant. While the business is a lot less glamorous than it appears…
Public speaking is a great way to build your business by educating the community on how you can serve it. Motivational speaker and speaker trainer Annette Lynch shares these steps to help you overcome nerves and engage your target audience.…
Question: What are the best retirement plans for the self-employed? Answer: If you are self-employed or have a side business in addition to another job, the best retirement-savings options are solo 401(k) plans (either Roth or regular) or a…
The best political candidate in the world might get nowhere without a team of marketing, direct-mail, advertising, polling and other professionals to help refine the message and effectively deliver it to voters. It’s an election year and Alan Tang is…
PHOTOS BY ELYSE AND MATT MALLAMS Back in the mid-1970s, when Abner Undan started working for a tree-trimming company, the standard method was to lop off branches randomly and use spikes to climb palm trees. “Those were the old…