Business & Industry

What Makes A Great Realtor?

If only it could be bottled – that special touch that makes a Realtor great, not just for a quarter, but year after year. In the second year of publishing the Top 100 Realtors, Hawaii Business began highlighting the leading…

Blending Old and New Marketing

Tourists have hundreds of ways to spend their money; here's how more than a dozen small companies draw them in. Well-tended tourists in skin-baring dresses and tropical shirts sip after-dinner drinks on the terrace at Duke's restaurant, while a Hawaiian…

Launching a Business

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…

Innovation: Wearable Ads

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…

Social Media Can Wreck Your Career

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…

Banking Revolution

Choosing a bank used to be fairly simple: People typically selected the bank that was closest to home or work. That was before the Internet. Now there's banking everywhere through smartphones, with First Hawaiian Bank rolling out its app this…

Businesses Support Public Schools

The new track at Lahainaluna High School on Maui, along with the field and turf, have been made possible because of millions of dollars worth of in-kind and cash donations by Maui businesses and residents. Additional changes are coming in…

Hopes & Dreams

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…

5 steps to marketing in Japan

The Japanese love all things Hawaiian – from hula to music to fashion – which makes Japan an attractive market for Hawaii companies. But Japan is a complex business environment. “That means a company must be serious about wanting to…

Owned and Operated by Our Employees

Don Morrison Can readily list the equipment and vehicles his Kapolei company purchased in recent years. Morrison, CFO of Pacific AquaScapes Inc., says money was available for the acquisitions because of the company’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan, which shields the company from federal…

Talk Story with Peter Ho

Ho is also chair of the Hawaii host committee for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Honolulu this November. The weeklong series of APEC meetings and seminars will be capped by a summit of the 21 leaders of Asia…

Hawaii’s Coolest Office Winners

OVERALL WINNER JON DUARTE DESIGN GROUP In creating work space for the Jon Duarte Design Group’s eight employees, the firm wanted a “collaborative environment” that was warm and welcoming, where designers could work together easily but also meet casually. Dark…

Private Jets Bring Wealthy to Hawaii

Travel by private jet – a leading economic indicator for lifestyles of the rich and famous – increased by double digits at key Hawaii airports last year, which was great news for dozens of local companies that fuel, feed and…

Ask SmallBiz: Selling the Company

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…