Innovators and investors from around the world are gathering in Honolulu this January for the second annual East Meets West Conference. “Local entrepreneurs will be able to learn from technology companies that have conquered global markets,” says Chenoa Farnsworth, managing…
When Lawrence and Zachary Hester were booking activities for a family vacation in Hawaii, they noticed it wasn’t always a smooth process – so they took it on themselves to make a change. Their solution is FareHarbor, an online booking…
It is difficult to become a better leader when you don’t know precisely what changes to make. But some people are so afraid of constructive feedback they don’t ask for it. Or, their negative response to feedback may cause others…
How do I prevent competitors from poaching my employees? You can’t control what your competitors do, but you have a lot of control over whether your employees want to stay or go. A perfect storm of low unemployment, geographic isolation,…
Name: Stephanie Lake Job: Creative Designer Responsibilities: For Stephanie Lake, the Christmas season stretches year-round. “I live in glitter,” says Lake, whose company, Platform, installs holiday displays at many of Oahu’s largest shopping centers. At other times of the year,…
Henk Rogers, Hawaii Business' CEO of the year, does not follow conventions - he ignores or breaks them. Henk Rogers is an unusual choice for Hawaii Business magazine’s CEO of the Year. Past CEOs of the Year have led some…
What bosses and employees should know about holiday gifts, parties and bonuses.
Tuesday, 10:52 AM The Salvation Army 322 Sumner St., Iwilei Mabel Kihamahana cuts and sews fabric to refurbish donated furniture at The Salvation Army in Honolulu. Each cushion takes her about 20 minutes to reupholster. Kihamahana’s 40th anniversary with…
In the high-tech gold rush of modern Silicon Valley, the people most qualified to succeed are the least capable of handling success.” That’s how HBO describes its buzzy TV show, “Silicon Valley,” but is this characterization true? Ryan Louie shed…
Is it ever appropriate to go to your boss’s boss to complain about your boss? Yes, no and maybe. Yes, if you have witnessed discrimination, sexual harassment, fraud, kickbacks, gross negligence, substance abuse or anything that would create a really…
Final bioplastic product: The Miss Sissi lamp. More info: tinyur.com/hnei-bioplastic UH researcher got help from microorganisms to invent green product The Creator Jian Yu didn’t set out to find a way to re-use organic waste. When he first moved to…
Jolanta Siwik is the regulatory and innovation manager at Hawaiian Host Job: Food scientist Experience: 15 years, two with Hawaiian Host Start: Jolanta Siwik majored in human nutrition in her native Poland, then got her master’s degree in food science…
We looked into the story of the island’s freshwater, including where it comes from, how good it is and whether we’re taking care of it.
Monday, 6:08 PM Oahu Cemetery, Nuuanu photo by Aaron K. Yoshino Danny Villarin is one of seven caretakers who maintain the grounds and buildings at Oahu Cemetery. There are no more interments at the…
EXECUTIVE COACH KIM PAYTON recalls being asked to help with a case of workplace bullying. Just one problem: Who was bullying whom? “This guy is a mid-level manager,” Payton says. “He’s new to the organization, so he doesn’t understand a…
QUESTION: Now that Windows 10 is out, I’m wondering: Should I upgrade or wait? Our company is small and doesn’t have a lot of resources or IT expertise. ANSWER: Since its release in July, there have been tens of millions of…
Every workday is different for Brett Miller (center right wearing a black shirt), though each day usually includes at least some time in the MauiWine vineyard in Kula, on the slope of Haleakala. Start: While majoring in biology and…
QUESTION: I feel like I take criticism badly. How can I learn to listen without getting offended or taking it so personally? ANSWER: A negative reaction to criticism – even when it’s mild or constructive – can get pretty severe,…
IN HER NEW BOOK, “Why Smart Men Do the Same Dumb Things: A Warrior’s Manual for Change,” Rosalie K. Tatsuguchi explores the idea that an inflexible “samurai attitude” holds back men – and many women – from a rich life and traps…
The leaders of Lean In Circles from across the world met in Palo Alto, California, to discuss ways to better guide their groups. ONE GROUP CALLS calls itself the Crunch Brunch and these techies meet every other week in Kaka’ako…
Phuong-Thao Nguyen’s work at Hawaiian Telcom will affect everyone in the state. It’s important to maintain the passion that first drew you to STEM, says Phuong-Thao Nguyen of Hawaiian Telcom. “Passion is your sense of curiosity,…
Designers across Hawaii and around the world are reinventing the aloha shirt with both new and retro styles, for business and pau hana AFTER A PERIOD when many fashion-conscious young men in Hawaii looked askance at the aloha shirt, it…
There must be blood in the water. Until last year, when Hawaiian Electric Industries announced its intent to merge with Florida energy giant NextEra, the company seemed like a permanent fixture of the local economy. Only a few zealous renewable-energy…
Nicole Velasco: Struggling While Starting Out It was 2008, the depth of the Great Recession, and Nicole Velasco had just graduated from Princeton University. She quickly found that even an Ivy…