Casey Kwok owns Fook Yuen restaurant but he didn’t choose the provocative name. The landlord did. Twenty-five years ago, Kwok was vying for a restaurant location in Honolulu’s McCully Shopping Center. When the center’s landlord asked if he would accept his…
The Hawaii brand is beloved around the world and there are mom and pop enterprises that want to give that love back but don’t know how. Enter Mana Up, a new accelerator aimed at promoting homegrown Hawaii products and transforming…
FOR A FULL RECAP OF THE EVENT CLICK HERE DATE AND TIME Friday, March 9, 2018 10:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. LOCATION YWCA Laniakea Fuller Hall 1040 Richards Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 DESCIPTION How Tax Reform Affects You A panel…
When Mason and Dixie Rose say everything is better in the arvo, Australians will understand. For the rest of us, arvo is an informal Aussie way to say afternoon. When the husband and wife opened their coffee shop in Kakaako…
DATE AND TIME Friday, April 20, 2018 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. LOCATION The Grand Naniloa Hotel 93 Banyan Drive Hilo, Hawaii 96720 DESCRIPTION Mixing Old & New A distinguished panel of business leaders will be in Hilo to tackle…
DATE AND TIME Friday, May 4, 2018 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. PRICE Individual Ticket - $90 / Table of 10 - $850 LOCATION Prince Waikiki – Piinaio Ballroom & Foyer Join us at the 31st annual SBA Awards and…
The financial services company uses technology, American Sign Language and lip reading to serve both hearing and nonhearing clients Joshua Beal was born deaf. “It was very isolating. I always felt different as a child growing up,” recalls the owner…
Now is the time to start planning so next year is better than this one. Start by reflecting on the current year and identifying what worked well and what didn’t. Were the challenges hiring good staff or training them? Making…
Find big flavors on the Big Island at these best places to eat in North Kohala. North Kohala has a rich history as the birthplace of Kamehameha the Great and as a central hub during the plantation days. Still, many…
The fall of Uber CEO Travis Kalanick offers valuable lessons for small business owners. From my perspective, Kalanick did not understand or appreciate his limitations and the ramifications of his actions. Both are common management failures. As the owner of…
You have a business that is doing well and paying the bills. Maybe it has put one or two children through college. The kids are working, maybe on the Mainland, and not interested in taking over the family business. Now…
Brian Kimura sees an unfortunate trend in the sewing industry. “With all the discount stores coming here,” he says, “they’re bringing in so much cheap clothing. Before, it was cheaper for people to sew their own outfits for the kids.…
Monday, September 11, 2017, 11:30 am - By Noelle Fujii The customer is king because customers control whether a business succeeds or fails. Today, effective ways to reach consumers include social media, websites and mobile apps. …
Thursday, January 1, 1970, - By Noelle Fujii There's an old saying, "The customer is king." Today, the customer really is a king: well informed, very demanding, willing to change their mind at a moment's notice - and with their…
Thursday, January 1, 1970, - By Noelle Fujii “A digital media strategy is not something that you should…
Thursday, January 1, 1970, - Figuring out how to share your brand’s message and the right audience to share it with is becoming more difficult in today’s noisy world. After all, businesses now compete for attention with information that’s available…
The customer is king because customers control whether a business succeeds or fails. Today, effective ways to reach consumers include social media, websites and mobile apps. Navigating those platforms can be difficult for some small businesses, so Hawaii Business put…
A family business is one of the oldest forms of capitalism, but that doesn’t make it easy.
Ross Shigeoka starts his day at 6:30 a.m. by mixing and rolling dough for the noodles he serves at Shige’s Saimin Stand in Wahiawa. He cuts the dough using this 1950s-vintage Japanese machine to produce 60 to 80 pounds of…
Past or present, people remain the soul of Kakaʻako Ewa-uplifting its concrete facade, splashing color and character across sullen streets, and creating new spaces for communions and opportunities.
When Jin Hong started visiting bar and restaurant suppliers as the new GM for Café Duck Butt, people remembered him. Some giggled when he said the name. “Back in the day, people thought I was either a pervert or that…
I just finished three days of providing testimony and participating in the national Small Business Administration’s Regulatory Fairness Board meeting. Twenty-two board members from across the U.S. attended and represented their states and regions. I represented Hawaii and served as…
For many Hawaiian musicians and singers, performing is both their passion and their livelihood. So, when there's not enough places to perform locally, or the pay is too low, they have to improvise. Some work day jobs and perform at…
When Sai Yeung opened his bar and grill over 30 years ago, he wanted a lucky name. His choice was 8 Fat Fat 8 and the lucky name seems to have worked, as the restaurant has been in the same…