Amerjit Ghag strolled around her shop, Chai Studio, at Ward Warehouse and pointed out everything that was repurposed. There was a lot. Like the large wooden mills used to grind grain that she topped with cushions using old sari material…
Question: The Chinese have been investing heavily in the U.S. mainland. Now their interest is spreading to Hawaii. How do I ensure that, once I meet with potential Chinese investors, I can attract them to my local business? Answer: Creating…
Successful business owners in Hawaii know they have to focus on more than just the bottom line. They must support employees, commit to customers, conduct business ethically and support the communities that sustain them. For some small businesses, community outreach…
In late 2012, Ken Ordenstein started his own funeral business, building on a lifetime of experience. His mother and father were Anna and Francis Ordenstein, co-founders of Hawaiian Memorial Park. At the Ordenstein home, which included four sons and three…
Clothing designer and maker Luis Diaz left L.A. and set up his factory on Maui, offering local designers an alternative to manufacturing at an offshore company Luis Diaz fell in love with Hawaii and moved to Maui. His plan was…
The boss called one of his employees into the office. “Rob,” he said, “you’ve been with the company for a year. You started off in the mailroom, one week later you were promoted to a sales position, and one month…
There aren’t many places you can feed dolphins one minute, then, in the next, bite into a juicy sirloin burger with truffled tater tots while listening to live jazz. You can do this in a single afternoon at The Kahala…
An international couple with an eclectic background is giving a French confection a local twist. Besides a patisserie diploma from Le Cordon Bleu London, confectioner Lin ter Horst has an MBA from Columbia University and a background in banking. Her…
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…
Swell Shot Wednesday, 5 P.M. North Shore, Oʻahu Photo by Nate Lawrence Zak Noyle positions himself as he prepares to photograph surfers at Pipeline. Noyle has been shooting surfers for eight years, the past six professionally. The time he spends in…
It’s no surprise the same ocean that inspires surfers, paddlers and swimmers has also inspired entrepreneurs to make a living off what they love. They start surf schools, design canoe paddles, cultivate marine livestock, run fishing charters or develop technology…
You may have seen Kathy Sills selling her Aloha Pops frozen treats in front of the King Kamehameha statue or at Honolulu events such as Eat the Street. Her distinctive tricycle is tricked with a cooler packed with dry ice and $3 pops…
Question: My business is successful in the Islands. How do I know when I’m ready to franchise on the mainland? Answer: Here are the main factors to consider when deciding if you are ready for franchising. Built for Other…
There is no typical family business in Hawaii – they are as diverse as the state itself. But each has at least one powerful strength and one potentially crippling drawback: the family itself. Michael Miyahira, the founder of Business Strategies,…
Mark Nishiyama spent more than 20 years coaching children in baseball and basketball, but, with his own kids grown, he switched to dogs last year. The co-founder and VP of Kamaaina Kids has been training his 5-year-old Shetland sheepdog Maile…
You have a business idea and are mapping out your business plan. Heather Moir-Dangler, chartered life underwriter and chartered financial consultant with Moir Financial & Insurance Services, suggests these five steps to ensure that appropriate risk management is included in…
When you think of innovative startups, what usually comes to mind are tech companies that create something new – a mini-revolution. Instead of high-tech, think about tea, one of the oldest drinks on the planet. That’s what Elyse Petersen does:…
Taking pictures with friends has always been fun, but taking pictures with purikura makes it a blast. Purikura are customizable photo stickers printed from special photo booths at the Funpix store at the McCully Shopping Center. You pick the backgrounds…
Football season is prime time for sports bars' bottom line Baseball may be “America’s pastime,” and basketball and soccer reign as the most popular sports globally, but for sports bar owners in Hawaii there is no dispute: Football reigns supreme. “Football is crucial for us,” says Mike…
Maurice Kondo has been collecting things since he grew up on the Hamakua Coast. “My elementary school teacher would tell me, ‘Small things entertain small minds,’ ” jokes Kondo, a principal at INK Architects, whose office at Dole Cannery is a menagerie of treasures,…
Lawrence Pai VP and Business Banking Team Manager, Central Pacific Bank Question: What’s the best way to accept payment from customers? Answer: As a small business owner, the more payment options you offer customers, the more convenient and accessible are…
Steve Novak Business Operations and Strategic Planning consultant, Owner, PPR Management Services, LLC Question: Our company is having trouble turning a vague list of long-term ideas into a concrete plan. Even worse, we can’t seem to reach our short-term targets…
You make your own bitters and brew your own beer. Your iPod playlists get rave reviews from your friends and you know how to throw a party. Why not profit from your obvious talents? The lure of owning a bar, nightclub…
Adult’s definition of parkour: a noncompetitive sport that builds coordination, strength, patience and discipline, while emphasizing safety, community and creativity. Kid’s definition of parkour: ninja skills and Spiderman training. Parkour, which originated less than a generation ago in the immigrant-rich suburbs outside of Paris,…