Ask SmallBiz: Mediation Clause
Q: As I read through the fine print of our new office lease, I noticed it stipulated that mediation would be used in case of a dispute. Should I agree to this? A. I think you should. In fact, this stipulation will…
Small Business
Keeping the Goats Happy and Healthy
It’s kidding season and the number of goats behind the Lava Rocks Puna Goat Cheese label has grown to 43. Some are bucks, kids or mamas out of commission while caring for newborns, so the number of milking goats is…
Ask SmallBiz: Online Reputation
Q. I seem to have no control over the things that are said about my business online. What can I do? A. If a client searches on Twitter,Facebook or Yelp, they can see all kinds of things that have been said about your business…
Lessons Learned: Franchising Lessons
David Lelm has been in the auto body business for 45 years, including the past seven in Kailua-Kona. In October 2010, he turned his independent body shop into a Maaco franchise. Lelm talks about the advantages and challenges of joining…
Goliath Is Gone, but 5 Davids Survive
When the big Borders bookstore closed in Hilo in August 2010, attorney Bob Marx helped fill the void by opening Books, Nooks and Crannies two months later. His store adds to a rich literary scene in downtown Hilo, where four…
The Hawaii Market For Buying And Selling Small Businesses Is Back
Among the different economic sectors showing signs of recovery this year is the Hawaii market for buying and selling small businesses. Hints of falling prices and other trends have added to the confidence of brokers involved in the local business-for-sale…
New Gathering on Kauai
Fifteen dollars for 18 holes of golf on Kauai’s North Shore? A lot of local residents think that’s a great deal, even though it’s miniature golf. The new business has been running solid six days a week with 75 to 80 percent local customers since opening in January. The…
Ask SmallBiz
Q. I’m told my business would not have been covered if we’d been hit by the March 11 tsunami. But, last year, I added “water damage” to my insurance. What gives? A. I can see why you’re confused. A tsunami is…
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…
Advanced Training for Small-Business Leaders
Leaders of Hawaii small businesses can now enroll in training similar to an executive MBA program – and get the $10,000 program for free. The six-month E200 Leadership Initiative is aimed mostly at minority-oned companies that have at least one…
Launching a Business Group
As Kakaako transforms from an industrial area into a work-play-and-live neighborhood, small business owners saw the need for a cohesive business organization in which they could network and promote themselves. Spearheaded by Susan Snyder, an aesthetician who opened Susan Snyder…
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…
Calling Minority Businesses
Wanted: minority-owned businesses to bid on contracts offered by large national companies. That’s the marketing pitch of the Northern California Minority Supplier Development Council, which, among its responsibilities, is helping Hawaii’s minority-owned companies gain access to contracts offered by about…
Ask SmallBiz: Intellectual Property
Q. Our employees have specialized knowledge and are often trying new things. How can we harness that expertise to add value to our small business? A. Employees who think about ways to improve your business can create intellectual property (IP) that…
5 Steps to Getting a Liquor License in Honolulu
Applicants for Oahu liquor licenses must attend two hearings and submit floor plans, tax maps and other documents and certificates. It can take about three to four months to get a license, “assuming no issues arise during the licensing investigation…
Ask SmallBiz: Creating a Succession Plan
Q. My wife and I plan to retire in about 10 years. What should we do to get ready to turn over our business to our children? A. The good news is that you have time to carefully plan and execute…
Operating a Lunch Wagon in Honolulu Not As Easy As It Looks
It seems so easy. Get a truck, create a menu, make a few hundred plate lunches and find a spot in a business district or near a beach. The investment is minimal, the hours are great, the money is easy.…
How to Reduce Risks & Lower Costs
It’s no secret that small businesses typically don’t qualify for the risk-assessment and loss-prevention counseling that large firms get from insurance companies. Big customers paying tens of thousands of dollars in premiums can get specialists to visit their businesses to…
Broke da Face
Hot sauce isn’t a common condiment for pizza, but it works when it’s from Broke Da Face Sauces. Used at the V Lounge Kiawe Fire Pizza in Honolulu, it gives a flavorful, spicy kick that does more than just “broke…
Abalone, By the Numbers
Big Island Abalone Corp. has been operating on a 10-acre farm at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority in Kona since 1996 and is currently expanding. Over the years, its abalone has been served at some of Hawaii’s finest…
Green Tea/Noni Combo Catches a Wave
In its first few months, Haleiwa-based greenteaHawaii has generated a buzz. The October issue of “Life & Style” magazine mentioned that “Dancing with the Stars” contestant Bristol Palin (Sarah’s daughter) drinks its green tea for energy and weight loss. Ryan…
The Business of Local Fashion
Hawaii is not an easy place to be a fashion designer. While inspiration abounds, the business of fashion in the Islands presents a unique set of problems. It costs more to source materials and have them shipped here. Finding people…
Room Redesigns in a Day
The sluggish economy prompted interior designers Jean Wall and Joan Robinson-Whitaker to start an affordable, one-day design service. Designer for a Day launched in August 2008 after Robinson-Whitaker was laid off from Castle Resorts & Hotels and Wall’s business ended. “We…
A Love for Fine Shoes Pays Off
Tom Park, founder and owner of Leather Soul, which carries exclusive men’s shoes, can’t believe his success in following a dream. “I’ve always loved shoes, from when I was in kindergarten,” he says. In March, his flagship Waikiki store moved…