Kona Impact will soon celebrate its tenth year of business in Kailua-Kona. I remember very well the early days when the phone did not seem to ring very much, and we were not as focused as we are now. It took some time, but it was great to beat the odds: 50% of businesses don�t...Read More

Hawaii is a paradise for visitors, so much so that many who come here on vacation decide to stay. The allure of the ocean, the tropical landscape, and the great year-round weather make the Hawaiian Islands a great place to live. Doing business here, however, is another story. It’s not to say that running a...Read More

I found myself on the phone yesterday talking to the customer service people at one of my largest suppliers. We spend about $15,000 a year with them and what we buy is, by my estimation, very high-margin goods. The problem was that they sold me several items on their website that I needed asap. I...Read More

A few days ago, I wrote about natural disasters and how they could destroy a good business overnight. I wrote this not to scare or discourage; my goal was to promote preparedness. I saw today two possible game-changers that come from a different source: government actions. I make not claims about whether these make sense...Read More

Many of the threats to the future of our businesses in Hawaii are controllable. Building strong relationships with clients and customers help a business withstand new competitors entering the market, and having good insurance policies can protect against damage to premises caused by fire, wind or water. Here are natural disasters that have all occurred...Read More

A leasing agent will proclaim, “location, location, location” to entice business owners to “stretch” their budget and find a prime spot for their business. For certain, location does matter, but it matters much less than many people realize. Times have changed. Kailua-Kona has some easily defined areas for businesses: Kohanaiki area. This goes from Queen...Read More

Blogging can be one of the most powerful tools you can use to attract people to your website and business. If you add just two entries a week, which shouldn’t be hard to do, you will have over 100 more pages of information about you and your business online in just one year. Many business...Read More

I had a great chat with a local business leader the other day. He is part of a business that, I’m certain, will continue growing in size and profits. Simply put, it is innovative, has an excellent brand, and the product line resonates with consumers. That’s all great, but the most impressive part of the...Read More

Summer’s here! The kids are out of school, and moms and dads hopefully have a few days off. Here are a few things going on in Kona this summer. Kona Car Show and Fitness Expo – June 25 – A lot of people have been talking about this event. It’s sure to be the biggest...Read More

I hear a lot of complaining every day about things that are immutable; That is, things which can’t be changed by our individual effort. These include politics, government, Mother Nature, and, for the most part, society. This year, in particular, seems to be a very dreary year for our national elections. Taxes almost always go...Read More