Business

Farm Food Safety Short-Course

Friday, June 5th, 2015

KBC News Release

The Molokai Farm Food Safety Short-Course is being offered for farmers on Molokai who are interested in implementing Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) on their farms.  This is the first step in starting your Farm Food Safety Plan.  The first class, held in May was an overview of GAP.  There is still time to get in on this great opportunity for our agriculture community.

The course will run through September with one class being held per month.  Classes are held from 9 a.m. to noon  and registration is required (space is limited).  The next class will be held June 10 at the UH Maui College Farm and the topic will be Personal Hygiene — building your field hand washing station. …

Scholarships Available for Startup Weekend Maui

Wednesday, May 6th, 2015

MEDB News Release

If you’re living in Hana, Lanai or Molokai, and are an entrepreneur who has an idea for a business, the Maui Economic Development Board encourages you to participate in this year’s Startup Weekend Maui scheduled on May 15-17. This is your opportunity to learn how to launch a company in just 54 hours! Limited scholarships are available.

Startup Weekend brings together entrepreneurs of different backgrounds, including software developers, marketers, designers, and other enthusiasts. The event offers a fun, intense, risk-free way to get a startup off the ground; connect with other passionate and skilled individuals; and perhaps even find a co-founder or two to transform their ideas into reality.…

New Service at Business Center

Wednesday, May 6th, 2015

KBC News Release

May 4-8 is Small Business Week and to celebrate the occasion we are proud to announce a new service for Molokai business owners and entrepreneurs.  Online Business Office Hours is a free, by-appointment service, developed as a partnership with the Kuha`o Business Center (KBC) and the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, to help new and existing business owners explore and transition into the world of online business.

If you are overwhelmed with your options, not sure how to start, or have questions about which social media tool, online platform, or web technology will be your best bet, then schedule a free session with web designer and online business consultant, Mark Moran, at KBC in Kaunakakai.  …

Workshop for Small Business Owners

Friday, April 10th, 2015

KBC News Release

We, as small business owners, are going to have some of “those days.” What keeps many small business people from succeeding? What are some doubts and limiting beliefs people starting out in business may face?  How “smart” do we have to be to really succeed?

To answer these questions ONABEN — Our Native American Business Network — in partnership with Kuha`o Business Center and MEO Business Development Center will offer a Small Business Workshop for Molokai Business Owners and Entrepreneurs on Tuesday, April 14 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the OHA/DHHL Conference Room at Kulana `Oiwi building D. …

Rebuilding a Tradition

Wednesday, April 1st, 2015

Rebuilding a Tradition

When Sheldon Wright builds walls, his main focus is to listen. He hefts a rock in his hands, flips it, spins it, lets it fall and hears the clack as it hits the stack of rocks in front of him. To construct walls the way Wright does—the same way ancient Hawaiians did hundreds of years ago—he has to tune into the tools of his trade.

“The rocks speak to me,” said Wright. “They tell me where they want to go.”

Wright is carrying on the Hawaiian tradition of dry stack masonry in which the rocks are placed in an interlocking fashion that requires no mortar, he said.…

Financial Woes May Suspend Ferry Route

Sunday, March 22nd, 2015

Financial Woes May Suspend Ferry Route

In the face of falling ridership, the Lahaina Cruise Company (LCC) is planning to suspend the Molokai Ferry’s daily round trip between Molokai and Maui, pending approval from the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), according to the company’s President and Senior Captain David Jung.

“What’s happening with the ferry right now, is that we’re hemorrhaging money because of low ridership,” said Jung. “We’re trying to come up with a solution right now, but in the meantime we [plan] to cut back one trip a day. It’s better to have reduced service than no service.”

The route, which departs from Kaunakakai Harbor at 5:15 a.m.…

Rawlins Named Exceptional Small Business

Wednesday, March 4th, 2015

Rawlins Named Exceptional Small Business

At an elegant dinner event overlooking panoramic views of Maui last Thursday, Rawlins Chevron was honored among Maui County businesses as the Exceptional Small Business of the Year in the 11 to 35 employees category.

With eight other nominated businesses from Maui in that category at the 2015 Mayor’s Small Business Awards, the multi-generational family service station with 20 employees in Kaunakakai took top honors. They were one of two Molokai businesses represented as nominees at the event.

“We’re blessed to do what we do in the community each and every day in our community,” said Lori-Lei Crivello after accepting the award.…

Small Business Awards Nominees

Thursday, February 26th, 2015

County of Maui News Release

The Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and Maui Chamber of Commerce are pleased to announce the nominees for the upcoming 2015 Mayor’s Small Business Awards, which will be held on Thursday, Feb. 26 at the King Kamehameha Golf Club’s Waikapu Ballroom.

This year, there are two nominees from Molokai – The Molokai Dispatch in the Exceptional Small Business of the Year 0 to 10 Employees category, and Rawlins Enterprises in the Exceptional Small Business of the Year 11 to 35 Employees category. Other categories include Exceptional Small Business of the Year 36 to 100 Employees, Young Small Business Person of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award and Outstanding Nonprofit Business.…

Become a Virtual Office Assistant

Friday, February 20th, 2015

UHMCM News Release

Virtual Office Assistant (VOA) Certificate of Competence program will help you develop the necessary skills to successfully provide administrative support services to clients or employers in a virtual setting.  This certificate, available on Molokai, allows you to take advantage of employment opportunities, regardless of where you reside (from the comfort of your own home).

Virtual office assistants do many things, from booking appointments for clients to preparing slideshows and managing databases.  Many industries are turning to virtual assistants for tasks such as bookkeeping, payroll, proofreading, event planning, research, customer services, and many more.

With mobile and internet connections, you’ll be able to take advantage of job opportunities anywhere in the world as a virtual office assistant!…

Small Business Revitalization Grants

Friday, February 20th, 2015

Maui County OED News Release

Funding for small business revitalization is available for Molokai and Hana, the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development (OED) announced. The grant awards will range from $500 to $5000; nonprofit entities are not eligible for this program. Small Business Revitalization grants totaling $24,000 were awarded to small businesses on Lanai, and applications are now being accepted for a second round of grants for businesses in Hana and on Molokai.

The small business revitalization grants are designed to assist businesses with fewer than 10 employees who do business in Maui County’s rural communities such as Hana and Molokai, which have been identified as the areas hardest hit in their ability to recover from the economic downturn of the past few years.…