Oct 5, 2016 | Education, Small Business
Two workshops coming up this month will be invaluable to anyone thinking of starting a business on Lāna‘i: An evening “pitch bootcamp” next week, and a weekend workshop October 21-23. Both are free and include meals. Details and registration info below.
Maka Hou Lāna‘i
Maka Hou Lāna‘i Business Workshop: Starting a business from concept to creation
Make a fresh start by learning how to create a new business from the ground up in just one weekend. At Maka Hou Lāna‘i you will experience the spills and thrills, the disappointments and satisfactions of building a business from scratch. But you won’t be alone. Mentors, experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and other participants will be there to give you the confidence you need to power through this action-packed weekend.
PRIZE PACKAGE FOR THE WINNING PITCH!
October 21-23, 2016 at the Lāna‘i Senior Center. 5:00PM Friday-2:00PM Sunday. There is no charge for this workshop, but reservations are required. Meals are included!
Pitch Bootcamp Lāna‘i
Prepare. Warm up. Practice for Maka Hou Lāna‘i!
Learn to effectively promote yourself and your business idea to others comfortably and with confidence – anytime, anywhere. This Pitch Bootcamp is specifically designed to give you the knowledge and practice you need to craft and deliver your BIG IDEA in 60 seconds or less.
Wednesday, October 12, 2016 5:00PM-8:00PM at the Lāna‘i Senior Center. This workshop is FREE, but reservations are required. Dinner is included!
Register now
To register online, visit www.medb.org/MAKA-HOU-LANAI
For more information, contact Annette at info@hightechmaui.com or (808)270-6811.
Sep 14, 2016 | Education, Small Business
Lanai residents interested in learning about how to run their businesses more profitably attended a free workshop and dinner, Pinching Your Pennies: Finance for Small Businesses at the Lanai Senior Center. Presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) as part of their Innovation Series, this workshop offered attendees helpful tips on how to run their business more profitably and avoid mistakes that cause failure. Anyone who’s ever bootstrapped a business knows all about the art of doing more with less. The Pinching Your Pennies workshop gave participants a chance to recognize the importance of possible short- and long-term effects of their decisions. For example, “Will it save my business money without negatively impacting profits later on?”
The workshop speaker, Gerry Smith, Director of Business Development at MEDB, covered numerous topics concerning the break-even analysis. “We discussed how to determine the selling price of a product, why cash flow is so important, what fixed versus variable costs are, and the difference between wholesale and retail,” said Smith. “It’s good to be frugal,” he explained. “However, it was important to talk about what will directly affect customers or compromise the ability to operate efficiently, so that efforts don’t backfire. It’s all about looking at a business as a whole, and deciding which costs are absolutely worth it and which can be reduced in an efficient way that still benefits your business.”
“The workshop answered some essential questions for me,” said Lanai resident Cory Labang. “I learned the importance of knowing what money is coming in and what money is going out, and to know whether a profit is being made or not. I’m going to go home and make fixed-cost and variable-cost analyses for all my items.” Lanai resident Matthew Posadas’s career goal is to be a private chef. “The workshop energized and excited me,” Posada said. “I have taken business finance before, but this workshop helped me clearly understand some very important basic concepts. Thank you MEDB!”
This workshop was fulfilling. I’m so grateful to MEDB for bringing helpful business workshops to Lanai. I look forward to future meetings in their Innovation Series.
Matthew Posada, Lanai Resident
Aug 3, 2016 | Small Business
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) recently offered a free workshop, Hidden Gems: State Programs to Save Your Business Money. “This workshop focused on two important programs offered by the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism,” stated Frank De Rego Jr., Director of Business Development Projects. “They are real ‘hidden gems’ since many small businesses that qualify are not aware they can save money through the Enterprise Zone (EZ) Partnership Program or improve their export business through the Hawaii State Trade and Export Program (HiSTEP).”
Wayne Thom, Community Economic Development Manager in the Business Support Branch of the State of Hawaii’s Department of Business Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT), shared information on the EZ program. EZ was established for the purpose of job creation and to stimulate certain kinds of business and industry that may be eligible to receive various state credits and benefits for up to seven years. “The EZ program lowers the cost of doing business in Hawaii,” said Thom. “It’s for both new businesses and those that are expanding, creating jobs and maybe looking to export. It costs nothing to join this program as long as you’re in an eligible industry and located in an enterprise zone, which applies to most of Maui County.”
Jamie Lum, Economic Development Specialist for DBEDT’s Business Development Support Division, presented information on the Hawaii State Trade and Export Promotion Assistance Program (HiSTEP-AP). Under this program, qualified companies could receive direct awards to participate in export marketing activities. Applicants may request a minimum of $2,000 and a maximum of $6,000 for various business activities such as trade shows, travel, collateral materials, compliance testing, shipping, and other expenses. “There is a lot to learn in exporting and this program can be a great benefit to participants,” said Lum.
“The Hidden Gems workshop offered insights on how to grow my software company with State incentives,” said Greg Murphy, managing partner of iMatics. MEDB continues to provide invaluable resources to help business owners in the community.”
We are grateful to MEDB for offering the Hidden Gems workshop as part of their Innovation Series. It helped business owners learn the fundamentals of success through State programs.
Wayne Thom, Community Economic Development Manager of the State of Hawaii’s DBEDT Business Support Branch
Jul 20, 2016 | Small Business
Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) presented an Entrepreneurs’ Toolkit Bootcamp for Lanai residents on June 25th and 26th. The intense two-day workshop was part of the MEDB Innovation Series, a grassroots effort to help small businesses establish strong systems, processes, tools, and best practices to build a solid foundation for success. The free event provided attendees with helpful tips and resources to assist in launching their startups or boosting their existing businesses.
The workshop opened with keynote speaker Lanai Tabura. A Lanai native, Tabura is a well known entrepreneur, radio DJ, comedian, and actor. “Treating others with aloha is the way to cultivate relationships with everyone you meet,” Tabura said. “Adaptability and innovation are also a critical trait for an entrepreneur to possess. We adapt by our readiness to take every opportunity that comes to us, and the ability to innovate on the fly points to resourcefulness and creativity.” Lanai’s brother, Chef Adam Tabura, spoke to the group about his entrepreneurial journey and his newest business ventures. In 2013, the two brothers, teamed with Shaun Felipe, took first place on the Food Television Network’s “The Great Food Truck Race”. Additionally, Adam hosted a pau hana Saturday afternoon featuring some of his winning food truck creations.
During the two-day workshop, participants learned the basics of business startup creation using the Lean Startup method with the Lean Startup Canvas (LSC) – think of it as a roadmap. Omar Sultan, Luke Tucker, and Meli James of Sultan Ventures led the workshop. Attendees worked in teams to create a fictional startup or use an idea they created using the LSC, presenting their business plans for feedback. On the second day, the teams pitched their ideas before the workshop team, giving them valuable feedback to ensure the lessons they learned about the Lean Startup method were reinforced. “We were taught how to use the Lean Canvas, an actionable and entrepreneur-focused business plan, which gave us insight into whether we have a solid and effective venture,” said workshop participant Clay Richardson. Lanai resident Jina Lopez added, “This workshop helped me to understand aspects of business I formerly didn’t know how to use, such as creating a business plan. It’s given me a different viewpoint on how to be a leader and implement ideas.”
This event was amazing! The whole weekend gave people inspiration and resources that you pay for in college. My brother Adam and I hope to be a part of many more MEDB Entrepreneur Toolkit Workshops.
Lanai Tabura – Entrepreneur, radio DJ, comedian, actor, and 2013 winner of The Great Food Truck Race (reality television show)
Jul 13, 2016 | Education, Small Business
MEDB offers a powerful workshop to help you save money. Discover TWO State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) programs that can benefit your business:
Enterprise Zones (EZ) Partnership Program
If your new or existing business is located in an Enterprise Zone (EZ), you may be eligible to receive various state tax credits and benefits for up to 7 years, including:
- 100% exemption from the General Excise Tax
- Up to 80% non-refundable state income tax credit
- Up to 80% tax credit for Unemployment Insurance premiums
Hawaii State Trade and Export Promotion Assistance Program (HiSTEP-AP)
Under HiSTEP-AP, your company could receive direct awards to participate in export marketing activities. Applicants may request a minimum of $2,000 and a maximum of $6,000 for various business activities including trade shows, travel, collateral materials, compliance testing, shipping, and other expenses.
Workhop Speakers
The workshop is free. Breakfast will be provided. Reservations are required, space is limited. It is part of the MEDB Innovation Series, Foundations for Business Success.
Thursday, July 14, 2016 • 9 am – 12 noon
MEDB’s Malcolm Center, 1305 N. Holopono Street, Suite 5, Kihei
Mar 18, 2016 | Small Business
The recent Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) workshop, “Getting Started For Startups: The Basics of Sound Human Resources Management,” brought home once again the importance of building a strong foundation for business success. More than 20 entrepreneurs, small business owners, and business development professionals attended the HR workshop at MEDB’s Malcolm Center in Kihei which focused on a business’s most important asset – their employees.
“Our Business Development team appreciates the overwhelmingly positive response to the seminar,” said Frank De Rego Jr., Director of Business Development Projects at MEDB. “MEDB works diligently to provide startup, emerging-growth, and established businesses with the tools they need to be successful. The panel for this seminar represented some of the best state and local professionals in the human resources management field.”
“It was great being exposed to companies here on Maui that I can hire to perform many of my HR-related functions and reporting requirements,” said participant and new business owner Pamela Norris. “I attended this class to learn the new requirements that are unique to operating a 2016 business in Hawaii. This was very helpful and my questions about HR compliance were all answered.”
The expert panel members shared on aspects of Hawaii State law that included basic payroll regulations, tax liabilities, withholdings, and FICA-FUTA-SUTA taxes. Health care discussions focused on the Affordable Care Act, including an explanation of group versus individual health care plans plus the ins and outs of Prepaid Health options. The HR training covered recruiting, hiring and terminating an employee, plus the effects of Workers Compensation. A professional in the field of law, specializing in representing employers, explained the best practices to avoid lawsuits. Finally, wage and hour issues such as minimum wage and overtime, insurance requirements, and how new labor law legislation will impact business, rounded out the workshop.
“The breakout sessions following the seminar afforded the opportunity to learn more about the businesses represented by the other attendees,” said Norris. “A great deal of networking and valuable sharing of information took place in those sessions. Once again, MEDB sponsored a training session that meets the needs of the small business community here on Maui.”
In general, compliance with HR laws is not understood by employers. The MEDB workshop gave participants insights to increase their profitability and decrease their liability in the workplace.
David Yarbrough, Panel Member
Feb 24, 2016 | Small Business
You are invited to attend a seminar that will look at the basics of human resource management for business startups. All new entrepreneurs must navigate an often bewildering maze of tasks, rules, and regulations to get going. The goal of this interactive workshop is to set you on a path to success as you bring on and nurture one of your most vital strengths — employees.
What you will learn
Payroll Basics: Must-follow regulations; tax liabilities; withholdings; and an explanation of FICA-FUTA-SUTA.
Health Care Basics: The Affordable Care Act; explanation of group versus individual health care plans; and the ins and outs of Prepaid Health options.
Human Resource Basics: Recruiting, hiring, and terminating an employee; the effect of TDI and Workers Compensation.
Labor Law Basics: Best practices to avoid lawsuits; dealing with wage and hour issues such as minimum wage and overtime; insurance requirements; and how new labor law legislation will impact your business.
This seminar will take place Wednesday, March 2, 2016 from 8:30AM to 1:30PM. Admission is $25 and lunch will be provided; reservations are required. Space is limited. It will be held at MEDB’s Malcolm Center, 1305 N. Holopono St., Ste. #5 Kihei, HI 96753
For more information, contact Frank R. De Rego Jr., Business Development Projects Director
frank@medb.org 808.270.6807
Jan 28, 2016 | Environment, Events, Small Business, Sustainability
The Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, Maui County and Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) are hosting the third annual Maui Energy Conference, March 16-18 2016 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Energy experts and stakeholders from across the U.S. and Hawaii will meet to learn about the latest advances in clean energy and how Hawaii plans to achieve the new 100% RPS (Renewable Portfolio Standard) target. On June 8th 2015, Hawaii updated legislation setting the 100% renewable portfolio standard by 2045. The standards are state and local policies that mandate all or certain types of electricity producers to supply a minimum share of their electricity from designated renewable resources. Hawaii has met its annual RPS requirements to date.
Frank De Rego, Jr. Director of Business Development Projects, Maui Economic Development Board, Inc.
“The 2016 Maui Energy Conference will bring together some of the best minds in the energy sector from Maui County, the state, and the nation,” said Frank De Rego, Jr., MEDB Director of Business Development Projects and member of the conference program committee. “The focus of discussion will be Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative’s 100% RPS and its implications for Hawaii’s energy future. The strengths of the conference over the years have been the high quality of its speakers and panelists, the ample time to network and the availability of the panel sessions to the general public at the conclusion of the conference on the conference website.”
The Conference will seek consensus about realistic targets and goals, the readiness of the utilities to reach them and how much this will really cost. Other issues include how to mitigate disruptions of energy supply and price when transitioning from carbon based fuels to renewables and the importance of a diversified portfolio. Looking at all the other questions: How; Where; Why; and Who Pays are just a few of the obvious issues. “Within ‘how’ and ‘why’ are important sub-questions about fairness and respect for Hawaiian culture and the environment,” said Program committee chair, Doug McLeod, DKK Energy Services. “In addition, the County of Maui’s energy consultant Guernsey has been invited to present their recommendation with regard to ownership of the electric utility on Maui.”
An early-bird registration rate of $395 for the Maui Energy Conference is available through January 31st — a discount of $100. Details on this year’s program are available at the Conference website, MauiEnergyConference.com
Frank De Rego, Jr. Director of Business Development Projects, Maui Economic Development Board, Inc.
Jan 14, 2016 | Small Business
Maui Makers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is based on the belief that by working together we can prove that Hawai’i’s future is really what we “make of it.” Organized in 2010 by Haiku resident, Jerry Isdale, this unique group provides the venue, knowledge, and atmosphere to help people create their dreams. “Through educational outreach in the community, Maui Makers has inspired community members to be makers of things, not just consumers of things,” said Isdale. “There are very talented people on Maui. Naturally, these people need a dynamic workspace with access to collaboration and encouragement from others. In addition, participants have access to 21st century tools, fabrication processes and materials otherwise unaffordable or unattainable.”
Maui Makers holds public meetings, classes and a variety of workshops to create and construct things. They establish focus groups centered on various technologies and interests. The Arduino Innovation Group was the first of these to gain a following. Arduino is the name of an open-source electronics platform and the software used to program it. “It is designed to make electronics more accessible to artists, designers, hobbyists and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments,” said Workshop Instructor Laura Ulibarri. “My interest and connection to Maui Makers is through using open-source software and hardware to build a culture of innovation on Maui. There is a huge opportunity to start a company, get a business up and rolling and learn from others.” Makers encourages people to become entrepreneurs and to pursue careers in design, advanced manufacturing, or the related fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Maui Makers also offers engineering design projects for teachers and students as well as community members. They often partner with Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) to provide resources and support for improving STEM education in Maui County and beyond. “Like MEDB, we want to provide STEM learning opportunities that contribute to Hawai’i’s future viability,” Ulibarri said.
I think we’re on the brink of another revolution, this time favoring craftsmen and makers.
Laura Ulibarri, Maui Makers Workshop Instructor
Two workshops coming up this month will be invaluable to anyone thinking of starting a business on Lāna‘i: An evening “pitch bootcamp” next week, and a weekend workshop October 21-23. Both are free and include meals. Details and registration info below.
