Apr 12, 2017 | Education
How safe is your business data?
Are you an easy target for hackers?
How can you protect yourself from cyber-crime?
Data Security will be a key topic at the Hawaii Small Business Conference that will help business owners find practical IT (Information Technology) solutions that fit into how their company operates and what they can afford. “We want to present people with the realities of what cyber-crimes exist now, what we can expect to see in the future, and then suggest defenses that their businesses can take to mitigate or eliminate these risks,” said Gerry Smith, MEDB Director of Business Development. “There will be insights into how clever these criminals are, examples of actual crimes that could have been prevented through awareness, plus much more.”
Edward Arias
The presentation on Data Security and Small Business by Edward Arias, FBI Special Agent, Cyber-Crime Squad, Honolulu Division; and Matt Freeman, Senior Manager, IP & Managed Services, Hawaiian Telcom, will offer insights on how to sharpen your understanding of risks with your online ventures. “Arias will explore data-security from the perspective of the criminal, outlining the vulnerabilities and ‘holes’ in security that make many businesses perfect targets,” Smith noted. “Freeman will approach it from the opposite perspective, concentrating on what a small company can do to prevent being a victim of cyber-crime.”
“For the last several years, my focus has been on building Information Security programs for businesses,” Freeman said. “I spend my days — and nights — helping business owners prepare their own individual defenses. I am confident I can provide conference participants with an interesting perspective for defense than aligns with Arias’s insights on attacks.”
The first-ever Hawaii Small Business Conference at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center on May 3-4 offers innovative specialists and leaders in all sectors of the business community. Hosted by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, the two-day conference will offer keynote speakers, case studies, workshops, networking, and product and service exhibits.
For information and reservations for the 2017 Hawaii Small Business Conference, visit www.HawaiiSmall.Biz.
Con artists are targeting people. At the Hawaii Small Business Conference we will share what you can do to prevent scams and hacking and increase your online security.
Edward Arias, FBI Special Agent, Cyber-Crime Squad, Honolulu Division
Apr 5, 2017 | Education, Small Business
On May 3–4, 2017, Maui Economic Development Board, in collaboration with Maui County’s Office of Economic Development, will present the first-ever Hawaii Small Business Conference. The theme, Design, Protect, Engage: Small Business Strategies for Success, aims to provide business stake-holders with a rare opportunity to sharpen their professional expertise and skills.
“This year’s theme aptly describes what attendees will gain from this empowering two-day event,” said Teena Rasmussen, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development. “Not only will entrepreneurs, owners, and employees of new and established businesses learn how to take their business to the next level, but also they’ll gain insights on how to stay ahead of the competition.”
Maggie Bayless
Conference attendees will network face-to-face with innovative business leaders and hear their insights, best practices, and tricks of the trade on a variety of topics. They can also take advantage of workshops and exhibits while promoting their goods and services. The first keynote presenter, Maggie Bayless, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, ZingTrain, will explore the elements of leadership and employee behavior that improve the performance of an organization in some meaningful way. Bottom Line Change®, her company’s training framework for teaching key principles of business, is a simple and clear practice for creating change. “At ZingTrain, we show how to strengthen every aspect of the business, based on five key elements: teaching, defining, living, measuring, and rewarding. Then we show the steps to great customer service: find out what the customer wants; get it for them accurately, politely, and enthusiastically; and go the extra mile. Outstanding methods are central to our own businesses and are the template for much of our training work.”
You can’t over-communicate,” Bayless explained. “People need to hear something many times to really take it in. All this communication pays off when they understand what they need to do and are able to make good decisions based on new information. Since most of our businesses are hitting their goals, this tells me we’re doing at least a few things right.”
ZingTrain instruction begins with a long-term vision, defining where you are going, what success looks like, and how to get from here to there.
Maggie Bayless, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, ZingTrain
Mar 29, 2017 | Environment
Art Thomas’ Kona Ice business operates two unique shaved ice trucks on Maui that cater to parties, fundraisers and events of all types. Thomas, a technology teacher at Kalama Intermediate School, owns trucks that are not only fun to look at: they serve the coolest shaved ice around. “In our six-plus years, we are proud to have raised over $100,000 for local student organizations,” said Thomas. “It’s essential to establish team scholarships for players based on financial need. I grew up in a poor household and received generous donations to participate in sports programs. Because I was afforded that opportunity, I want to give back.”
Most of Kona Ice’s business is done at youth sports events. Once proper paperwork is approved with the county, the trucks show up at the events and give 20 to 30 per cent of the profits to the organization. “It’s the perfect snack that meets all of the federal nutrition guidelines for schools and is one of the easiest ways to reward students and raise some funds at the same time,” said Thomas.
Kona Ice has been a key contributor within the Maui soccer community as well as to robotics and engineering programs, Hawaiiana clubs, and more. “Through its vending at Hawaii Soccer Federation (HSF) leagues and events, and then giving back a portion of its proceeds, Kona Ice has been providing sweet memories and financial support towards the development of youth on Maui,” said Vernon Kapua’ala, HSF President and CEO. “In the past two years, HSF’s leagues and programs have expanded to include more players, teams and programs, on Maui, Kauai, the Big Island, and Oahu. Kona Ice’s support of HSF has helped to empower that growth. This stems from Thomas’ understanding of community, and the idea that giving back is an integral part of producing a community that thrives. We send many mahalos to the Thomas ohana for their service to our youth organizations, and hope our partnership and friendship continues for many years to come!”
We are committed to giving back to the youth in our communities. It’s not an afterthought, it’s who we are!
Art Thomas, Kalama Intermediate School Technology Teacher, Kona Ice Owner
Mar 22, 2017 | Education, Stemworks
Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) 2017 Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit & Auction, to be held on August 26 at the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea, raises money to support STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) projects in Maui County and throughout the state. The Ke Alahele ‘Pathways to Our Future’ event celebrates the Fund’s impressive giving to enhance education and training in our community as well as the notable Daniel K. Inouye (DKI) Innovation Award. The DKI award honors the late Senator who did so much to inspire our youth and provide STEM opportunities in Hawaii.
“The DKI awards are presented to a Maui County student or team that demonstrates the most innovative use of STEM tools and capabilities to serve and improve our community,” said Leslie Wilkins, MEDB Vice President and Women in Technology (WIT) Director. “Students select a societal issue and then, by using sophisticated technology and possibly inventing their own tools, they create a real solution to address the community challenge.”
The 2016 second-place Daniel K. Inouye award winner, Evelyn Haase, currently a junior at Molokai High School, has participated in MEDB’s WIT STEMworks™ program since she was a middle school Excite Camper. Recently, Haase was awarded first place overall at the 58th Maui County Regional Science & Engineering Fair. She invented a pH sensor that can measure very small changes in the ocean pH due to environmental fluctuations. Not only does it improve accuracy, but it offers a huge cost savings compared to the current systems available to marine scientists.
“After winning the DKI Innovation Award, I had a bit more confidence going into my second year of research and the deployment stage of the project,” said Haase. “We are all blessed by MEDB and the technological tools they give us to pursue our interest in science. Through the Ke Alahele Education Fund, they give students the opportunity to see and discover the whole world out there.”
MEDB and WIT congratulate Haase for her impressive Maui County Regional Science & Engineering Fair performance. She took first place overall, first place for environmental engineering, an award from MECO, and the Stockholm Water Project certificate of excellence.
Leslie Wilkins, MEDB Vice President and WIT Director
Mar 15, 2017 | Small Business
In February, Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) offered two power-packed workshops in preparation for its Pitch Bootcamp on May 16 and Startup Weekend Maui, May 19-21, 2017. Both workshops provided attendees with tips on how to launch successful ventures and strengthen their finances. Entrepreneurs and small business owners who were interested in learning how to run a business more profitably, build business skills, and avoid the mistakes that cause businesses to fail were drawn to MEDB’s first workshop, Pinching Your Pennies: Finance for Entrepreneurs.
“There’s method to the madness when it comes to running a business and a key component is understanding one’s financials,” said workshop presenter Gerry Smith, MEDB’s Director of Business Development. “This includes watching the bottom line. You should know all of your costs, both fixed and variable, and how these different components figure into the big picture. Only when you understand your costs can you begin to control them.”
Ian Elumba, co-founder of Kohola Brewery in Lahaina, noted that a strong financial awareness from the start builds a strong, growing business. “We’re a year-old business and appreciate MEDB’s workshops that teach us about profits, costs and the simple but important things to run a prosperous business.”
The second workshop, Business Model Canvas & Lean Startup Overview, was led by Omar Sultan, founder and managing partner of Sultan Ventures and XLR8UH. He touted the many benefits of the Lean Startup methodology, a scientific approach to creating and managing startups and growing businesses. “We hope participants benefit from the Lean Startup approach to help them think through the steps it takes to launch a successful business,” said Sultan. “With this method, new information can allow the entrepreneur to re-evaluate his original hypothesis and constantly learn to improve the business. The Lean Startup process is critical to establishing a strong foundation, providing tools to test a vision continuously, and helping to avoid wasting money, resources, and time.” For more information or to register for MEDB’s Pitch Bootcamp and Startup Weekend Maui in May, visit http://www.up.co/communitites/usa/maui/events.
The forthcoming Pitch Bootcamp and Startup Weekend Maui are part of a global grassroots movement of active and empowered entrepreneurs with various skill sets who are determined to learn the basics of founding startups and launching successful ventures.
Gerry Smith, MEDB Director of Business Development
Mar 8, 2017 | Education
Facing serious health challenges, Daniel, a ten-year old boy diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, reached out to Make-A-Wish® Hawaii to help make one of his wishes come true. Daniel’s love of astronomy brought him and his family to Maui for a tour atop Haleakala. Daniel had an extraordinary experience with the collaboration of the nonprofit Make-A-Wish® Foundation, Dr. J.D. Armstrong, Educational Outreach Specialist at the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy, and many volunteers.
“Daniel was so impressed by the observatories that simultaneously perform such diverse missions as exploring the heavens, monitoring natural and manmade space activities, and tracking the growing amount of space debris,” said Dr. Armstrong. “He was also astonished that many Maui students his age have access to the Faulkes Telescope North via their computers.”
“It was amazing and very cold up there!” exclaimed Daniel. “I learned that scientists are still discovering new planets and near-Earth asteroids, and I saw the incredible new Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope that’s being built. Dr. Armstrong explained how astronomers determine the age of stars by observing their spectrum, luminosity, and motion through space. Knowing the star’s age is important for many astronomical studies, especially for planet hunters.”
Every year, about 100 keiki in our islands are diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition. “It is our vision to grant the wish of every eligible child,” said Abe McAulton, Wish-Assist Coordinator with Make-A Wish® Hawaii. “There is power in a wish come true and medical professionals are prescribing it as good medicine. These moments allow the children to feel normal again, without doctors, hospitals, blood tests, or any treatment. Every smile and every shared moment, brought about by caring people, is something truly magical.”
Wish-granting takes place on every island throughout the State of Hawaii. “More than 13,000 wishes have been granted in Hawaii with the help of over 700 volunteers,” said McAulton. “When wishes happen they make such a lasting difference in the lives of the children and the communities we serve.”
Make-A-Wish® Hawaii grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
Abe McAulton, Make-A-Wish® Hawaii Wish-Assist Coordinator
Mar 1, 2017 | Environment, Events, Small Business
Maui Economic Development Board, in collaboration with County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, invites you to the first-ever Hawaii Small Business Conference. Small business owners, startups and entrepreneurs interested in taking their business to the next level and sharpen their professional acumen and skills are encouraged to attend.
Network with movers and shakers in the business community and hear from experts on Customer Service, Marketing, Data Security, Risk Management, Tax Strategies and Human Resources. May 3-4 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.
For more information, go to HawaiiSmall.biz.
Feb 22, 2017 | Environment, Events, Small Business
Experts from across the nation will explore new and innovative pathways to a vibrant and clean energy future.
Topics will include:
- How can we make our energy systems more resilient and sustainable?
- What types of rate structures and incentives will be necessary?
- What synergies across energy sectors are possible?
Join us March 22-24 for the fourth Maui Energy Conference and Exhibition and be a part of this important conversation!
Feb 15, 2017 | Education, Innovation, Stemworks
The Maui League VEX IQ Robotics finals took place on Saturday January 28th at Lokelani Intermediate School in Kihei. The Teamwork Champion Award went to Pukalani Elementary School team 10704B and Maui Preparatory Academy team 10528B. Both teams, along with Pomaikai Elementary School, qualified for the State/Regional VEX IQ Challenge on February 20, 2017 at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. These Maui students continue to spend countless hours designing, building, programming and testing their robots with hopes of advancing to the 10th VEX Robotics World Championship on April 19-25, 2017 in Louisville, Kentucky.
The VEX IQ Challenge is played on a 4’x8’ rectangular field. Two robots compete in the Teamwork Challenge as an alliance in 60-second teamwork matches, working collaboratively to score points. Teams also compete in two additional challenges. The Robot Skills Challenge requires each robot to take the field under driver control. The Programming Skills Challenge requires each robot to score points without any driver inputs. The object of the game is to attain the highest score by accumulating Hexballs in their color-coded zones and goals and by parking and balancing robots on the bridge.
For over a decade, the MEDB Ke Alahele Education Fund of Maui Economic Development Board, fueled with the generous support from numerous community businesses and individuals, has been empowering Maui County students to compete in the VEX IQ Challenge and First® Robotics Competitions. “MEDB is thrilled to see the excitement of our Maui County students as they experience the Maui League competitions,” said Isla Young, WIT K-12 STEM Director. “As we continue to engage our students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education, robotics is one example that brings together critical thinking, teamwork, and research.”
“If it weren’t for MEDB, Pukalani Elementary School would not have this incredible Robotics program,” said Jasmine Domingo, Pukalani Robotics Coach. “Alongside their STEM education, the students are building leadership and problem-solving skills. I’m so proud of them!”
I love that there are always new things to learn at the competitions, such as how to improve programming of robots. Also, I enjoy working with my teammates and students from other schools.
Josie Vierra, Pukalani Elementary School 4th Grader
Feb 8, 2017 | Community
Text the Word CFCONNECT to 22333
Maui Waena Intermediate School, a participant in the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) Women in Technology (WIT) STEMworks™ AFTERschool program, recently won Best in State in the Verizon Innovative Learning App Challenge. This competition was created by Verizon to encourage students from across the country to create an idea for a problem-solving app. “Our STEMworks™ team created an app, CFConnect, that would allow people with cystic fibrosis (CF) to communicate directly with their doctors, other patients, and to keep track of their daily pulmonary health,” said Jennifer Suzuki, Maui Waena STEMworks™ teacher. “The students came up with CFConnect to assist their teammate, Ethan, who has CF. The app could also help thousands of people worldwide get information, feel connected and monitor their own health.”
The Maui Waena app was voted best among all the middle school entries in Hawaii. They won a $5,000 award from the Verizon Foundation for their school, besides tablets for each student team member. They are currently in the running for the Fan Favorite App Challenge Award, and need you to text your vote! The Fan Favorite Award was created to give the community an opportunity to show their support for student innovation in developing app concepts that address societal issues.
“This means we could win an additional $ 15,000 dollars for the school,” Suzuki explained. “Additionally, the students will receive the chance to build their concepts into working apps with MIT Media Laboratory experts and an all-expenses-paid trip to the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) Conference in Orlando, Florida in June 2017.
“To win, our team needs help from everyone in the community,” said Suzuki. “Our concept needs to get the most votes. You can help us win by texting to number 22333 and entering the word: CFCONNECT by February 14, 2017. Please ask everyone you know that can help our team win. It is our chance to really support our students!”
Voting is quick and easy! Please text the school’s code CFCONNECT to 22333.
Ethan, Waena Intermediate School student and CFConnect App team member
