Anyone who meets and chats with Jesus Puerto will soon learn that his little Cuban restaurant downtown is far more than just “a little Cuban restaurant.” Soul de Cuba Cafe, which opened in July 2006, is the outcome of a “supernatural series of events” and serves as a gateway to educate and enrich the lives of those who walk through its doors, “one spoonful at a time.” If you have been to Soul de Cuba or happened upon its website, you may already know of owner Puerto’s incredible history. A Tampa, Florida native, Puerto is the descendant of Afro-Cuban immigrants of the 1800s. He has a degree in international relations bolstered by extensive work with Habitat for Humanity and Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Camps, among other organizations. He is now a co-founder of two Soul de Cuba Cafes (the first is in New Haven, Connecticut), along with his brother, Robert, and other founding partner, Yoon Kim. But perhaps the most outstanding event of Puerto’s past was his miraculous recovery from spinal meningitis in 1993. Puerto strongly feels Babalu Aye, the Afro-Cuban deity in charge of the miracles of healing, provided a hand in his revival. A painting of Babalu’s likeness can be seen on the walls of Soul de Cuba, along with other Orisha, or deities of Santeria, the blend of West African and Roman Catholic spiritual traditions. First and foremost, Elegua sits above the doorway and the goddess of love and fertility, Ochun, is nearby. Three portraits of La Caridad del Cobre, literally “Virgin of the Town of Copper,” look down upon you from above the bar. These paintings, along with 100- year-old cigar box labels and family photos dating back to the 1800s, add life and color. But they are not just ornamentation. They are there, Puerto says, because “learning about something fascinating, colorful, and ancient is powerful.” Keeping tradition and history close is Puerto’s passion. Often encountering a lack of awareness about Cuba and its culture, Puerto strives to help that awareness grow. The interior of his restaurant including music, food and drink—don’t forget about Puerto’s divine sangria—are all part of an experience that was created to share. Puerto is also bottling some of his culinary traditions for others to use at home. The first product of his “Soul de Cuba” line is bottled Mojo (pronounced mo-ho), a citrus-based sauce with garlic, onion and other spices. So, why Hawaii? It all began with a missed flight in April 2001. Puerto was on his way to Western Samoa as a member of the Peace Corps. He wanted a more direct flight route but the federal government insisted he go through Hawaii. In Honolulu, he missed the connecting flight and was forced into a 4-day layover. What seemed at first an inconvenience became a calling. Puerto formed a bond with Hawaii and in 2006 more “supernatural support” would seal the deal. Puerto’s brother Robert was taking out the trash at their New Haven location when a man walking by struck up a conversation. This man turned out to be Robert Jackson, Director of Admissions at Yale University. Jackson and Puerto began talking about future plans of opening another restaurant, hopefully in Hawaii. Soon enough, Jackson used Yale alumni connections to link the restaurateurs with a local real estate agent. The message was clear: Honolulu was destined for a taste of Cuban cuisine. “We live by that hope that people are interested in learning,” Puerto says. “I hope everyone in the state of Hawaii comes in at least once—if they haven’t already—to experience Cuban culture and cuisine.” By empanada, painting or a passionate conversation with Puerto himself, Soul de Cuba, serves to open your hearts and minds to the roots of African and Cuban traditions and will certainly feed your soul, if you are willing.

An old man sits down on the swing on his front porch. He sips his coffee and his eyes show the rejoice he feels as he takes in the beautiful surroundings of this very familiar street. He’s had many moments in life, but this one carries a special tune. Why? He is fully present; he takes in enjoyment like the sips of his coffee. He has let go of his judgments. He has surrendered himself to the moment. Surrender is one of the hardest things to do in life. There’s work to be done, mouths to feed and pressures to live up to all kinds of expectations. We yearn to feel as though we have control of something, anything in life. It is what gives us a sense of stability, of safety. Our usual way of finding this control is by filling our minds with the multitude of tasks that need to be done and not stopping until each is finished. But, where does the moment go? One day after a busy week, I was leaving a message on a friend’s voice mail explaining how busy I’ve been and all the things ahead I will be busy with in the future. At that moment, I realized that if I stayed in that mind state I could end up busy for the rest of my life! Surely the to-do list will keep growing. I had labeled that list as “tasks.” I had taken the joy out of doing and turned it into obligation. Ask anyone. We can all relate to the “what’s next” persona. We have demanding lives! Multitasking is an art, but there are times when being in the present is essential. For example, you are sitting in a meeting, thoughts are racing through your mind, pick up supplies, propose the idea, do I remember all the facts? Maybe you think about a previous conversation you had with someone earlier. All of a sudden you get an epiphany! It’s a great idea; you say it with confidence. “We could do this!” Oops, looks like everyone else in the room had that same idea, and have been discussing it for the last five minutes. Where have you been? Getting in touch with now is a way of life, not a task. Clearing your mind is a huge part of this experience because it allows you to bring all focus into what’s happening right now. The undeniable truth is that we are completely uncertain of what the future holds and sometimes life is not fair. We cannot control the moment, only the way in which we react to it. To clear your mind, try putting things into perspective. Ask yourself, what is the most important thing I have to do right now? The simple, yet shocking, answer every time is to breathe. Without our breath surely we will not survive and so it is important to appreciate even the seemingly simplest of things. Take time to slow the breath, reacting on things as they come. Stop and listen, what do you hear around you? The sound of the breeze? A pleasant voice? Listening is also an art, for it is about what we are listening for. Yes, there are challenges in life; yes, there is hatred and cruelty; but, greater than all those things is love. There is love, kindness, and dreams becoming alive in every moment. When you listen, what do you hear? Right now you are alive. You have the ability to live out your dream. What an honor and a blessing it is to be experiencing these moments with one another. Yes the future is unknown to us, but what that means is that the possibilities for great joy and love are endless. In the stillness of right now there is perfection. There is a reason and a purpose. It may take you 80 years like the old man to truly see it, or possibly the time is right now.

“We are going to have to cut back on our marketing.” That is the line I always feel clients will say during a recession. Advertising and marketing budgets are usually one of the first expense line items to be effected when the economy slows, so what do you do with less money and resources? Here are a few solutions to consider when marketing during a recession.

Spend Money Online

The Internet is the best way to generate short-term sales, whereas television is best for long-term branding. During slower economic times, our clients see Internet advertisements easier to measure, which makes the spending easier to justify. Make sure your website is current, take advantage of e-mail communications and look for other sources of customer contact through the Internet.

Develop New Media Marketing Solutions

When I refer to new media marketing, I am referring to new websites that are helping businesses market themselves. Each of the following cost you nothing. Blogs, YouTube, Flickr, Podcasting, Twitter, MySpace, Facebook. Take a look at each of them to see how you can use them to help generate business.

Focus On Your Core Customers First

It is easier and less costly to get your core customers to spend money with you. Make sure you are taking advantage of any customer database you may have and reach out to your customers.

Focus On One Market

Look for one market segment you really want to concentrate on. Whether its teens, seniors or women 35-50, you’ll need to focus your efforts on that market. Make sure that you continue to spend your money and resources on this market.

Spend Money On Sales Promotion & Motivation

During a recession, it is important to reward your sales team for their efforts. Take the opportunity to create new challenges, contests and other sales tools to encourage your sales team to work harder and smarter.

Join Professional Clubs

There are many different organizations out there that may meet on a weekly or monthly basis. Ask other business associates, or check with the local business organizations/agencies for ideas.

Prioritize Your Budgets Into 50/25/25

Look at your entire marketing budget and take 50 percent of it as “Must Have”. Take another 25 percent as “Good to Have”. Finally, the last 25 percent will be the parts of the budget you can cut if needed.

Increase Your Marketing Budgets

During a slower economy, many companies increase their marketing budgets. Why? One simple reason— to gain market share. It is well documented that brands that increase advertising during a recession, when competitors are cutting back, can improve market share and return on investment at lower cost than during good economic times. Be aggressive. More aggressive companies will seek advantage of their competitors in a slow market. Whether you decrease or increase your marketing expenses this year, try to remain flexible. A recession does not last forever, but it is a time where advertising and marketing spending does slow down. I hope some of these solutions can help you during these challenging times as we look for brighter days ahead in the future.

When the proverbial doctor prescribes the “take two and call me in the morning,” it is usually a full dose. Recently, Ben Bernanke and the Federal Reserve (Fed) lowered interest rates by 75 basis-points followed by another 50 basispoint reduction in less than 10 days, an unprecedented move and a huge decrease in the cost of borrowing money for America’s banks. In addition to the moves of the Fed and in a bipartisan manner, Washington’s finest have determined the need to stimulate our economy via tax rebates. Our nation’s leaders have thus prescribed a “temporary” cure for our current financial ailments and investors are waiting to see the effects of these stimulus packages. Healing our current financial woes is not an easy task and requires a full dose of systematic and long-term stimulus rather than a half dose of temporary motivation. Think of it this way, one wouldn’t prescribe aspirin to treat pneumonia. Unfortunately, our leaders are curing our financial pneumonia with aspirin. Our current financial crisis is complicated and extensive. This makes it very difficult to ascertain the extent to which it will affect our global economy, and it is frustratingly difficult for investors to navigate through the carnage. The root of our situation is not complicated, however, and understanding the source can offer investors insight into how to get through this difficult time. Bottom line: Our nation is over leveraged and until our debt levels normalize, investors should err on the conservative side by sticking with highquality investments. Fancy investments such as structured investment vehicles (SIVs), collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) and high-yielding bonds may offer enticing returns. However, much of the current carnage is a direct result of even the most savvy financial institutions (i.e., banks and brokerages) realizing the risk associated with these investments as they watched their investments lose value. When investing, especially during volatile times such as these, keep in mind the relationship between risk and return and don’t over medicate your investments by reaching for unreasonable returns. Too often, what appears to be safe may actually contain greater risks than one thinks. One type of popular investment vehicle that is susceptible to the current market conditions is the municipal bond market — and few investors see the plague coming. States, cities, or other local government agencies issue bonds to raise funds for capital projects and classify their bonds as either general obligations or secured obligations (secured by revenues of the issuer). Many municipal bonds secured by revenues require bond insurers to help secure the bond so they may qualify for higher quality ratings by ratings agencies (i.e., S&P and Moody’s). Recently, these agencies have begun to scrutinize bond insurers as many disclosed exposure to the fancy investments that caught many financial institutions offguard, calling into question their ability to secure the municipal bonds. The trickle-down effect of a change in quality rating of these insurers is tremendous, making the ratings of municipal bonds questionable. During a time when fiscal and monetary policies are taking corrective steps towards curing our financial crisis, don’t be lured into questionable investments that promise high returns. Wait for a full dosage stimulus package (i.e., permanent tax cuts and longer-term liquidity) before considering any investments other than high-quality stocks and bonds. It’s what this doctor orders.

Looking for a good time? Dynamic duo Flash Hansen and Matty Boy Hazelgrove have raised the bar in entertainment events here in Hawaii. From upscale events at the Sheraton Waikiki’s Hanohano Room to Cancun-style festivities at Señor Frog’s, these boys bring a certain vibe to the nightlife scene. Their company, F&M for Flash and Matty Boy, handles promotions, marketing, and production for nightlife events. It may be a socialite’s dream job, but there’s a lot of hard work that goes into making sure the party stays hot. “People seem to think we have all this time during the day, like we wake up at 2 p.m. or something. Actually, most of what we do happens during the daytime. When we get to one of our events at night, a majority of the work is done,” states Hansen. Hansen and Hazelgrove average anywhere from two to five meetings a day and their job duties entail everything from conceptualizing an event to booking venues and entertainment, getting sponsors, and cutting radio scripts; not to mention a massive amount of guerilla marketing. “We’re big believers in customer service,” says Hansen. The partners always try to make time to shake hands, and mingle with the crowd. “We’ve made a lot of friendships this way” adds Hazelgrove. If you choose to book a table, or are ordering a bottle, one of them is sure to check in with you to make sure everything is up to par. So how did this power team come about? Hansen, having worked in the club industry for years and born and raised in Hawaii, was already well known around the community. Hazelgrove had just moved to the Islands from Georgia and was looking for work. His brother was the one who got him in touch with Flash. “The first job he offered me was selling hot dogs outside the Wave,” Hazelgrove chuckles, “I was way to shy to be the hot-dog boy though. I turned the offer down.” Hazelgrove kept pursuing extra work with Hansen and from very humble beginnings was promoted to Hansen’s assistant, and now, partner. The pair seem to balance each other out: Hazelgrove being the more creative partner and Hansen, the more detailoriented. They bounce ideas off each other all of the time, constantly looking for ways to top the last event. “You end up spending a lot of time on something that doesn’t ever see the light of day. Whether it be that we don’t have the budget or the venue postpones it,” says Hansen. The creative ideas for new events are inspired by what they, personally, would really enjoy. They’re always looking to do what no one else has done before. This past New Year’s Eve, they took over the entire W hotel! It went so well that plans for next year are in effect and will probably be even more elaborate. Working long, hard hours, and not being afraid to fail, has paid off for these young professionals. Hansen offers that, when an event doesn’t go well, they try to not dwell on the failure. “Take it well, have a good time with friends and see what you can do better next time, but always expect to have a success.” So where is the party at? Their most popular event would have to be the famed Skyline, which is on the first and third Saturday of each month at the Sheraton Waikiki’s Hanohano room. It’s about to hit its four-year anniversary on Saturday, June 7. They will be celebrating this success with the annual white party. All who attend must wear white to get in. New to Flash & Matty is Candy Bar every Friday at Pearl, and Oceanfront every 2nd and 4th Saturday at Rumfire. They’ve also expanded the F&M party scene to Kauai where they present “Release” every Friday at The Point at the Sheraton Kauai; flying gogo dancers and DJs to Kauai as they bring the Honolulu party vibe they’ve created outer-island.

The girls are back in town! February is when the LPGA Tour visits Hawaii and local and visiting golf fans get to watch the best female players in the world as they compete in two tournaments back-toback. There’s a lot to learn from watching these girls play as well. The LPGA’s first tournament on the course! is the SBS Classic at the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s beautiful North Shore. This season opening event allows the pros time to get over their jet lag and work out some off-season rust. Then, the ladies kick their games into high gear the next week at the Fields Open in Hawaii played at Ko Olina Golf Club at the Ko Olina Resort and Marina. I think the average golfer, whether they are male or female, can learn far more from watching the ladies play than their male counterparts on the PGA Tour. It’s really hard to relate to the astronomical yardages that the men are hitting these days with their drivers. Anyone trying to emulate Bubba Watson or J.B. Holmes shirtripping golf swings better have a large bottle of aspirin handy to fix their sprained back. It’s not that the ladies are short by any means. The longest hitter on the LPGA Tour last year was Karin Sjodin who averaged 275 yards off of the tee – very respectable by any ones standards. The petite Lorena Ochoa, last year’s leading money winner, is not far behind averaging over 270 yards with her driver. Bubba Watson is leading the way on the PGA Tour with an average driving distance of 316 yards. There is a remarkable difference, however, in watching the golf swings between a Bubba Watson and Lorena Ochoa. Lorena’s swing appears effortless while Bubba looks like he is making a sincere heroic effort to drive his ball over the moon! Certainly, both players have excellent swing mechanics but the problem for the average spectator is that Bubba and many of his fellow male pros swing so fast, it’s all just a blur. Forget about trying to follow the flight of the ball as it’s rocketed off of their club-head. The average player really can’t relate to that swing nor should they. They generally mistake the outstanding swing dynamics that are taking place in Bubba’s swing for sheer muscular effort. Lorena Ochoa, on the other hand, appears so relaxed while she’s swinging it’s almost as if she could actually yawn during her backswing. She still generates tremendous swing speed through the use of solid mechanics and fundamentals. She provides a much better role model for anyone trying to learn how to swing a golf club the right way. I don’t want to give you a false impression however. The girls on the LPGA are not just hitting it farther these days due to good swing mechanics. Fitness training is common place and it’s rare to find a player who is not spending a huge amount of her time in the gym these days. An important key to playing good golf is to be relaxed and have good mechanics, but it also really helps to be in great physical shape. Come to think about it—that’s another good reason to come out and watch the girls play! Hope to see you on the course!

It was love at first sight for 22-year-old Shirley Temple, who met Hawaiian Pineapple executive Charles Black at a party in Honolulu in 1950. “I fell in love with him at first sight. It sounds corny, but that’s what happened. But, I don’t think he did with me.” Black had not seen any of her films and did not recognize her. “We were introduced,” the former child star recalled, “and he said ‘What do you do, are you a secretary?’ I said, ‘I can’t even type. I make films.’ It was very refreshing to me – a handsome guy who wasn’t interested in Hollywood or anything about it.” Shirley Temple was separated at the time from her first husband, Jack Agar. She and her new beau spent a lot of time touring Oahu, and going for swims. A friend, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, ran a background check on Black and learned that he had been a naval intelligence officer during World War II and had been awarded a Silver Star. They married later that year and spent 55 years together until Charles died in 2002. The most famous child star in history came to the Islands many times, the first in 1935 in the midst of the great depression. Over 15,000 people came to meet her ship at Aloha Tower, and at first, the childstar was afraid of the huge crowd. But then she spotted Duke Kahanamoku in the crowd and called out to him. A few minutes later, she was sitting on his shoulders. Shirley Temple stayed at the Royal Hawaiian, which created a drink made with ginger ale, grenadine syrup, orange juice, a maraschino cherry and a slice of lemon. Temple broke into movies in Stand Up and Cheer in 1934 at the age of five. She performed in several more films that year, including Bright Eyes, where she first sang “On the Good Ship Lollipop.” She was the top box-office star in America when she first visited Hawaii in 1935.

In networking, this means to commit fully to the experience at hand. With that in mind, plan on participating and not merely attending, because when you participate you control the outcome and are in the moment. To learn more about the subject, you can research the speaker or topic before attending. By calling the host or planning committee, you can find out an abundance of information while you are registering for the event. While it is only a few minutes of invested time, it will showcase a tremendous knowledge possessed. Who knows? You may even get the chance to speak with the presenter or host at the event. What an opportunity that would be to ask some really insightful questions! When you are fully engaged, always smile and be approachable. When someone comes within three feet of you, put your hand out first and offer to shake hands. Take this opportunity to introduce yourself and, then, after getting the person’s name, introduce him or her to others in your current conversation or group. Always present your business card and ask engaging questions that pertain to the topic presented or about the host of the event. Another strong engagement practice is arriving early and standing close to the entrance and acting like the host. This is a great way to meet people. You can even thank them for attending. You can also do this at the end of the event. To assist you in getting engaged, try some pre-event planning before you attend your next networking function. Start with your own personal outline of what, specifically, you do and know your 30-second elevator pitch. Next, set a target number goal of quality prospects who you intend on meeting and don’t leave until you have achieved your goal. Remember, this is not the time to close your next deal, but, rather, to get to know the prospects and see if there is a potential need for your product or services. Use this opportunity to set a follow-up meeting to discuss more in detail how you/your company can benefit them. Lastly, know something more about the speaker or reason for being there by doing a little online research. This can be done easily by looking on the company’s or individual’s Web site or a few simple clicks on Google or Yahoo. This will definitely set you apart from the crowd and help you become an Engaged Networker!

When you think of computers and computer technology, often, the subject is serious; however, the only thing Yasuo Ogawa and his staff take seriously at Cowabunga Computers are their customers. Since 2001, part of Cowabunga’s mission has been to provide reliable external service, responsible internal service, and trust in themselves and their abilities Although clients have approached Yasuo about changing the name of the business because it doesn’t sound very professional, and the logo is handwritten, Yasuo smiles as he confirms that, “People remember us by our name.” Certainly you will know them by their service cars, painted just like cows, for ‘Cow’abunga. Born in Tokyo, Japan, Yasuo was raised in Honolulu. He attended the University of Michigan and received a business degree. Before coming back to Hawaii, Yasuo spent time in New York working in the sales department for United Airlines. Living in New York helped him to grow in his business aspirations and toughened him up for the endeavors ahead. He says that the best advice he received was to ‘follow your dream,’ but know when to quit, elaborating that your dream should never come at the cost of your family, friends, mental, or physical health. The idea behind a computer repair business is a story that we all can relate to at some point or another. Yasuo had a personal computer that had some technical problems, and when he went to a repair shop to have it looked at, according to Yasuo, no repairs were able to be made; yet he walked out of the shop with a bill. Cowabunga Computers pride themselves on quality service and customer satisfaction; they will never charge you to look at a computer. “It’s about the service for us, not about the rates,” Yasuo explained. The services that Cowabunga offers range from internal to external, hardware to software, and Web solutions to net solutions. There are technicians available to service residential, commercial, state computers, and servers. Customers can be sure to receive quality work and attention. Cowabunga has recently partnered with Road Runner which Yasuo says has been an incredible endorser of their service. All technicians are certified and licensed in various operations such as Microsoft and Cisco Systems for tech- nical support, but more importantly in customer service.” Partnering with Road Runner really helped legitimize the company and get our name out in the community,” Yasuo said. Cowabunga is pleased that it can participate in community events and functions such as the Great Aloha Run, projects with the Y.M.C.A, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. “We are in a position now to be able to give monetary support, but also, more importantly, give of our time,” Yasuo commented. Customers shouldn’t be worried or stressed any longer about computer troubleshooting. A visit to the Cowabunga office should put their minds at ease as they recognize core values such as trust, respect, pride, team work, and passion. Yasuo also believes that when it comes to technical support it is always better to work with a larger company. He humbly credits other computer companies such as Super Geeks as complementary rather than competitive, working together in the community, rather than against one another. “As long as we do our best, that’s all I can ask of my staff,” Yasuo said. With technology always changing and evolving, Yasuo sees more services being diverted to remote support, where instead of a technician coming to your home, more servicing is done online. Cowabunga provides service and repair to all of Hawaii and is excited about their new location at Pearl Kai that opened in November of 2007. The best advice he received was to follow your dream, but know when to quit, elaborating that your dream should never come at the cost of your family, friends, mental or physical health. When you think of computers and computer technology, often, the subject is serious; however, the only thing Yasuo Ogawa and his staff take seriously at Cowabunga Computers are their customers. Since 2001, part of Cowabunga’s mission has been to provide reliable external service, responsible internal service, and trust in themselves and their abili- ties to make the vision come true.

In December 2005, Tushar Dubey and his wife, Ana, decided to open Hokulani Bake Shop which specializes in custom cookies and cupcakes made from scratch without artificial ingredients or substitutes. The bakery is named, in part, after Hokulani Elementary School in Manoa, Tushar’s Alma matter. Born and raised in Honolulu, Tushar’s family came from India after his father was accepted to the MBA program at the University of Hawaii. Tushar moved to Pittsburgh to attend Carnegie Mellon University and received a degree in economics and public policy. At that time, he was very involved in the world of technology. Ana, his future wife, was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia. Ana received a degree in marketing, and worked for Time Warner. The couple met in New York City while Ana was on vacation, and remained in contact via phone and e-mail after Ana went back to Colombia. In January 2004, Ana came to Hawaii for the first time and lived in Honolulu for six months. In October of that same year, Tushar went to visit Ana in Colombia. The couple was married in February 2005, a month after Ana moved permanently to Honolulu, celebrating their marriage with three ceremonies, a Hindu ceremony in India, where Tushar’s extended family is from, a Christian ceremony in Colombia, where Ana’s family lives, and of course a local barefoot ceremony in Honolulu. The bakery opened its doors at Restaurant Row, along with a small kiosk at Ala Moana, in December 2005. Even though they decided to close the kiosk, the bakery has remained opened and the cupcakes and cookies at Hokulani Bake Shop continue to invite customers young and old. “I remember my parents telling me that whatever I chose to do, strive to do the very best,” Tushar said. And only the best is what the bakery offers, using only real ingredients, butter instead of margarine, and locally-produced eggs instead of frozen substitutes. Ana and Tushar strive to bring only the best and freshest of ingredients to their customers. The most popular item is the moist and silky, red-velvet cupcake with a cream cheese frosting. The bakery also makes custom cookies in all shapes and sizes, decorating the cookies for just about any occasion. And, for customers who stop in on Wednesdays, freshly-made brownies are available. “One of the best things about our business is that it is very creative and custom, and we are able to interact with our customers,” Ana added. Both Ana and Tushar agreed that the first two years of a retail business can be extremely difficult and that there are sacrifices that have to be made. However, they also agreed that there is a joy in being able to be part of their customers’ lives through cupcakes and cookies for special events and occasions. Because of Tushar’s long sought-after vision, and Ana’s perfectionist techniques, after only two years, Hokulani Bakery is exceeding both Tushar’s and Ana’s expectations. In whatever free time they get, Ana and Tushar love to travel, and recently completed a two-week vacation to India and China. They admit that prior to opening the bakery, they used to hike almost every week along various trails on the east side of Oahu. Ana and Tushar consider themselves to be a mom-and-pop business, and they would like to become a household name for quality baked goods. “We’re only as good as our last cupcake,” Tushar smiled. The couple has plans to introduce new flavors and launch a privatelabel brand of baby clothing, Made from Scratch, and sell Hokulani merchandise such as T-shirts and other apparel. Hokulani Bake Shop is located in Restaurant Row at 500 Ala Moana Blvd #4B.