87Zero Furnishes Fine Design

by Kim Baxter Michel Maeda and Greg Endo always keep their Blackberrys within arm’s reach. They get up at 4 a.m. for that call to the East Coast. They stay up past midnight to Skype with manufacturers in Asia. Such are the sacrifices the two have made as they’ve worked to transform 87Zero from a small company with an unusual name to a local success story. Maeda founded 87Zero, (pro- nounced eight seven zero, the compa- ny’s address on Kawaiaha‘o Street in Honolulu) in October 2006 to connect clients in the Islands to interior and exterior design manufacturers around the world. They serve primarily the hospitality and commercial markets with a few residential projects. Click here to read the complete article

What’s New on the Garden Isle

Kaua‘i has always been recognized for its beautiful beaches and scenic hiking trails, but it’s the entrepreneur- ship and optimism abounding in the island community that is bringing excitement in the form of new com- mercial and residential activity for locals and visitors alike. The most popular new retail deve- lopment on Kaua‘i is Kukui‘ula Village, an eleven-building outdoor shopping center with more than forty-five stores that opened near the roundabout in Po‘ipu last fall. Notable shops include James Hoyle’s airy studio, filled with his vibrant, thick-paint-style images, and galerie 103, where the art “knows no boundaries.” Restaurants include Merriman’s Kaua‘i, an upscale dinner house owned by acclaimed Big Island chef Peter Merriman, the popular Kaua‘i resident-owned Bubba Burgers, and Living Foods Market & Café. All feature Kaua‘i-grown foods. Click here to read the complete article

Instituting Benefit Programs for Valued Employees

by Nash Subotic To attract and retain skilled employees, small businesses can use a variety of rewards and incentives, including bonuses, 401(k) plans and benefit programs made especially for top tier executives. THE FOLLOWING ARE 4 TYPES OF EXECUTIVE BENEFIT PROGRAMS: Executive Bonus Arrangements This is one of the simplest executive benefits: The company pays the execu- tive a bonus as taxable income, and the expense is deductible. The bonus is used to pay premiums on a permanent life insurance policy with cash value. The executive owns the policy and its cash value; he or she may name or change the beneficiary or use the cash value of the policy for any purpose, including a personal retirement fund. Click here to read the complete article

Options and Opportunities

by Kim Baxter Aytun Ozturk can’t help getting a little analytical when it comes to making decisions. That’s what you get when you’ve studied subjects like stochastic optimization, indus- trial engineering and operations research. It’s what happens when you’ve earned a Ph.D. in a field so complicated it takes longer than five minutes to even explain it in layman’s terms. Ozturk is someone who makes decisions by writing algorithms rather than resorting to the simple pro/con lists most of us use. “In life you make those decisions based on your experience; what hap- pened in the past, and how you acted,” he explains. “But there is a more structured way of making those same decisions … it is not only a science, but also an art.” Click here to read the complete article

The Design of a Lifestyle

by Rebecca Cummings Jennifer Johnson and Aubrey Yee shared the same dream and their chance meeting gave them the opportunity to realize it. That dream- turned-reality is Pacific Home, a furniture and home accessories store the two 34-year-old women opened in 2004 and run today with their third partner Jamie Jackson. They saw a niche, developed a business plan, have stayed true to their vision—and it’s worked: Pacific Home has been successful from day one. “Since the beginning we’ve focused on an elegant but relaxed lifestyle,” says Aubrey. That style, which they call “organic beach modern,” is an apt description for Pacific Home’s aes- thetic as well as for their own personal styles. “Picture driftwood and white slipcovers with splashes of aqua or orange,” says Aubrey. “Modern, clean lines, but everything we do has a soft- ness and comfort to it.” Click here to read the complete article

Episode One: Green Building

by Laurens Laudowicz Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away… Remember that Star Wars intro? Let’s imagine it continuing like this:

There was a solar system that contained a little blue pla- net with a very fragile ecosystem, but its inhabitants had figu- red out a way to live in balance with nature. They used very modern yet basic technologies to sustain their lives, taking only as much as they needed from their planet. Their houses and buildings provided all of the electrical energy they consumed. Their pollution-free vehicles were charged whenever parked. An abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables grew throughout their cities. Their society was tremendously diverse, yet they all shared a common vision and understanding. They called it a Universal Balance…

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Ideal Design for the Hawai’i Home

by Lauren Kawana These Islands are unique, with as much character and charm as there are people who live here. It’s important to appreciate our surroundings when we create living spaces: What’s ideal for Hawai‘i’s environment and lifestyle? What elements should we consider when we’re creating a home? Read on to see what a few professionals from the local architecture and design industry have to say. Click here to read this complete article

Building a Bigger, Better Business, Eco-Style

by Lauren Kawana When asked if his youthful appearance is ever a factor in business, the 28-year-old owner of Mokulua Woodworking is quick to nod. “When I approach a client, I don’t think I look like a punk, but there’s immediate questioning,” he says. “I can see it in their eyes!” Michael Fairall is a Nike-sporting, tattooed twenty-something who skateboards around Mokulua’s warehouse office during breaks. He may not be the first person you’d peg as responsible for the remodeling and construction of high-end, sustainable homes in O‘ahu’s most prestigious neighborhoods. But there’s a reason why the United States Small Business Administration named Fairall Young Entrepreneur of the Year of 2009 for Hawai‘i and Western region states—an award for which his company, clients, and industry col- leagues heartily endorsed him. Despite his laidback personality, the founder of the Kailua-based construction company exudes intelligence and a passion for his trade, for the environment, and for those who work with him. Click here to read the complete article

Catching Up with Lora Nakai

by Jamie Moran In 2007 Lora Nakai was featured as a Pacific Edge Young Professional for her achievements as the owner of Heaven on Earth Salon and Day Spa on Alakea Street in downtown Honolulu. For the past twelve years, Nakai has made beauty her business. She’s seen her clientele grow, and she’s expanded her salon and spa several times. But the one thing she felt her clients needed is the foundation of beauty and well-being: fitness. “People who care for and invest in themselves on the outside are becoming more aware that everything comes from the inside out. Fitness is the foundation of it all. Your lifestyle, habits, and how you take care of your body all affect your over- all productivity and how you look. You can put a layer of makeup on anything,” Nakai says with a laugh, “but the real glow comes from taking care of your body.” Click here to read the complete article

How to Organize a Successful Tweet-Up

by Toby Tamaye Twitter meet-ups, or “tweet-ups,” are becoming a powerful marketing tool. A unique combination of guerilla- and mass-marketing, tweet-ups bring together people who use Twitter regularly. Businesses hold these events to encourage Twitter users to post information about their companies, which helps to promote products, services, sales, or anything else those businesses want to publicize. Tweet-ups have taken the power of Twitter to a new level; there are no other social networking tactics that can do what tweet-ups can. Tweet-ups might also lead to marketing mes- sages on other social media sites such as Facebook and YouTube, as well as in traditional media. Click here to read the complete article