Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 4, 1 April 1993 — OHA loan recipients Santos and Haʻole earn Small Business Administration awards [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA loan recipients Santos and Haʻole earn Small Business Administration awards

by Jeff Clark OHA loan recipients Frank Santos, owner of Nō Ka 'Oi Plants, and Janet L. Ha'ole, president of Triple Check Ineome Tax & Accounting Service, have won Small Business Administration awards. Santos has been named Small Business Person of the Year for the island of Kaua'i and Ha'ole has been named Women in Business Advocate of the Year for O'ahu and the state.

The prestigious awards are presented by the U.S. Small Business Administration as part of Small Business Week (May 915), a national salute to the eontributions of small business to America's economy and society. "I'm real happy that I got it, it makes us really look good," Santos said. "It's so good to win a prestigious award like this. I'm real stoked about it: it shows that we've eome a long way." In 1989 Santos received a $50,000 loan from the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund,

whieh is administered by OHA. OHA's Ken Sato, manager of the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund, said the fact that the SBA award was given to an OHA loan recipient is doubly significant because the loans go to

"high-risk" businesses whose loan requests have been turned down by at least two banks. "This is a great honor, because Frank was competing against those businesses that were bankable businesses, that were able to get financing, and through his hard work and perseverance, he

showed he has the capability that he needs to succeed." Santos said, "When Ken told us about it, he was so thrilled, and that made us real happy because it shows we're on the same side. It makes us look good, and it makes OHA look good." Staying power, growth in number of employees, increase in sales, current and past financial reports, and the level of innovation of the products and services offered were the criteria used in evaluating the nominees.

Santos "started with no capital, a rusted station wagon ... and a desire for success," according to his nomination form. See last month's Ka Wai Ola O OHA for the complete story on Frank Santos and Nō Ka 'Oi Plants. In 1989 Ha'ole received an expansion loan from the Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund that enabled her to upgrade equipment and provided her with additional working capital. Her Honolulu-based company, Triple Check, specializes in assisting

small business owners with sound financial planning and record keeping through all stages of their businesses. Ha'ole was named the SBA's Accountant Advocate of the Year for O'ahu in 1992.

This year Ha'ole is being recognized for her many volunteer activities aimed at helping women in business. She's a mentor in the SBA mentor-protege program and sits on the SBA Women in Business Committee. She is district coordinator for the SCORE/ACE Women's Business Ownership Program, where her goal is to

provide a resource equipped to help women to start, manage, and administer successful businesses. The program provides sources of information, guidance, inspiration and support through one-on-one counseling, workshops, seminars and forums. In addition, Ha'ole has hosted a series of free workshops covering such topics as tax planning, record keeping, understanding financial statements, projecting cash flow, and financial planning. She also assists future businesswomen by being active in Junior Achievement and participating in high school career days. Beyond educating businesswomen in formal situations, Ha'ole is a firm believer in networking and otherwise fostering

mutually-beneficial relationships, and she often tries to connect women associates so they ean help one another. Ha'ole said women sometimes need a little extra help to succeed in business. "They have a more difficult time with self-confi-dence in owning and operating a business" compared to men and often don't plaee as mueh value

on their own product or service as they should, Ha'ole explained. Another hindrance for women is that, in many households, "Mom's the one who has to do the juggling" necessary to keep the home running smoothly and the rest of the family happy. The company president said that when she started out in business some 10 years ago, the information needed to make a smooth go of it was not as readily available as it is today. "If I knew then what I know today, things would have been mueh easier. I went the long way around in so many things, and one of my passions is that if I ean keep that from happening to someone else, I'll do all I ean."

Ha'ole and Santos are not the first Hawaiians to be recognized with SBA awards. In 1991 Alu Like president and CEO Haunani Apoliona was named Small Business Advocate of the Year for O'ahu and the state. The same year, K&S Backhoe Service owner Pearl Kamalu was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year for O'ahu and the state. The SBA has given small business awards since 1963, and in Hawai'i this year there are 28 winners in nine categories. The SBA will present the awards during a luneheon May 3 at the Hawai'i Prince Hotel. The public is invited to attend at a cost of $30 per person. For more information eall SBA district director Andy Poepoe at 541-2965.

Frank Santos

Janet L. Ha'ole