Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 9, 1 September 2015 — Molokaʻi Business Conference 2015 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Molokaʻi Business Conference 2015

nffice of Hawaiian Affairs' Ho'okahua Waiwai initiative calls for increasing Native Hawaiian

^ family ineome, whieh involves asset-building and finaneial education. By partnering with an array of service providers, OHA has been able to support programs that help create a jobready Native Hawaiian workforce for employers as well as prepare small-business owners to overeome barriers to starting and expanding their businesses. With the help of different organizations on Moloka'i

as well as Maui and O'ahu, the second annual "Moloka'i Business Conference - Doing Business with Aloha" was held on August 5, 2015, at the University of Hawai'i Maui College Moloka'i Campus. To help support the eeonomie vitality of small-businesses owners on Moloka'i, the conference brought together an array of organizations. Sponsors and Supporters of the event included: The Maui Eeonomie Opportunity Business Development Center, Mayor's Office of Eeonomie Development, Maui County Kuha'o Business Center, County of Maui, Maui College Moloka'i, Moloka'i Chamber of Commerce, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers, ONABEN, International Transformation Network, Hawai'i Chamber of Commerce, State of Hawai'i Department of Taxation, SCORE, Helen Wai, Maria Sullivan, Constant Contact, April Lemly, MeKenna Hallet, Richard Roddy and Maui Food Technology Center. The conference had something for everyone, whether it was an entrepreneur

just starting out, or those who have been in business for years. Topics included Building your Business, Customer Service withAloha. BasicHomeandBusi-

ness Finances, Food Technologies, Hawai'i Business Entities, Career and Technical Education - Intro to the Virtual Assistant, Starting a Business in Maui County, General Excise Tax De-Mystified, Art as a Business, Email Marketing, Best Practices for Marketing to Mohile Devices, and Managing your Business' Online Reputation. Because Moloka'i is a predominately Native Hawaiian community, the event was designed to impact a

great number of Native Hawaiians as well as help the community to heeome eeonomically self-sufficient. Moloka'i has few available jobs so starting your own business is something that will increase a family's ineome. To have choices and a sustainable future, Native Hawaiians need to progress toward greater eeonomie self-sufficiency. This conference was designed to provide a meaningful and productive opportunity for Native Hawaiian businesses and entrepreneurs to learn and build their capacity to expand and grow not only on Moloka'i but also to have or expand their presence online. It also provided an opportunity for business owners and other stakeholders to eome together to discuss the challenges, opportunities and other priorities for Native Hawaiian businesses on the island. The conference was attended by 50 individuals and there was no cost for those to attend. Overall the conference was a success and everyone really enjoyed themselves. ■

Cūlette Y. Machadū Trustee Muluka'i and Lāna'i

Attendees listen to a presentation at the Moloka'i Business Conference. - Photo: Courtesy Kylee Bush