I received an interesting message on a social media platform this week. The message was from a person I know through our children’s mutual activities and, in a more general sense as a fellow business person in Kona. It went, “ If you are going to order bulk cards this holiday season would you use […]
Trust is perhaps the most fundamental pillar of any business. Without it, your customers and clients will find others with which to do business. We all know what happens when we lose trust in someone in a personal relationship, and we can expect the same adverse outcomes in business. Yesterday, I saw a story of […]
We are very passionate about entrepreneurism at Kona Impact. It is wonderfully exciting to speak with people about their business ideas and goals, especially younger entrepreneurs who may not have significant business experience yet are full of energy, enthusiasm, and ideas. New, young entrepreneurs have a lot going for them. They… understand the youth markets […]
Why does the checkout clerk at the local big box store make significantly less than someone in construction? Sure, there’s the dirty jobs element to it: working inside with low risks to safety and physical discomfort vs physically demanding outside work certainly plays a role, but there are two facts that probably play a bigger […]
Many think of Kona, Hawaii as a sleepy tourism-dependent area on the Big Island. There’s much truth to that, but we also have some world-class companies here that have the potential to change the world. Blue Ocean Farms and Symbrosia are two companies that are focused on using seaweed as a food supplement for bovines […]
Kona Impact and nearly every other business we know is experiencing a “perfect storm”—several things combining to make for a highly volatile time for getting things done. This perfect storm of factors has been frustrating for everyone—business owners and customers alike. Nobody likes waiting, but, unfortunately, longer than usual waits have become common. Here are […]
Nothing last forever is something we say a lot in our sign business. We often get asked, “how long will it last?” and our answer is always, “it depends”. A South-facing sing get pummeled by the sun’s UV rays almost all day, and East- and West-facing signs get partial day direct sun. A North-facing sign […]
In over 15 years, Kona Impact has worked with thousands of new businesses. Many become highly successful, but an equal number—probably half don’t make it five years. The odds of a new business making it five years is about fifty percent, and twenty percent of new companies don’t even make it two years. Entrepreneurs, by […]
I had a wonderfully interesting conversation with a rental business owner last weekend. He rents equipment, mostly for tourists, but also some locals. He has five items which he can rent each day, either for a half-day or a whole day. Two halves make more than one whole, but one whole day rental makes more […]
There are few things in life more disheartening that, due to economic circumstances, kids can’t reach their full potential. We all say we’re equal, but the truth is we’re not. There are kids in our community that simply do not have families that have an extra $75 to buy what they need for school. It’s […]