A new book focusing on people who overcome challenges facing small businesses in Hawaii offers a look at outstanding entrepreneurs on Kauai. The book is about small brand companies that produce quality products and showcases how the drive of entrepreneurs
A new book focusing on people who overcome challenges facing small businesses in Hawaii offers a look at outstanding entrepreneurs on Kauai.
The book is about small brand companies that produce quality products and showcases how the drive of entrepreneurs helps them bring a local product to market.
Author Steve Akley self-published “Small Brand America — Hawaii Edition” in March. It is the third in the series that examines 25 companies that have fared well in competition with larger companies.
His first two books were about companies throughout the United States with no real geographic area of focus, Akley said. This book focuses on Hawaii for the barriers to starting a business and succeeding. The key to small brands succeeding seems to be by nurturing a superior product and persevering when it prevails over the mega-brands.
“There are so many products, and a whole lot of obstacles to overcome with starting a company in Hawaii,” Akley said. “I think it’s fascinating that these companies are able to do that.”
The product doesn’t always sell itself and Akley said he likes to bring out the personality of the individuals and their unique abilities to “get up, dust themselves off, and persevere” as a Hawaii made product.
“People support that here and that is also what is so different about Hawaii,” he said. “I am a geek that way but I like to visit grocery stores where I see something that is not anywhere else in the country.”
Akley looked for companies that looked like they had a quality product and a good reputation for competing against larger companies. He wants to showcase success to inspire people to tackle the challenges they face to realize an opportunity for success and show that the cliched “American dream” is still alive.
“I was lucky enough to find five companies in the area and learned about the incredible people behind them,” he said. “These are great stories of 25 people who became 25 friends.”
The book features 20 business and the five on Kauai include Akamai Juice Company; Anahola Granola; Aunty Lilikoi; Koloa Rum; and Aloha Spice.
Joanna Carolan, owner of Aloha Spice Co., said she is thrilled to be included in the book, but wanted to emphasize that her success story is a group effort and it was a great team that built the company. She came into it with an idea and no business background, she said, and had to learn how to run a good business as she went along.
“I have a great team and the support from the community is really wonderful,” Carolan said.
There are four people in the Spice packaging area and three more working the floor.
The entire process includes 31 people working the banana patch during busy times. Carolan said her goal all along was growing and employing more people.
Success secrets
The real secret of running a successful business in Hawaii is understanding the importance operating with the spirit of aloha, she said. The daughter of an educator — she reminds herself and her staff daily that the pride they put into the product and how they do business with people has an effect on the consumer whether they are aware of it or not.
“It is the human element of any product,” she said. “I do believe that is something that a customer can sense.”
Kindness and aloha is not just about being friendly to visitors, she said. It’s also about creating a pleasant work environment where people care about one another.
Carolan is working on a new cookbook with local chef, Michael Simpson.
Cas Schwabe started Akamai Fresh Juice in Kilauea in 2004. The actress, helicopter pilot, and caterer to the stars, is ever busy improving her product line or starting a new adventure. Find her juice and popular accessary merchandise at Common Ground Kauai, Tahiti Nui, Hale Halawai, and the Hanalei farmer’s market.
The book portrays Schwabe’s sustainable business approach to creating locally grown organic products. She has resisted the move to commercial distribution of her products because she said the law would require her to use preservatives and additives.
“I have a small army helping me out,” she said.
The juices in their cutely labeled Kerr and Mason jars, along with other organic products, have taken off. Schwabe said her business has got over the hump but hopes the book will help make her business a destination spot for visitors.
“I could not be more pleased with the response to the book,” Schwabe said. “I had a great time working with Steve and am excited to see his book going forward.”
Raw vegan has a bad wrap, Schwabe said, but she has won people over with her flair for fast and texture.
“Here in Hawaii, the diets are basic and I like to introduce new meals that please the pallet with flavor,” she said.
Schwabe is even more excited to be a character in Akley’s upcoming nonfiction book, “Murder in Kilauea.” The whodunit plot twists around the inter-related lives of the locals and celebrities of North Shore Kauai.
After learning about Schwabe’s real-life friendships and business dealings with the music and film industry, Akley based a character on the energetic entrepreneur’s life — but would not divulge the outcome of the book.
“I am more than honored to be featured,” she said.
It sounds morbid but Akley said it is a fun book. The list of suspects includes an organic juice dealer who just happens to be delivering juice to the victims.
“I just stared writing fiction and short stories and ‘Killer in Kilauea’ is a murder mystery coming out in a couple weeks,” Akley said.
It will be a 99 cent Kindle Singles download on Amazon and so Akley hopes that a lot of people on Kauai will download and enjoy it.
The next Small Brand America book will be out this summer as a special edition on craft brewers. Akley said he is fascinated with the stories of companies that started as hobby brewers and then against all odds win over local patrons against big money.
Quality, service
Bob Gunter, president and CEO, started Koloa Rum in 2006. He said that in five years the Koloa Rum is now distributed in 14 states, Western Canada, Australia, Shanghai and France.
The story of Koloa Rum is another example of a quality product that has stuck to its guns by using Hawaii grown sugar and local ingredients. The operation of 23 employees produces five types of rum that have won top awards at national and international rum competitions against much larger companies.
“To be recognized as such in the international arena is fantastic news and validates the quality of our products,” Gunter said.
The offer to be featured in Akley’s book came as a surprise, Gunter said. After a conversation he thought it was a good idea to share the story of the business and its goal to build a local distillery, bottling plant and use local Kauai and Hawaii sugar cane for ingredients.
Where Koloa Rum has a competitive disadvantage going head to head with the big companies in large market distribution, Gunter said his advantage as a small and nimble operation is to create specialty products and deliver them in a fashion that the big guys are not able to match.
“Today, there is a growing appreciation for hand crafted distillery products,” he said. “This is the market and we are doing all that we can to exploit it.”
It is Gunter’s hope that the book will not only highlight the success of Koloa Rum, but to also serve as an inspiration or motivation to others with a great idea that they have set aside because they didn’t think it would be possible.
“It you work hard there is certainly the opportunity to be successful,” he said.
