Lighting Expert to Give Free Talk on Cost-Cutting

Lighting expert and author, Stan Walerczyk, a principal at Lighting Wizards, a Hawaii-based lighting consultancy will speak this month at the Maui County Business Resource Center. Courtesy photo.

By Sonia Isotov

In January, the Maui County Business Resource Center (MCBRC) will host several workshops geared toward helping Maui small and micro businesses succeed.

In particular, lighting expert and author, Stan Walerczyk, a principal at Lighting Wizards, a Hawaii-based lighting consultancy, will give a free presentation on  Monday, Jan. 7,  explaining a new lighting system called “human centric lighting,” a cost cutting alternative for energy savings.

Walerczyk’s 24 years of lighting experience includes distribution, maintenance, retrofit contracting, third party review, consulting, design, rebate planning, policy making and research.

The Maui County Business Resource Center also has several other business workshops lined up during January 2013. Every month, local business experts share a wealth of knowledge and experience at the free workshops and topics vary by month but usually focus on starting, financing, and growing a small business.

The center, a division of the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, also offers free business counseling with business executives in the US Small Business Administration’s Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE) counselor program. SCORE is a federal program and the Maui Chapter is lead by long-time SCORE counselor and certified public accountant, Richard Kehoe.

January 2013 workshops at the Maui County Business Resource Center include:

“Human Centric Lighting & Technology” by Stan Walerczyk – Monday, Jan. 7
In this workshop, Walerczyk will discuss what some laud as the next big step in lighting as significant as Edison creating the light bulb. Stan Walerczyk was lead author of ‘Human Centric Lighting,’ which Architectural SSL Magazine published in June of 2012.

Craig Swift, the executive director for Maui Economic Opportunity’s Business Development Corp. will speak at the Center in January 2013. Courtesy photo.

“The ABCs of a Business Plan” by Craig Swift – Wednesday, Jan. 9  – 1 to 2 p.m.
Craig Swift, the director of the Maui Economic Opportunity Business Development Center,  will discuss the reasons for writing a business plan. He has more than 35 years of experience in owning, managing, and lending to small businesses. Participants will receive an outline of the business plan taught by MEO’s Core Four Business Plan Course.

“Understanding Your Credit and Scores”  by Jason Hall – Thursday,  Jan. 10
This is a one-hour crash course on how to improve your credit scores.  Discussed will be: how to deal with collections, tax liens, judgments, late payments, foreclosures and short sales on a credit report. Find out how this information can possibly be removed in less than seven years to improve your scores. This workshop is presented by Jason Hall, a certified credit expert , credit consultant, and former senior loan officer and production manager.

“Learn How to Lead” by Larry Roussel – Jan. 15 and Jan. 29 – 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Professional speaker, entrepreneur, and mentor, Larry Roussel, has developed a series of workshops with the ultimate goal of helping people reach their true potential and most desired objectives in life. Through this seminar, attendees will develop a plan of action complete with guided accountability to keep you on track.

Maui Business Brainstormers meet for business networking at the MCBRC. Photo courtesy of MCBRC.

“Discover the Skill to Achieve Success in Your Business – Part 2” by Mike Kern – Wednesday, Jan. 16
In this workshop, attendees will learn how to isolate, locate, and eliminate the constraints that are presently holding them back from achieving success in business. Through the years, Kern has owned many businesses in multiple industries. His specialty is business finance, marketing and sales, and operations.  Kerns is also a Junior Achievement advisor at Baldwin HIgh School.

Maui Business Brainstormers Monthly Meeting – Monday – Jan. 22 – 11:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The public is invited to meet other business owners/managers, share and learn with thought-provoking questions, answers and coaching. Bring your business challenges to the meeting. Features: introductions, “get to know your neighbor,” brainstormers sharing, expert coaching, quickfire. No charge. To attend, the center requests an RSVP at www.meetup.com/MauiBusinessBrainstormers.

“Sales Skills 101: Communicating Your Way to a Better Future” by TJ Anderson – Wednesday,  Jan. 23
This workshop will focus on the single most important aspect of selling: communication. TJ Anderson will lecture on the art of selling and the importance of proper communication in advancing a position. Anderson is a long-time sales professional, and currently owner and sales manager for No Ka Oi Nut Company, a Maui-based gourmet Bavarian-roasted nut company.

“Should I Buy a Business or Should I Start a New One? by Mike Kern – Wednesday, Jan. 30
This workshop is for those interested in buying or selling a business. Attendees will learn how to evaluate a business and determine its worth. Mike Kern currently owns eight businesses on the mainland in the areas of manufacturing and distribution. He is familiar with selling businesses to larger corporations or completing an IPO. His specialty is business finance, marketing and sales, and operations.

“Quickbooks for Small Business” by Richard Kehoe, CPA – Jan. 24 – 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. $45 per session.
Learn to set up your company’s accounting system in QuickBooks in a small class setting with personalized tutoring. This class is for new users and will teach how to record sales, receive payments, prepare invoices and balance a checkbook. Get customized answers and schedule a follow-up appointment at no cost to discuss a specific solutions. Sponsored by SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) and presented by Richard Kehoe, CPA and lead SCORE counselor.