Schedule Announced for 2nd Annual HSBC, May 2-3

Maui Economic Development Board and the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development announced the 2018 program for their upcoming Hawaiʻi Small Business Conference which is scheduled for May 2 and 3 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Plan, Build, Grow: Mapping A Pathway to Success.”

“This is an ideal opportunity for anyone interested in learning important strategies for business success,” said Leslie Wilkins, President & CEO of MEDB. “You’ll hear from national and local business leaders and successful business owners, on customer service, business growth and scaling, social media management, entrepreneurial psychology, innovation, tax strategies and more while networking with fellow business community leaders.”

The Hawaiʻi Small Business Conference coincides with National Small Business Week, a celebration of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.

“Small businesses dominate Hawaiʻi’s economic landscape making up over 90% of the business community and employing half of our state’s employees,” said Mayor Alan Arakawa. “By helping our local businesses navigate pathways for their success, we’re also helping to encourage ingenuity and profitability that ultimately impacts our community and economy.”

Interested persons can attend the all day conference on Wednesday, May 2 and/or any of the smaller group workshops on Thursday, May 3.

The full-day conference is set for Wednesday, May 2 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The schedule features:

Karen McCullough is a Branding Expert and Millennial Evangelist. She helps organizations and leaders cut through the generational stereotypes and get back to reality by leveraging their team’s strengths, enriching the work environment, and driving better results.

Opening Keynote: Building The Customer – Employee Relationship
Karen McCullough, Millennial Evangelist

Getting the Work Done/Staffing For Success
Moderated by Karen McCullough
Charen Kepler, Director of Leadership Development, Na Hoaloha Ekolu
Cassie Akina, General Manager, Akina Tours
Judy Bishop, Bishop & Company

Talk Story: How You Start Matters
Ashley Takitani Leahey, Co-Owner, Maui Thing

Scaling Your Business
Omar Sultan, Co-Founder, Sultan Ventures, Founding and Managing Partner, XLR8UH

Shaping a Game Plan For Growth
Moderated by Omar Sultan
Eriko Dowd, Founder, Zellee Organic
Travis Morrin, Co-Owner, Three’s Bar and Grill
Ululani’s Shave Ice

Pivoting: Listen, Watch, and Act
Moderated by Frank De Rego Jr., Director of Business Development Projects, Maui Economic Development Board
Sumner Erdman, President, ʻUlupalakua Ranch
Gary Greenberg, Founder, Edge 3-D, LLC
Dan O’Connell, Chief Executive Officer, HNU Photonics and HNU Energy

Gwen Woltz is the Co-Founder of Wahine Media and one of the leaders of the social media revolution in Hawaii. A crackerjack strategist, she helps clients envision their perfect social world and then maps the quickest and most affordable route to get there.

Social Media Reality Check: Gone Are The Days of “Free”
Gwen Woltz, Co-Owner, Wahine Media

Social Media Maui Style
Moderated by Gwen Woltz
Panelists to be announced

Speed Networking: Quizzing the Experts

Talk Story: Innovation—Learning From the Past, Creating the Future
Kim Ball, Owner, Hi-Tech Maui

The Future of Small Business
Moderated by Leslie Wilkins, President & CEO, Maui Economic Development Board
Karen McCullough, Millennial Evangelist
Omar Sultan, Co-Founder, Sultan Ventures, Founding and Managing Partner, XLR8UH
Gwen Woltz, Co-Owner, Wahine Media

On Thursday, May 3, three (3) hour sessions will run parallel both morning and afternoon. Workshops include:

Customer and Employee Engagement
Karen McCullough, Millennial Evangelist

Tax Strategies for Small Business
Robert Kawahara, CPA, Managing Member, Kawahara + Hu, LLC

Social Media Engagement
Gwen Woltz, Co-owner of Wahine Media

The cost to attend is $95 per person for the full-day Conference on May 2, which includes lunch. The May 3 Workshops are $35 per workshop with an additional charge for lunch. Attendees can also save $10 by registering early by March 31 for the full-day conference.

To register online, click here. For additional information, email smallbiz@medb.org or call (808) 875-2300. Various sponsorship opportunities are available.