Robert Kawahara

Hawaii Small Business Conference speakerRobert Kawahara is the Managing Member of Kawahara + Company, CPAs., LLC, Maui’s largest CPA firm.  The firm is full-service company providing Individual and Business Tax Planning and Preparation, Audit Services, Estate Planning, Business Valuations, Bookkeeping and Payroll services.

Robert believes strongly in giving back to the community.  He is an active volunteer in the Maui community, serves on several boards in various capacities and is a 2017 Ka Ipu Kukui fellow. Robert has also taught various accounting classes for the Hawaii Credit Union League and has served as Rotary Club of Kahului President for 2011 – 2013.

Recipient of Pacific Business News 40 under 40 class for 2012, Robert has been awarded the State of Hawaii’s Financial Services Champion of the Year for 2013 by the Small Business Administration and was Hawaii Community Foundation’s 2014 Outstanding Professional Advisor in Philanthropy.

A local boy, born and raised in Lahaina, Maui, Robert graduated with a BBA in Accounting from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  He is married to Michele Kawahara and they have a son named Ryan.

Robert will present a workshop on Day 2 on Tax Strategies for Small Business.

Omar Sultan

Co-founder of Sultan Ventures and Founding and Managing Partner of XLR8UH, the University of Hawaii’s award winning venture accelerator focused on mentoring and investing in UH affiliated innovations. Omar Sultan has received personal and professional accolades including being recognized in 2014 along with his brother Tarik, as the Hawaii Venture Capital Association’s Investors of the Year; in 2015 by Hawaii Business Magazine’s 20 for the next 20, and by Pacific Business News’ Forty under 40. In 2017, XLR8UH was ranked as one of the top 30 accelerators in the USA.

Omar holds a BSM in Finance from Tulane University’s AB Freeman School of Business, and an MBA from the Shidler College of Business.

Omar will be speaking on Day 1 on Scaling Your Business and moderating a panel on Shaping a Game Plan for Growth

Gwen Woltz

A leading social media strategist and one of the early voices in the social media revolution in Hawaii….

Gwen Woltz is a mother, creative, and entrepreneur. A fine art, graphic design and marketing background, in 2009 she followed her passion and co-founded Wahine Media. She helps clients to envision their perfect world on social media, then maps the most effective route to get there. A leading social media strategist and one of the early voices in the social media revolution in Hawaii, she has been on the front lines from the beginning and knows what works. She has guided clients from Hawaii and beyond in a variety of industries through their social media journey—from budget to best practices—as they embraced new ways to connect with their audience. A resident of Hawaii for 16 years, she now shares her time between Northern California and Hawaii. Connect with her at https://wahinemedia.com or gwen@wahinemedia.com.

Gwen will be speaking on Day 1 on “Social Media Reality Check: Gone Are the Days of “Free”, followed by a Panel where she will lead a discussion with three businesses of Maui leading the way in social media.  Gwen will present a workshop on Day 2 on “Maximizing Your Social Media Budget“

Karen McCullough

Karen McCullough is on a mission to get you and your team excited about delivering WOW service.  

The Millennial Evangelist, Karen is an inspiring business speaker, who draws on her varied background as an educator, businesswoman, entrepreneur, and retail CEO to enlighten and entertain audiences from some of the world’s top businesses, universities, and associations. 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. For the last 15 years, Karen has been developing creative solutions and implementing innovative methods inspiring people to connect, collaborate, and welcome change. Each of her presentations brings a realistic perspective on the future of work. And, she is a lot of fun!

Karen will be speaking on Day 1 on Going Beyond Your Brand – Delivering WOW Service and then moderating a panel on Getting the Work Done – Staffing for Success.  She will go deeper into Customer Service in workshop on Day 2.

2nd Annual Hawaii Small Business Conference set for May 2 & 3, 2018 on Maui

On May 2 & 3, 2018, the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and Maui Economic Development Board will present the 2nd Annual Hawaii Small Business Conference at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in Kahului, Maui.

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

Business owners, managers, start-ups and entrepreneurs interested in increasing their business knowledge, sharpening their professional acumen and skills, expanding their business network, and/or taking their business to the next level are encouraged to attend.

Presentations and workshops led by national and local business leaders and trendsetters will cover topics such as Building the Customer-Employee Relationship, Scaling Your Business, Doing Business Socially, Innovation in Business and more.

Keynote speaker will be Karen McCullough, a nationally known generation’s and employee engagement speaker who believes employee engagement and transformational change are today’s top business issues.

“Whether you’ve just started your business or are trying to maintain the momentum to ensure a successful company, business owners and managers worldwide often experience the same issues and are looking for insights and solutions,” said Teena Rasmussen, Director of the County of Maui Office of Economic Development. “The Hawaii Small Business Conference offers an invaluable resource by providing businesses of various sizes and industries with the tools necessary to adapt and innovate in rapidly changing markets.”

The Hawaii Small Business Conference on Maui coincides with National Small Business Week, an opportunity to recognize the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Cost is $95 per person for the full-day Conference on May 2nd and includes lunch.  The May 3rd Workshops are $35 per workshop with an additional charge for lunch. Attendees can also save $10 by registering early by April 6th for the full-day Conference.

Registration coming soon.

For additional information, email smallbiz@medb.org or call (808) 875-2300.

Various sponsorship opportunities are available for 2018 Hawaii Small Business Conference.

Click here for information or email smallbiz@medb.org or call (808) 875-2300.