Representatives from Google and the founder of SMART Restaurant Group will be among those participating in the third annual Hawaii Small Business Conference on May 8 and 9 at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. Small businesses owners interested in gaining tips on how to create essential systems for success, pay less taxes, expand a company’s reach and impact using free apps, and protect your company’s brand are encouraged to attend the HSB Conference workshops, which will be held on the second day of the conference.
On the first day, national and local business leaders and trendsetters will share a number of important strategies for business success. The next day, four interactive workshops will provide additional insights with the opportunity to delve deeper into key topics.
Workshop No. 1, “7 Essential Systems for Small Business Success” will be led by TJ Schier, president and founder of SMART Restaurant Group. During the workshop, attendees will learn about recruiting and attracting the right talent, creating a customer service culture to beat the competition, implementing effective employee training, accelerating performance with an operational blueprint, maximizing the top- and bottom-line via sales and profit radar, owning the local community, and incentivizing and rewarding performers.
“It’s difficult for small businesses to compete against larger competitors and bigger brands,” said Schier. “However, the weakness with large businesses is they often lack a true connection to the local community and the ability to create a family-atmosphere and culture with their employees.”
During workshop No. 2, “Tax Strategies for Small Business,” Robert Kawahara, CPA, managing member of Kawahara + Hu, will share information on how to reduce business taxes, the latest tax changes, and how to plan ahead. “Taxes can often take a big bite out of the income of a small business and owners need information to make proper business decisions,” said Kawahara.
Workshop No. 3, “How to Use Free Tools to Grow my Community and Business,” will be led by Google’s Jules Kremer (technology project manager) and Alexandrina Garcia-Verdin (G Suite developer advocate). “Small business owners have so much to do! From building a business plan, building a team, and working with customers,” Kremer said. “During this workshop, we’ll share with attendees how Google can help build your business and engage with your customers.”
Workshop No. 4, “Intellectual Property and Branding,” will be led by William McKeon, Keri Mehling, and Rebecca Filipovic of McKeon Sheldon Mehling. Attendees will learn about trademarks, why they are important, and how to develop and protect a strong trademark. “A company’s trademark, the brand under which they sell their goods or services, is oftentimes one of their most valuable assets,” said Filipovic. “Developing a strong trademark and taking steps to protect it should be an integral part of any small business strategy from the outset.”
The three-hour workshop sessions will run parallel. The morning sessions will go from 9am-12pm and from 1pm-4pm.
Cost of the full-day conference is $95 per person for advanced registration or $100 per person for on-site registration. Conference fee includes admittance to conference sessions, conference materials, and continental breakfast and lunch. The May 9 workshops are $35 per workshop with an additional charge for lunch.
To register online and for more information, visit Hawaiismall.biz, email Smallbiz@medb.org or call 808-875-2300.
The HSB conference is presented by Maui Economic Development Board with support from the County of Maui Office of Economic Development. The conference coincides with National Small Business Week, an opportunity to recognize the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Comments
comments