How do you give back to your community?
Sharing my experiences in starting up a small business with other small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. The hope is they’ll be able to avoid the same mistakes I made.
What does giving back mean to you?
Just trying to do what others did for me, which helped the Hawaiian Chip Company survive over the years. Without guidance from others with more experience I wouldn’t have made it past year three.
What do you love most about your job?
The ability to make decisions (often the wrong choice) then quickly change things (not always to a better choice…) as needed…
What are some of the biggest challenges facing your industry?
Manufacturing food is not a job that allows for a lot of remote work, which seems to be a desired perk in choosing work. The number one job aspiration of “becoming a social media influencer” also does not bode well for recruiting people to work in a factory where personal phones should only be accessed on personal time… Lol…
What has been the biggest sacrifice you’ve made for your career?
Missed time with family and friends. You don’t get that back.
What has been the biggest reward?
Survival, lol.
What failure taught you the biggest lesson?
The brink of bankruptcy in year two made me accountable for learning how to run a business instead of trying to make money with a hobby. Creating new products and operating freely was fun, but my business really needed structure and discipline to become profitable.
What makes you stand out as a leader?
I don’t think there is anything that would necessarily make me stand out as a leader. But the brightly colored buildings in the middle of an industrial area do kinda stick out.
If you could tell your younger self some bit of advice, what would it be?
Drink a little less, you’ll be able to work more and save a lot of money. You won’t miss it as much as you’d think…
