Nonprofit group
helps profits at isle
small businesses

Industry Network Corp.
links firms with the expertise
they need

By Jerry Tune
Star-Bulletin

The Industry Network Corp. is expanding its role to help Hawaii's small business manufacturers with a $20,000 grant from Maui County and $5,000 from Bank of Hawaii to set up an operation on Maui next month.

The nonprofit corporation, which started in Hawaii in February, so far has helped a half dozen local companies.

"In the last six months, these efforts have created 105 jobs in Hawaii," said Jane Yamashiro, the corporation's Hawaii operations manager.

"Small businesses have the creativity and drive, but not the resources or ability to access consultant services available to large manufacturers. This is where INC can help."

The nonprofit, based in Albuquerque, N.M., got $15 million this year from the U.S. Department of Commerce to help manufacturers. Hawaii got $437,000 and expects $780,000 next year, Yamashiro said.

Using the Commerce money, the INC screens and gets consultants for small manufacturers. The group pays the consultants and arranges for deferred payments from the small businesses to ease cash-flow problems, she said. Consultant fees are often at a reduced rate, she added.

INC gets a management fee which is 10 to 15 percent of the money advanced, but this can be waived if the consultant discounts the cost of services, Yamashiro said.

Italian Sistahs, a Honolulu company that makes jams, jellies, pasta and Italian cookies, got help to expand marketing out of state.

Hawaiian Honey House, a Papaikou, Big Island, company that makes honey products, was able to get translations done for promotional materials used at a Japanese trade show, and also created a web page in Japanese.

The Industry Network Corp. also helped kuimana hawaii, a Kalihi company that makes stemware and gifts for hotels to use in promotions.

Yamashiro said the corporation also works with the City and County of Honolulu and the Kauai Chamber of Commerce which supply local money and manpower.

Yamashiro took over as INC's local operations manager in July. INC was first formed in New Mexico to assist small businesses, and expanded into Alaska, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii.

Yamashiro has 20 years of experience in planning and developing partnerships. She most recently was assistant to the provost at Maui Community College.