Personality

By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
Joy Graham, the owner of Angel Wear, started the l
ingerie business in her Punchbowl apartment seven years
ago and is still looking for a profit. Of being in business,
she says, "There's an element of tenacity."

---

Venturing into the world
of small business takes
tenacity and confidence

By Peter Wagner
Star-Bulletin

Ben Krause put everything he had into Pacific Harvest Inc. Seafarms, a Big Island aquaculture farm which recently yielded its first harvest.

It was a major gamble in a new industry, made with his eyes open.

"You've definitely got to believe in it," he said. "You can't come in here with an inflated ego and think you're going to make a lot of money. It's never about money. It's being committed to the idea or dream and loving it."

Joy Graham, who started Angel Wear lingerie in her apartment seven years ago, is still looking for a profit.

But despite the hard work and setbacks, she's expanding, with sales representatives in New York, Dallas and on the West Coast.

"There's an element of tenacity," she said. "You want it so bad you're able to give up almost anything. You want it that bad."

Know Yourself

Tenacity, hard work, confidence, creativity and willingness to take risks are among the qualities you'll need to succeed in business, consultants say.

"One of the first things we do with a client is see if they're qualified," said Kenneth Gilbert, president of Business Consulting Resources, who sees too many new ventures fail because the owners didn't have the right stuff. "We encounter people who've been an employee for 20 years and now they want to go into business but they don't really have the acumen or aptitude for it."

Ed Wary, owner of Auntie Pasto's, an Italian restaurant soon to open its second location in Honolulu, teaches a course in restaurant management at the University of Hawaii.

"One thing that's common among entrepreneurs is they have a mentor, someone who taught them something," he said.

"Another thing is a willingness to lay it all on the line. And the thought of failing is not enough to take it away."

At the Hawaii Small Business Development Center, newcomers are advised at the start to take a close look in the mirror before pursuing their plans.

"You have to be able to pick yourself up off the ground," said center director Laura Noda. "And you won't have a 40-hour week any more. You'll be taking work home with you at night. And you won't have a regular paycheck any more."

Wainwright Piena, owner of Kapala Ahu, a T-shirt screening company in Kaneohe, started out in his mother's garage 15 years ago. Now he's got six employees and contracts across the state.

It's been tough.

"If you can survive in business in Hawaii, you can survive anywhere," he said. "It's like looking for a water hole in the Sahara Desert."

Who you are What it takes to be an entrepreneur: Motivation Confidence Commitment Persistence Risk-taking Resilience Creativity Stability What you need Business plan: Projected costs and revenues Market study: Who will buy your product Location: Where you set up shop Marketing strategy: Where and how you advertise Licenses and permits Legal form: Sole proprietor; corporation; partnership; etc. Financing Insurance