HI Banzai

02/24/2025

Applications for Cohort 10 are due Wednesday, February 26th. This is your chance to scale globally, score game-chasing mentorship, and tap into an amazing network to grow your local product brand!

Mana Up is a statewide business accelerator program designed to grow Hawaii based product companies globally. Many of the makers and artisan alumni have been recognized internationally for their products and find their success in connection to home. If you know an entrepreneur ready to level up in 2025, encourage them to apply to this awesome accelerator program. Let’s continue to support Hawaii’s entrepreneurship and showcase talented local brands!

For more information and to apply today visit manauphawaii.com

02/10/2025

🌟 5 STARS for our latest website launch!

We’re thrilled to share owner Nicole’s review for the website we built for Orchid Isle Paralegal & Notary LLC in Hilo, HI! Working with Nicole to showcase her professional legal services was a fantastic experience. From mobile notary to document drafting, her expertise shines through in all of her services offered.  What sets Orchid Isle apart is there commitment to personalized service combined with extensive legal expertise. 
What we delivered: 
✨ Clean, professional design 
✨ Optimized for local search 
✨ Easy-to-navigate service pages 
✨ Mobile-friendly layout
Mahalo nui Nicole for trusting HI Banzai with your digital presence! It’s collaborations like these that remind us why we love what we do. 🌺 Check out https://www.orchidisleparalegal.com

02/07/2025

Entrepreneur Bootcamp for Maui Nui⁠
** Deadline to register is Friday, February 14, 2025 **⁠
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UH Maui College - Pilina Event Center, 2nd Floor Event Center⁠
Friday, February 21, 2025⁠
8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. HST⁠
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Virtual Online via Zoom also available⁠
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This hands-on entrepreneur bootcamp is tailored to equip you with the essential tools, resources, and connections to thrive. Covering a wide range of topics in a practical, interactive format, the training focuses on actionable outcomes and transformative experiences. Participants will gain insider insights, proven strategies, and access to valuable tools like templates, checklists, and roadmaps. You’re encouraged to bring your unique challenges and concerns, so attendees can collaborate on real-world solutions that turn learning into action and set you on the path to success.⁠
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While in-person attendance is preferred (seating available on a first-come, first-serve basis), a virtual option via ZOOM will also be offered. Workshop registration is required for both in-person and ZOOM. ⁠
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This event is at no cost to participants thanks to sponsors and collaborators tagged and listed.
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IN-PERSON SIGNUP: go.hawaii.edu/bEh
VIRTUAL VIA ZOOM WORKSHOP: go.hawaii.edu/4Eb⁠
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Got Questions?⁠
Call 808-984-3796 or email [email protected]⁠

This information is provided by the County’s project 🤙🏽

 

01/24/2025

🚨Attention Hawaii Small Businesses!  

Looking to level up your marketing skills? Join this FREE 5-week virtual boot camp, starting Jan 28th, led by Ryan Sweeney, President of Aster Marketing Hawaii! 🖥️📈 

Get ready to: ✅ Build a strategic marketing plan ✅ Learn time-saving hacks ✅ Receive real-time feedback from a marketing pro.

🗓️ Tuesdays, Jan 28 - Feb 25, 2025
📍 Online via Zoom
🔗 Register here! https://ywca-mwbc.org/upcomingevents

Don’t miss out on this FREE opportunity to grow your business! Hosted by    

01/05/2025

Whether you are launching your business or looking to level up in 2025, don’t miss out on this Tip of the Week!

MEO’s Business Development Center presents its first Core Four Business Planning series for 2025 - your essential guide to building a successful business plan.

Course Details:

Dates: January 7 - February 6, 2025
Schedule: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 5-7 PM
Location: MEO Wailuku Classroom (99 Mahalani St.)
Investment: $75 (Financial assistance available)
Total Training: 24 hours of expert instruction

Perfect for aspiring entrepreneurs and new business owners in Maui County, this comprehensive five-week course provides all the tools needed to start, operate, and grow your business.

is a graduate of this program and we highly recommend it for anyone serious about starting or growing their business in Maui County. The practical knowledge and guidance you’ll receive is invaluable!

Ready to start?

✓ Register: www.meoinc.org (Core Four tab)
✓ Textbook: MEO Wailuku office (M-F, 8 AM - 4 PM)
✓ Questions? Contact David Daly: (808) 243-4318

Made possible through funding from the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development.

Empowering Maui's small businesses with custom web design, effective social media management, and user-friendly Squarespace or Wix solutions. Discover how HI Banzai's local expertise and personalized approach can enhance your digital presence and drive growth in Hawaii's unique market.

12/30/2024

This Mahalo Monday highlights Amy from ! From dramatic coastlines to lush rainforests, Amy transforms Hawaii’s natural canvas into breathtaking backdrops for life’s precious moments. Based on the Big Island, she brings an artistic eye and calming presence to every shoot – whether you’re celebrating new life, everlasting love, family bonds, or your next professional chapter. Her gift for capturing authentic connections shines through in every frame.
Experience the magic: oceaninspiredarts.com | 📸

Sharing her full review below:
“I had the pleasure of working with Chris at HI Banzai to create my website, OceanspiredArts.com, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the results! From start to finish, Chris was professional, responsive, and truly attentive to my vision. He took the time to understand my brand and translated that into a beautiful, functional site that perfectly showcases my artwork.
Not only did Chris design a stunning, user-friendly website, but he also made sure it was optimized for performance and mobile-friendly. His expertise in web design and development is evident in every aspect of the site, from the clean layout to the seamless navigation.
What really sets Chris apart is his dedication to customer service. He was always available to answer questions, offer advice, and make adjustments when needed. The process was smooth and stress-free, and I feel confident that my website is in great hands for any future updates or changes.
I highly recommend Chris and HI Bonzai for anyone looking to create or improve their website. The end result exceeded my expectations, and I’m proud to share my online presence with the world. Thank you, Chris!”

12/20/2024

🚨 Important Alert for Business Owners 🚨

Don’t miss the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) filing deadline on January 1st, 2025!

What you need to know:

▫️Filing is completely FREE
▫️Information collected is simple and takes only about 5 minutes
▫️Watch videos on how to and submit directly at fincen.gov/boi
▫️Required for businesses created before January 1, 2024. (If entity created after January 1, 2024 your deadline was 30 days after creation)

👉 Swipe through these slides for essential information and a checklist of documents you’ll need to submit. We’ve gathered the key details to make your filing process smooth and efficient!

🗳️ Stay compliant and protect your business! This simple filing helps maintain transparency, meet federal requirements, and avoid potential penalties.

💡 : Get ahead of the deadline - file your BOI report today!

12/16/2024

Hi9 Trucking is a dynamic Las Vegas-based transportation company that approached us with a critical business challenge.

The Problem: Manual data processing was consuming valuable time and resources.

Our Solution: A custom web-based application that completely transformed their workflow, automating data intake and streamlining their entire operational process.

The Result: Hi9 Trucking reclaimed countless hours, allowing them to focus on what matters most – delivering exceptional transportation services.

Specializing in vehicle transport across the mainland (with Las Vegas as their “9th island” hub), Hi9 Trucking offers more than just shipping. Their parent company even features must-see merchandise drops that you won’t want to miss!

Want to learn more?
🌐 Visit: hi9gang.com
📱 Follow:

Transforming business, one innovative solution at a time. 💡

12/02/2024

Some of the most impressive creative journeys begin with pure passion. For Bobae, a digital artist from Hawaii, that meant transforming her artwork into a professional business through Bobae Art Studio.
As a self-taught artist with a clear vision, Bobae needed more than just a basic website. She needed a digital platform that could professionally showcase her custom and pre-made digital art pieces while making it easy for potential clients to connect with her.
Working together, we developed a modern, fully responsive Squarespace website that does exactly that. The site not only highlights Bobae’s unique digital artwork but also provides a strategic foundation for her growing business. With built-in flexibility for future e-commerce integration, including platforms like Etsy, the website is designed to support her long-term professional goals.
Now, bobaeartstudio.com serves as a powerful tool for Bobae—a place where her creativity can reach more people and her artistic business can continue to evolve. Sometimes, the right digital approach is all it takes to turn creative talent into a thriving venture.
Curious about her work? Visit bobaeartstudio.com and see for yourself. 🎨🖌️🖥️

11/26/2024

We are in the thick of holiday shopping season with Black Friday and Small Business Saturday quickly approaching!🎁 As you cross off your Christmas shopping list, here are a few simple ways you can support small businesses ✅:

1. 🛍️ Shop local. If you can and you are able, shop local to directly support small businesses and help them grow.
2. 🧾 Buy gift cards. Purchasing gift cards has a an immediate positive impact on small businesses while allowing customers flexibility.
3. 📢 Spread the word. It’s free and costs nothing to share about a local business whose product or service you love. Our communities are still based on word of mouth recommendations. If you feel compelled enough, leave a positive review!
4. 📱Share on social media. Whether you comment, follow, share to your story, or make a post — any way that you can share helps to create engagement and awareness for a local business.
5. 🤙🏽 Say Mahalo. At the end of the day, a simple THANK YOU can go a long way to help tireless entrepreneurs feel appreciated, seen, and supported.

Let’s support one another this holiday season and beyond!✨

11/19/2024

Looking for a great resource that offers free
workshops, events, and mentorship for your small
business?

SCORE is a non-profit who’s mission is to foster
vibrant small business communities through mentoring
and education. SCORE has supported over 17 million
entrepreneurs since 1964.

Check out this upcoming one hour workshop. There’s
also a list of other workshop topics and events — visit
their website www.score.org

Tuesday December 3rd, 2024 at 8am HST/1pm EST

In this webinar, you will learn how to find out what your
customers want, analyze competitors to stand out,
identify new market opportunities and use free tools
like Google Trends, Amazon Search, and Facebook
Groups to gather valuable customer insights.
Learning Objectives:
* Learn how to stop “ lot machine marketing” and start
making data-driven decisions
* Find out exactly what your customers want, so you
can create offers they can’t resist
* Master simple techniques to analyze your
competitors and stand out
* Identify untapped market opportunities that match
your strengths

Register here: https://www.score.org/event/market-research-small-businesses-using-free-tools-grow-your-business. Attendees will be sent
the slide deck and marketing resources!