Small Business News | March 1998 | Page 2

Small Business Hawaii | Volume 23 Number 3 | March 1998

SHARE N' TELL FORUM PROVIDES
STRATEGIES TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS

New 11:AM Start Time For March 18th Event

The first quarterly Small Business Hawaii Share N' Tell Business Forum of 1998 will provide you with strategies to help you prepare to do more business during the year.

SBH listened to member suggestions to start the Forums at a later time: 11 am. The SBH Share N' Tell will be Wednesday, March 18, at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hotel, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There will be something for everyone who attends.

If you haven't attended lately, or are a new SBH member, this is an event you won't want to miss. Bring an employee, friend or client. These forums are a major member benefit.

Share N' Tell Member Forums combine networking, education, and a social atmosphere to encourage you to do more business and help you cut existing business costs.

Members, and their guests, may choose one of nine exciting and educational Table Topics, led by a knowledgeable member-Facilitator, prior to the luncheon program.

Topics and Facilitators for the March 18 Forum include:

"The Importance of Customer Service in a Declining Economy," Helen Rapoza, Helen's Haven; "Avoiding Tax Surprises," Reg Baker, Reg Baker & Company/Pendleton Tax; "The Longevity Game and Your EQ," Dick Rowland, Rowland & Alameida; "Six Current Hot Marketing Tips for YOUR Business," Bob Sigall, Creative-1; "Free and Low Cost Employee Benefits," Stan Jacobs, MONY; "Electronic Publishing," Paul Swengler, Law Book Store; "Cash Flow Solutions for Small Business," Joey Macapiniac, Waikiki Financial Group; "Innovative Ways to Decrease Your Indemnity and Costs In Workers' Comp," Ivan Preis, Occusite, Inc., and "Motivating Your Sales Staff For More Profit," Cindy Rasmussen, Professionals Worldwide.

The cost of the Share n' Tell Business Forum, which includes the entire program, luncheon and parking, remains unchanged from last year: only $25 each for members and their guests. Advance, paid reservations are required for this special rate and will be accepted as received on a first-come, first-serve basis. (The cost is $30 at the door if space is available).

Call SBH at 396-1724 to get a reservation form or send in the copy included with the print edition of SB NEWS. Remember, the new time is 11 am!

LEGISLATURE NEAR HALF WAY MARK:
NO RELIEF IN SIGHT

With the 19th State Legislature nearing the halfway mark of its annual 60-day Session (which is scheduled to conclude May 5), no major economic reforms have been passed--or are on the fast track for passage. There is no sense of urgency by lawmakers despite more small businesses going under and last month's announcements by Bank of Hawaii and liberty House of major layoffs. (First Hawaiian Bank announced layoffs earlier and plans to shut down its Economics Division headed by Dr. Leroy Laney; Bankoh followed suit closing its independent business research office which had operated since 1949.)

The 60 proposals of the Governor's politicized Economic Revitalization Task Force, are not doing well either. Some died in late February (consolidation, streamlining, autonomy bills). Many are worthwhile, including reduction in the nation's highest personal income tax rates, but were overshadowed by the Task Force's insistence to also raise both the Transient Accommodation ("hotel room") Tax while confiscating county TAT revenues, and the regressive General Excise Tax (GET).

The original proposals called for a 34% increase -- hurting small business, service providers and those on commissions (such as Realtors) the most. It did include a provision for partial reduction in pyramiding of the tax. Subsequently, the Governor unilaterally reduced the tax increase to 4.75% (17%) but excluded the pyramid reduction. Later, he changed position again, calling for broadening the GET base by taxing non-profits, hospitals, educational facilities and other exempt entities.

A broad community coalition, D.I.E.T (Defeat the Increased Excise Tax) is successfully working to preserve tax cuts while opposing hikes.

Meanwhile, the 12-bill package submitted by the bipartisan Legislative Small Business Coalition, is also nearly dead. "Small Business is My Business" is the theme of the group, and while all 76 lawmakers were encouraged to join and advance improvements to Hawaii's business climate, the reception was lukewarm -- in part because political pressures insisted on focus on the ERTF package. Real movers of the Caucus were the four co-chairs, Reps. David Stegmaier (D) and Gene Ward (R), Senators Norman Sakamoto (D) and Sam Slom (R), along with Sen. Robert Bunda (D), Reps. Ed Case (D) and Cynthia Thielen (R). Others gave lip service; still others didn't even sign on.

Union advocates are busy as usual, making sure no privatizing,cuts in government or their power takes place. A minimum wage increase to $6.50 an hour PLUS COLA, was advanced by Sen. Brian Kanno. A bill to unionize all contractors on all state projects through "Project Labor Agreements," was advocated by Sen. Cal Kawamoto.

A new Constitutional Convention election this November during the General Election is expected to win final approval. Initiaive, Referendum, Recall and Term Limits are dead.

One bright spot may be advancement of the Small Business Regulatory Reform Task Force Recommendations supported by SBH.

Just as in all sporting events, it is the final result -- not the halftime score -- that is important. Small business must continue its efforts to gain a start on an improved business climate by the end of Session; and for change in the November 3 Election. SBH joins with KHVH Radio on Friday, March 27 (6 - 9 am) for the "Hawaii Tea Party" at the Capitol. Be there and make a statement to your lawmakers.

This Link To Small Business Legislative Package Signees

COMMON CAUSE SEEKS CITIZEN INPUT

by Desmond Byrne

In the belief that the Hawaii State Legislature which decides on state policy and laws and allocates public money belongs to the people, we welcome your suggestions to improve the Legislature and it's processes.

Please fax your suggestions to 524-4499 (telephone 524-4488). These suggestions will be treated in confidence.

We will pull together all the suggestions and ensure that the key legislators are informed. We work for the long haul and have great persistence.

Of course, you should also ensure that your particular senator and representative and other legislators you know are made aware of your views.

SBA TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR NEW WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTERS

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is seeking applications from private, non-profit organizations nationwide to participate in the agency's Women's Business Center Program. The application period is through March 26, 1998.

The SBA's Women's Business Center Program currently provides long-term training and counseling for women entrepreneurs through a network of more than 60 centers in 36 states. Each applicant must be able to provide financial, technical, management, marketing and government procurement/certification assistance to clients. Each applicant must also submit a five year plan that describes proposed fund-raising, training and technical assistance activities. Successful applicants may receive financial assistance for a maximum of five years.

Special consideration will be given to non-profit organizations in states and territories that have not yet been funded through SBA's Women's Business Center Program. These states include: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The agency will award a minimum of 3 women's business center cooperative agreements.

For more information or to obtain an application, contact the SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership, at (202) 200-6673, or locally at (808) 541-2990. For additional information on the Women's Business Center Program, visit the agency's website at http://www.sba.gov/womeninbusiness.

SIGN UP FOR FASTTRAC® TRAINING SEMINAR

There is still time to sign up for the ultimate entrepreneurial training program to learn what you can do now to improve the bottom line in your small business. The nationally acclaimed, Premier FastTrac®, was created by entrepreneurs who joined with leading business instructors from across the country who are dedicated to helping entrepreneurs succeed.

Over 16,000 entrepreneurs have graduated from FastTrac programs in more than 30 states and Canada. Within one year after graduation, 10% to 25% of FastTrac II graduates have more than doubled their sales; and 40%-55% of FastTrac II graduates have more than doubled their sales within two years of graduation.

In a business- education partnership, beginning Thursday, April 9, Small Business Hawaii and Chaminade University of Honolulu will offer FastTrac II to existing small businesses. The program will be conducted in 12 three-hour classes held each Thursday evening, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

The cost to the public is $499, but SBH members will be able to enroll for $399. For more details, visit the SBH Entrepreneurial Education Foundation web site, at www.fastrac.org, or call Jim Proctor, at 395-6221.

IT'S EASIER TO START A BUSINESS WITH SIMPLIFIED REGISTRATION FORM

By Governor Ben Cayetano

I am delighted to introduce a new, simple to use, one-stop business registration form that will improve Hawaii's business climate.

To register a new business will be quick and easy with this one-stop form. We have reduced the paperwork and made the registration process more convenient for new businesses by replacing a dozen tax and permit applications with a new single-page "Basic Business Application" form.

This new form eliminates the time it takes to fill out eight different forms with multiple instruction sheets, and the necessity of traveling to different state agencies to apply and file for tax and unemployment insurance for small business owners starting out in Hawaii.

The new Basic Business Application form, which affects all new businesses, took effect in February. Forms will be available at several state agencies:

* Department of Labor and Industrial Relations:

* Unemployment Insurance Division and Disability Compensation Division

* Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs: Business Registration

* Division and Professional & Vocational Licensing Division

* Business Action Center of the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.

For most sole proprietors, who comprise 25,000 new businesses a year, this Basic Business Application is all you need. About 30,000 new businesses are registered in Hawaii each year.

In July, we will take the next step and simplify the registration for new corporations and partnerships, which comprise 5,000 new businesses each year.

Neighbor island business people can go directly to state tax district offices in Hilo, Wailuku and Lihue -- instead of contacting several offices in Honolulu -- to obtain the required tax, labor and business registration forms for setting up corporations and partnerships.

The new Basic Business Application form covers applications for general excise tax, employer's withholding, unemployment, transient accommodations, seller's collection, General Excise one time events, use tax, rental motor vehicle and tour vehicle, liquor, tobacco and cigarette, liquid fuel distributor, and liquid fuel retail dealer.

For businesses with access to the Internet, the new forms and other state business forms will be available for download from the State of Hawaii web page.

For information about the form contact: Milton Kwock, manager of the Business Action Center, at 586-2545.