Fellows mentioned in this story: Meli James

From Hawai‘i Business Magazine:

In Hawaiʻi, small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy. They employ the majority of the workforce, anchor local communities and shape the intersection of culture and commerce across the Islands. Yet for decades, Hawaiʻi’s entrepreneurial potential has been constrained by a persistent belief that serious growth requires leaving home.

Meli James has spent the last decade dismantling that assumption. As co-founder of Mana Up and president of the Hawaiʻi Venture Capital Association, James has emerged as one of the most influential figures in Hawaiʻi’s modern business landscape.

Her consequential work focuses on creating the pathways, networks and visibility that local companies need to grow into durable, competitive enterprises without relocating entirely to the mainland.

The challenge, James often explains, has never been a shortage of ambition or skills. “Hawaiʻi doesn’t lack talent or ideas,” she says. Instead, she notes, it lacks the systems, national visibility and support to help them scale. That insight – simple but far-reaching – has shaped nearly every initiative she has led.

Continue reading at HawaiiBusiness.com.