MEN IN BUSINESS 2026
Ave Kwok
What’s the first job that taught you real responsibility? The first role that truly taught me responsibility was becoming part of Maunakea Marketplace in Chinatown. I was responsible for 107 tenants from all walks of life. The property is a […]
Ben Fieman
What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? The hardest decision I had to make in my life was to leave my family business Loco Boutique and leave the bikini line I created (Kaimana Beachwear) in order to […]
Brett Katayama
What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? Saying yes to an internship in the architecture and engineering industry changed the direction of my career more than anything. At the time, I was working for Red Bull and […]
Craig Chong
What’s a defining moment that shaped how you lead today? Early in my career, I had the opportunity to help build something from the ground up here in Hawai‘i—growing a church New Hope Oahu from zero to 6,000 people in […]
Daniel Lee
What’s the first job that taught you real responsibility? The first job that taught me real responsibility was my time at CD Peacock Jewelers in Northbrook, Illinois. As a sales professional, I wasn’t just selling jewelry, I was entrusted with […]
David Hubbard
What’s the first job that taught you real responsibility? There used to be a bodyboard shop on Kapahulu where a mentor of mine worked and he got me my first real job. I just assumed that I’d work the floor […]
Jeff Hubbard
What is the best way to handle failed attempts? You never truly fail unless you walk away without reflecting on what went wrong and why. Every mistake carries a lesson—whether it’s about improving your approach, being more prepared, or seeing […]
Eric Leterc
What is the first job that taught you real responsibility? The first job that taught me real responsibility was my apprenticeship. As an apprentice, my chef mentor taught us and trusted us to be responsible to hold a station from […]
Eric Rosso
n that changed the direction of your career? In 2020, I was happily running my advertising agency, something I had built and led for more than 25 years. Alongside that work, I had been teaching yoga twice a week for […]
Josh Green
What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? In 2000, I was given a National Health Corps assignment to serve as a doctor on the Big Island, and after four years of observing issues faced by those in […]
Tyler Kurashige
How do you handle pressure when the stakes are high? I’ve learned that pressure doesn’t go away, but it does ease when I get clear and am prepared. I try to slow down and focus on what matters most: people, […]
Jacob Aki
The biggest inspiration for me has always been the people who invested in me. I was fortunate to grow up surrounded by mentors, teachers, and community leaders who believed in me and gave me opportunities to grow. Their support created […]
Jason Baptiste
What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? One of the most defining decisions I made was choosing to step outside of a traditional career path and actively build multiple income streams through real estate and business investments. […]
Jonathan Rotmensch
What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? One of the decisions that changed the direction of my career was to trust my vision and ideas instead of trusting people’s perception and adopting their insecurities. People always told […]
John White
What’s the first job that taught you real responsibility? While working for Nike Golf, I had the rare privilege of having a one-on-one lunch with our legendary founder Phil Knight. It wasn’t planned. We were just at the same place […]
Jon Bryan
What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? For the first 11 years of my career after I graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, with my Bachelor of Science-Business degree, I worked for several different hospitality and […]
Kanui Bell
What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? Thinking back, two decisions stand out in my mind. Decision #1 shifted my “what and where.” In college, I worked as an Educational Assistant in special education at a high […]
Maxwell K. Kopper
What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? I joined my current law firm about nine years ago. I was about five years into my law career, which is about the time a lot of young attorneys start […]
Chancelor Kim
What is a decision that changed the direction of your career? One of the most important decisions I made early on was choosing to build something slowly and intentionally rather than chasing rapid growth. In the restaurant industry, it is […]
Nicklas Yip
What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? In 2013, I made the decision to move back home to Hawaiʻi from Los Angeles. At the time, I had just earned my architecture degree and was doing what many […]
Patrick R. Gey
What’s the first job that taught you real responsibility? My first true lesson in responsibility came early in my career at Christian Dior’s headquarters on Avenue Montaigne in Paris, working in men’s tailoring and ready-to-wear. I wasn’t simply selling suits […]
Rey Wolmers
What’s the first job that taught you real responsibility? One of the first jobs that truly taught me responsibility was working in customer-facing sales and service. I learned early that people aren’t just buying a product or service—they’re trusting you […]
Stratton Wright
What’s a decision that changed the direction of your career? I wouldn’t point to a single moment that changed the direction of my career. It was really a series of moments over the past decade that ultimately led me to […]
EDGE EVENTS
