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Business Blog

Interview with Business: Katalina's Island Grill

11/25/2019

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Katalina's Island Grill

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Above is a photo of Katalina in front of her restaurant's signage and counter. 
Heleni Pahulu, Katalina's daughter, spoke with me about her family‘s restaurant, Katalina’s Island Grill in Hayward, California.

Address: 821 Sycamore Ave, Hayward, CA 94544
Dine in, or take out. Authentic Tongan food and drinks
Catering service (pick up only): Call (510) 200-9504

For me, this is the Real Tonga Room of the Bay Area because Katalina's Island Grill sells authentic Tongan food, drinks, and desserts. They play familiar island jams (music), and their interior is decorated with signature pacific designs and photos. The restaurant is suited for families and celebrations because of the large tables and entertainment stage which are characteristic of pacific islander culture.

In 2020, they will host live shows. Follow them on Instagram, and Facebook so you can stay informed.

Sooner than that, if you're in the Bay Area, then visit their family restaurant for a home cooked meal and friendly service.

Hear their story in my show, "Pacific Business Podcast." Heleni talks about their menu, working with family, Tongan culture, and the impact of positive Yelp reviews. 


This is a Two Part interview. Click on the links below to listen:
Part One: (1/2) Katalina's Island Grill
Part Two: (2/2) Katalina's Island Grill

Favorite my podcast to hear more from "Pacific Business Podcast."
https://anchor.fm/fanaika-faagau
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Interview with Business: Measina Treasures of Samoa

5/7/2019

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Morwenna A. Petaia met me on skype, from across the pond, to talk about her experiences as the owner of Measina Treasures of Samoa in Melbourne, Australia.

Measina Treasures of Samoa does three things: 
1) Sell products, made by Samoans from all over the world;
2) Blog about all things that are Samoa;
3) Share educational programs through the Samoan culture.

Morwenna is a talented Samoan business owner, wife, and mother. Our Samoan culture is the basis of her business, and the bridge for Samoans in the diaspora to connect with Samoa. In today's world, we import a lot of non-pacific goods into the Pacific Islands. Refreshingly, Measina Treasures of Samoa helps us share Samoan made products with the rest of the world. As a result, this business has its reach into the United States. 

We also discussed the importance of developing a business community, and the impact of economic power. Please check out our talk.

This is a Two Part interview. Click on the links below to listen:
Part One: (1/2) Measina Treasures of Samoa
Part Two: (2/2) Measina Treasures of Samoa

​Pacific Business Podcast ​

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Small Business: Reducing Overhead Costs

4/29/2019

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Last year, I worked with a small business which was suffering a lot of cash flow problems. Their biggest problem was that they did not have the Time and Patience to go over their budget, spending, and expenses. It was an especially costly problem because the harder they worked, the less money they saw.

Making money was not a problem because they were a reliable, hardworking team with returning customers. The problem was that they did not know how to generate a profit after paying their bills. 

​I met with them, and went over their expenses. We discovered a few items that cost them $4000 a month, but these were not necessary costs. Just to name a few:
  • Advertising: This business enjoyed their paid advertising service because they liked the offered website and social media, but they did not see an increase in sales as a result of this service. Solution: I suggested they use free online resources until they increase their capital. They set up a free Weebly website, and company Facebook page. 
  • Printed Flyers: Since this business has a physical office, and meets directly with customers, they relied heavily on printed flyers. But printing monthly flyers requires a lot of ink, and special paper. Solution: I suggested two things: use social media and an email list to raise awareness of their deals, and if needed to print smaller flyers. Smaller flyers required less paper and ink.
  • Unknown Expenses: Unfortunately, they did not have bookkeeping experience. They were first time business owner’s who spent more time making money, and very little time reviewing their expenses. They had more than one unknown expense which was automatically withdrawn every month. Solution: We investigated these unknown expenses, and stopped payment on both. I reminded them that any money misspent takes away from their important living expenses.

As new business owners, my concern was to reduce overhead costs. We worked together, trimmed any fat (unnecessary spending) of the new business, and brainstormed ways to increase revenue. 

It was a learning experience for us both to be more self-interested as a business owner.

To follow my blog, please subscribe on the homepage.
Fanaika Fa'agau Consulting, LLC

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Interview with Business: Continental Appliance Co. in San Francisco

3/20/2019

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Kasanita "Nita" Faagau-Tiliti sat down and talked about her experiences as a co-owner of Continental Appliance Company in San Francisco. They offer appliance repair services in the Bay Area.

​Nita is a hard-working Polynesian business owner, wife, and mother of three. She and Sal (husband and co-owner of Continental Appliance Co.) feel blessed to run their own business and serve customers in the Bay Area. She explained the value of investing in home appliances. In a rich place like the Bay Area, there's a temptation to throw out defective home appliances especially if the warranty expired or if there's no warranty at all. But Nita talked about the convenience of calling her appliance repair company to come to the homes of customers and repair the appliance, and the environmental benefit of re-using the repaired appliance as opposed to throwing it away and adding to the landfill.

This is a Two Part interview. Click on the links below to listen:
Part One: (1/2) Continental Appliance Co in SF
Part Two: (2/2) Continental Appliance Co in SF

Pacific Business Podcast

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Pasifika Business Resources

3/19/2019

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Who is the Pasifika community? Pasifika people are indigenous to the Polynesian, Melanesian, and Micronesian islands. But they live in the diaspora, such as the United States.

Many societal problems that the pasifika community faces require economic solutions. For that reason, there is a strong push for business development because of the potential for wealth and job creation. Surplus of money can help in paying for solutions in education, health, and civic engagement.

Here are some helpful Small Business Resources:

U.S. Small Business Administration: is a government agency that helps start and grow your business with free business counseling, finding a SBA lender for business loans, and much more. Visit their website to find the nearest SBA District Office.

Coconut Wireless United States facebook page: has 3000+ followers which means that it has a large reach. Business owners should contact the page, and ask if they can share announcements which helps promote events/products/services

Islander Elevation app: reinvests in our Islander People by connecting Pacific Islander businesses with each other, and providing job resources. This app is great for iPhone entrepreneurs who do a lot of business and communication on their phones. (The link leads to their Instagram page, but from there you can download the app.)

Pacific Business Podcast: is my own podcast in which I interview Pasifika business owners, and talk about their business experiences in the United States. Please subscribe to hear us talk story about interesting community topics.


If you know of additional resources, then please comment below and I will update this blog entry.
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Small Business: Sole Proprietor or LLC?

3/19/2019

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If you're thinking of starting a small business, then you're probably wondering:
Should I operate as a Sole Proprietor, or form an LLC (limited liability corporation)?

Well, it depends.

First, there are various business structures you can consider such as sole proprietorship, LLC, partnership, corporation, and S corporation. But sole proprietorship and LLC are the more simple and common structures.

​Second, which state do you plan to run your business? In some states, it is especially  more expensive to operate an LLC.

​Third, is your business vulnerable to lawsuits? The more likely a client or merchant will sue, then the more likely you may need to invest in forming an LLC. If you do need legal advice, then it's best to seek a business law attorney. 

Below are some comparisons between the two structures:

​Sole Proprietor
As a sole proprietor, there is no separate business entity. This means that the sole owner is one in the same with her business because the owner is personally liable for the company's debt.

There is no formal registration for a sole proprietorship because the owner automatically becomes a sole proprietor as soon as she performs business activities.
However, you may still need to obtain necessary licenses and permits depending on your industry. 

LLC
Forming an LLC creates a separate business entity from the owner. This means that the owner is shielded from most personal liabilities.

Formal registration is required in order to form an LLC, but the forms and filing fee depend on the state in which you conduct business activities. 
Below are some of the state websites:
  • Hawai'i: Business
  • California: Secretary of State
  • Utah: Division of Corporations and Commercial Code
  • Washington: Secretary of State
  • Texas: Secretary of State
  • Nevada: Secretary of State
  • Alaska: Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development
To see a bigger list or research a different state, visit: U.S. Small Business Administration.

​
​Consultation: If you'd like additional help in determining whether to operate as a sole proprietor or form an LLC, then contact me today.

​Ruby

Fanaika Fa'agau Consulting, LLC
(775) 237-8667
[email protected]
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