Small Business Hawaii

"Back in 1982 as one of the early board members with Lex Brodie, Lex approached me and said I'm planning to step down shortly and we need to find someone who can lead the organization into the next century. I was somewhat shocked when he told me he was stepping down but we immediately starting looking for the individual who could take over. I knew this was going to be extremely difficult because as we all felt, who could replace the legend, Lex Brodie and all the great work he had done for small businesses. So in 1983 we started meeting possible candidates for the job. None of the many people we met seem to be the right fit until Lex called me one morning and said can you make lunch today as I have a man from Bank of Hawaii I want you to meet. My initial reaction was not a bank person to fill Lex's shoes. Within ten minutes of meeting Sam Slom I knew he was our man and the rest is history."

"Small Business Hawaii is the voice of our local entrepreneurs to our government. Without SBH, the concerns of the local small business owner would simply be absent before our government."

Charles K. Djou, Councilmember, District IV (Waikiki, East Honolulu), Honolulu City Council

It was in late summer of 1993, back when SBH was located on Kapiolani Blvd. Sam and I were working on our first book project, "The Unbelievable Empire, A Collection of Hawaii Political Cartoons by John S. Pritchett" when TV producer Cynthia Yip came into the office. She praised the quality of the Pritchett cartoons and said she had wondered why such good work was not published in Honolulu's dailies, but that now she understood why. It was because the cartoons were so political.

After arriving in Hawaii 4 years ago, my involvement with SBH enabled me to very quickly network and become better educated about key issues facing both business owners and concerned citizens. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a valuable organization.

Paul Vierling, Hawaii State Board of Education and employee of Servco Raynor Inc.

Small business Hawaii has been a consistent voice for economic progress, economic liberty and the fact that they go together or not at all. Small business Hawaii stands tall for growth and liberty and job creation in Hawaii. Very few members of Small Business Hawaii have been convicted of anything this year. Ted Bundy. Jonathan Pollard. John Mark Karr. None of them members of SBH.

In 1983 I attended a SBH forum that had a speaker discuss insurance prices and issues. As a result of that single event I saved 30% on my insurance premiums over what the previous owner had been paying. SBH always brings focus to issues and value to the member who takes the time to participate.

Paul E. Smith, President, Pacific Allied Products, Ltd. 1982-2002; candidate for Senate, 2006

Valenti Print Group suffered a major loss when it's longtime owner and President passed away suddenly in april of 05. Scott O'Brien was the "voice" of Valenti within the community. We then rallied together and joined several organizations, Small Business Hawaii being one of them. SBH has been a tremendous asset in networking and getting our name out in the marketplace to let people know who we are, what we do, and how they can reach us. We love SBH!

"Few people realize that Small Business Hawaii has had a remarkable impact in promoting free market reforms worldwide. One SBH publication has undergone four revised and expanded editions that has been: translated into 40 languages; received two awards for excellence in economic education; endorsed by Nobel laureate economist Milton Friedman; adopted by more than 20 public policy institutes and hundreds of supporters globally; and undertaken production both as a play and a movie. This is all due to the vision and entrepreneurship of SBH President Sam Slom."

When I first started my practice over three years ago, it was a natural thing to join SBH because I am a small business. Since I have joined, I have obtained wonderful resources for my clients and new clients for myself. In addition, the legislative updates provided by Sam are invaluable. He provides the information necessary for me to stay on top of any potential laws that might affect my business or the way I operate. Being a member of SBH is well worth the time and modest fee.

"Congratulations on thirty years of service to the Small Businesses of Hawaii. I thank you personally for the numerous business contacts I've made as a result of SBH and the many new friends. Doing business in Hawaii is better because of SBH."

"My understanding is, from 6,000 miles away, that 100% of business leaders who have met Senator Slom have remained in Hawaii."

I congratulate Small Business Hawaii on its 30th Anniversary. Small businesses are the heart and soul of Hawaii's vibrant economy, and having a voice for small business in Hawaii is so very important. Best wishes for your next thirty years.

Few know the vital role SBH played in defeating Gov. Cayetano's Economic Revitilization Task Force's 1997 recommendation to raise the General Excise Tax to 5.75%. He proposed lowering the top tax bracket and raising the GET. As SBH Legislative Chair, we played a key role in fighting the GET increase. Of course, a groundswell of public opposition arose, but we were at the center of a small group organizing the fight. I think it's our biggest victory in 20 years. We lowered the state's top tax bracket 1.75% and avoided a GET increase that would have cost taxpayers over $2,000 per family per year.

Bob Sigall, Author of "The Companies We Keep - Amazing stories about 450 of Hawaii's best known companies."

"I had the good fortune of meeting Lex Brodie the first week I arriver her from Minnesota in 1963. It was Lex that introduced me to Small Business Hawaii, and I continue to look forward to their monthly breakfast meetings even though we moved to the North Shore near Haleiwa - which means getting up very early to arrive on time.

Lex Brodie, in turn, had the good fortune to have Sam Slom take over and continue the good work that Lex Brodie had started.

Small Business Hawaii is a great opportunity to keep informed and also to keep in contact with fellow members, who's goals, and mission is to improve the business climate - for all businesses in the state of Hawaii."

I've been involved with SBH in one way or another for at least 20 of the last 30 years. I helped lead SBH through the transition of setting the SB News on an old fashioned phototypesetting machine and paste-up boards through a series of Macintosh computers in which the entire newsletter process is now done all electronically. SBH was one of the first organizations in Hawaii to have a web presence, as we were there starting in February 1995. It's been a fun ride documenting it all through newsletter composition and photographing many of the major SBH events. Most of all I made a lot of great friends and acquaintences through my association with SBH and Sam Slom. Much mahalos for everything!

Got a testiomonial about Small Business Hawaii? Send it in the Malia Zimmerman at malia@hawaiireporter.com or to Sam Slom at sbh@lava.net. We'll keep adding them to this page as they come in.

SBH Logo
SBH Home Page

Top | SBH News Index