”Small Businesses Rally for Prosperity”
An enthusiastic crowd of small business owners and politicians poured into the 27th Annual Small Business Hawaii conference yesterday at the Ala Moana Hotel, hoping to hear from the many political and business speakers that Hawaii’s business climate will soon change for the better.
”’To see Melvin Ah Ching’s photo albums depicting the conference, click on:”’ https://www.smallbusinesshawaii.com/2003/Conference2003.html
President of the small business advocacy organization, Sam Slom, opened the meeting at 8 a.m. with a rally for small business owners, many who cheered when he mentioned the newly elected Republican Gov. Linda Lingle promised to vastly improve Hawaii’s notoriously hostile business climate.
Under prior administrations run by a long line of Democrat governors, Hawaii’s business climate has sunk to the bottom in most, if not all, business ratings. Those include recent rankings by Forbes Magazine, the Small Business Survival Index 2002 and Entrepreneurial Hot Spots: The Best Places in America to Start and Grow a Company, 2001.
Many business owners are hoping 2003, a new administration and a change in attitude by leading politicians will bring a new beginning for Hawaii’s businesses and economy that will allow them to prosper, not just struggle to survive.
Slom told business owners they have no excuse –