Steve Petranik

Honolulu

Editor at Hawaii Business

Editor of Hawaii Business magazine

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Articles

Despite Your Anxiety, Don’t Tune Out the News

1 week ago | hawaiibusiness.com | Steve Petranik

Here are seven ways to stay informed while keeping your stress level under control. Knowing that I’m a journalist, people frequently tell me they can’t follow the news anymore. The turmoil in Washington, D.C., has pushed many over the edge, but then you also have wildfires and climate change, poverty and inequality, racism and intolerance, wars and violence, the uncertain economy. Every day seems to bring a fresh wave of scary reports.
A New Program Offers Advanced Leadership Training for Rising Executives

1 week ago | hawaiibusiness.com | Steve Petranik

Hawai‘i Leadership Academy is a short, intense program that prepares vice presidents, directors, senior managers and department heads for even bigger roles. There are several training programs in Hawai‘i designed to prepare first-time managers to succeed in their new roles, and other programs give emerging leaders a holistic immersion in Hawai‘i and its unique culture.
How Hawai‘i Women Can Overcome Obstacles and Build Thriving Businesses

2 weeks ago | hawaiibusiness.com | Steve Petranik

A Bluesky executive keynotes a major event for women entrepreneurs on May 2 that helps them finance, launch and grow their businesses. For the past two years, the Women Entrepreneurs Conference has been a high-energy half day of learning, inspiration and networking for hundreds of local female business owners. This year’s event on Friday, May 2, promises to be the best one yet.
Here’s What Hawai‘i Business Leaders Say about Their Companies, Life, Communities and Local Politicians

4 weeks ago | hawaiibusiness.com | Steve Petranik

The Performance Index – based on changes in employment, gross revenue and profit before taxes at the 357 companies surveyed – fell for the third consecutive survey. The Optimism Index– based on those same business people’s feelings about the direction of Hawai‘i’s economy in the next year or two – rebounded from the low score in the previous survey.
Good Independent Journalism Matters More Than Ever

1 month ago | hawaiibusiness.com | Steve Petranik

My parents escaped dictators, communism and fascism for a better life. They knew that democracy was intertwined with fact-based media. If you count the five years I delivered newspapers as a kid, I have worked in the news business for 55 years. I am proud of the work my colleagues and I did – we were never perfect but most of us worked hard to provide accurate, useful and timely information that was fundamental to people’s lives and to democracy.
7 Fascinating Facts from the Hawai‘i State Data Book

1 month ago | hawaiibusiness.com | Steve Petranik

Death, taxes, tourists and other data about Hawai‘i, then and now. The annual state Data Book is a local treasure: The numbers inside tell us much about where Hawai‘i and its people are now and how we got here. Here are just a few of the things I found interesting and revealing in the Data Books, which are all online beginning with the 1967 edition, and other sources. • After the Japanese attack on military bases around O‘ahu on Dec.
I Used to Be a Little Scared of Retirement. Not Anymore.

2 months ago | hawaiibusiness.com | Steve Petranik

The problem with paradise is the price we pay to live in it. It’s a lot. That high cost has proved too much for many. To make ends meet, hundreds of thousands have left Hawai‘i in the past decade, many of them reluctantly, and more will follow. But my wife and I have been lucky. We’ve been here for 38 years and hope to stay for the rest of our lives. It hasn’t been easy, though. We both worked full time for all of those years and raised two children.
This Nonprofit Has Helped People Get Back on Track for Over 100 Years

Jan 20, 2025 | hawaiibusiness.com | Ryann Coules |Steve Petranik

Worried about making the rent despite working full time, or falling behind on your electricity and water bills? Struggling to find healthy, affordable groceries close to home? If you answered yes, you have plenty of company in Hawai‘i. Aloha United Way’s latest ALICE Report found that 44% of local households are below the ALICE threshold.
BIA’s Big Goal: Supplying Homebuilders with More Entry-Level Workers

Jan 15, 2025 | hawaiibusiness.com | Steve Petranik

The Building Industry Association of Hawaii has revived its education program, a gateway to well-paid construction jobs. You probably best know the Building Industry Association of Hawaii for its annual home show, which this year is Jan. 24-26 at the Blaisdell Center. But for BIA Hawaii and Roseann Freitas, who took over as CEO in December 2023, another major focus is reviving a training program that shut down during the pandemic.
Are Elites Growing the Pie or Simply Their Pieces? - Hawaii Business Magazine

Jan 14, 2025 | hawaiibusiness.com | Steve Petranik

The U.S. ranks lower than expected on the Elite Quality Index, pointing to institutions that concentrate power and wealth. One way to understand Donald Trump and the Republican Party’s triumph in the 2024 elections was their success in channeling the money, power and influence of their elite supporters while simultaneously harnessing voters’ anger against elites.