If you are involved with trade and businesses outside our geographic boundaries during the past decade working with entities representing various government interests, the easy first step has been sending/receiving high profile speakers telling you “how the pasture is greener on the other side.” Most of the speakers have brought with them years of experiences.

Their job is to provide a convincing message to the audience. Many of them did an excellent job sharing their success stories. Most audience will leave the meeting or dinner on a high note. Most of the time, the bus stops here just with a good feeling.

It is usually difficult for the attendees to follow up with an out of town speakers. Getting additional information from the local sponsors can be very difficult in time.

Have you attended one of the meetings described above in the past?

If you are interested to expand your business outside of Hawaii, what is the value to you attending a presentation by an expert for example in China trade showing you the opportunities to take advantage of the trade worth billions of dollar? If your interest is to increase knowledge of general trade and business, most of you will probably satisfy with the information provided.

For many of us wanting to take the newly acquired knowledge to the next level to implement what we learnt into practice, you will find major obstacles.

Where are some of the obstacles?

*Sponsoring organizations may not have extensive knowledge on the subject matter presented.

*Event use as mean for public relations only

*Unable to obtain additional information and follow ups

A recent meeting with one of the Federal agency, the retired Director said the major challenge is their advisors inability to provide complete and satisfy answers to businesses wanting to expand their business overseas. Information is presented in piece meal and seldom complete. People try to obtain information find themselves going around in circle.

What to look for if you are really interested to expand your business overseas?

*Seek out local entities focus on promoting and actually doing business locally and internationally

*Look beyond the name — it could be misleading

*Get connected with the local Chamber of Commerce in the region of your interest

*For Americans, get connected with the local American Chamber of Commerce Call the organization you have in mind, find out how much do their Officers and Directors know anything about business overseas (if that is your target market) — the number of trade missions attended is not an accurate gauge for experiences as many are paid for by government as a mean to reward loyalty. It has nothing to do with trade.

*Who are their collaboration partners?

Once you have located a credible entity to work with you. You are required also to do your homework.

*Find out if there is a market for your products and/or services

*Consider working with a reputable partner

*Observe local rules and customs

*Invest some money and time

*Do not lose your focus — it is so often when you hear business executives came back from a foreign trip impressed, if you look closer, they were impressed by things other than business and for the wrong reasons.

Like marriage, a lasting relationship takes time to know each others before taking the dive. The wine and dine during courting are fun things. But it is by no mean a measurement for successful relation.

”’Johnson W K Choi, MBA, RFC. is president and executive director of the Hong Kong China Hawaii Chamber of Commerce (HKCHcc); president and managing director of the Global Estate & Tax Consultant, Johnson Choi Consulting Group & Carson Booking Keeping & Tax Services; and executive vice president and COO of ProjectOnNet.com See:”’ https://www.hkchcc.org/ https://www.johnsonchoi.com/ ”’or call 808-222-8183 or fax at 808-524-8063”’

Steve’s business was flat. And he was in a funk.

He had been in financial services for almost 10 years, and for the first 8 of them his business soared.

He found new customers almost every day — or at least it seemed that way. He was having fun, making good money, and felt like he was on top of the world.

Then about two years ago his production leveled off. Last year, for the first time in his career, he didn’t hit his sales/production/income goals.

And so far this year, he’s about 15 percent behind last year’s production levels.

Steve was angry, frustrated and knew he needed some help. He called me.

During our first conversation, I asked Steve to describe how he grew his business when he was getting started.

He told me that he spent all of his time prospecting. He was looking for new people to call each and every day.

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He went to networking events. He got referrals from his satisfied customers. He purchased lists of names. And he spent lots of time on the phone.

His business grew, and grew and grew. He thought it would continue to grow… forever.

As he became more successful, he figured that the business would come to him. So he stopped prospecting. He stopped renting lists. He stopped using the telephone.

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Yes, the momentum he had generated kept him going for a couple of years. But his rate of growth was shrinking. Then he stopped growing. He peaked.

When we started working together he was so bogged down with paperwork and administrative stuff that he didn’t have “time” to get on the phone. Steve was spending all of his time “servicing” his customers, and was too busy to find new ones.

As we talked over the next few weeks, Steve realized that he had become his own worst enemy. He had stopped doing the very things that had made him so successful: Prospecting and using the telephone to schedule appointments.

He vowed to clean up his act. And he did.

He discovered ways to eliminate, delegate, and streamline his paperwork/administrative duties. This gave him more time to spend looking for prospects. And he found them.

Today Steve spends at least 60 minutes on the phone looking for new business — each day, every day. Many days he’s dialing for dollars for more than two hours.

His production has soared and he’s going at a pace to make this year his best ever.

What about you? Is your production where you want it to be? If not, maybe you’ve got the same disease that Steve had — Too Busy-itis.

The symptoms being: No new prospects. No new customers. No new business.

So do this:

”’Stop”’ spending all of your time doing paperwork and miscellaneous “stuff.” ”’Start”’ looking for new prospects. ”’Schedule”’ at least 60 minutes of phone time each day. Every Day. Your activity will pick up, you’ll make more sales, and have more money in your pocket.

I’ve just written a training manual “Overcoming the Fear of Cold Calling.” It walks you through my time-tested methodology of how to use the telephone to get appointments, create opportunities, close more sales, make more money.

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”’Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey Mayer’s Succeeding In Business Newsletter. (Copyright, 2003, Jeffrey J. Mayer, Succeeding In Business, Inc.) To subscribe to Jeff’s free newsletter, visit”’ https://www.SucceedingInBusiness.com

House Bill 289, which creates a local advisory school boards, and House Bill 32, which requires the state Board of Education to meet in local communities, do not address the real issues that need to be solved in order to fix Hawaii’s public education system.

I have followed the problems of the educational system for many years. I have seen the results of national tests showing that the status of Hawaii’s children in public schools. I believe there must be substantial change in the way we manage and operate the schools and divide up the state education money that is spent each year.

I also have served on several boards of directors and trustees. I understand that the basis on which boards can do their jobs depends on the accuracy and completeness of the information they receive from the organizations they are intended to serve.

When a Board has such a large span of control and responsibility, such as the current DOE board, it is impossible to make fair decisions for all the school districts, because it is impossible to accurately assess their individual needs. The job is just too large for one group to handle.

Local boards are what is needed but they need to be more than just advisory in nature. The system is still just too big to expect that the voice of advisory boards will be heard and not ignored. Advice is cheap, the saying goes. In this case, without authority to act within legitimate local board guidelines and accountabilities, there will be few if any local gains from real, appropriate decisions that benefit local school districts.

In short, when local school boards are formed as they are proposed in HB 289 but have no real control and authority to make financial and other decisions for their local school districts, the real problem has not been addressed and this implementation would represent nothing more than an expensive sham. This system will simply not work.

Real local school boards will establish education policies in their communities, and have the authority to approve their school district budget. True local school boards will hear the local needs, make real decisions in response to them, and then be held accountable along with the schools for making those decisions work.

HB 289 creates advisory boards that don’t have these authorities. I want local boards who will work together and listen to the input from myself and other community members, and be willing to act upon this advice when it applies. HB 32 only requires one Board of Education member to occasionally listen to my advice at the local level. Why will he/she be willing to respond based on my input when there are thousands of voices from all over the state also seeking to be heard on behalf of their own district’s special needs.

I want reform that gives each community the right and opportunity to improve the education in each district. I oppose these two bills because they do not enact the real local school board reform that I have addressed in this testimony.

”’Jack Randall is an Administrator at Keiki o ka Aina and a resident of Honolulu. He can be reached via email at:”’ mailto:JRanMRan@aol.com

House Bill 289, which creates a local advisory school boards, and House Bill 32, which requires the state Board of Education to meet in local communities, do not address the real issues that need to be solved in order to fix Hawaii’s public education system.

I have followed the problems of the educational system for many years. I have seen the results of national tests showing that the status of Hawaii’s children in public schools. I believe there must be substantial change in the way we manage and operate the schools and divide up the state education money that is spent each year.

I also have served on several boards of directors and trustees. I understand that the basis on which boards can do their jobs depends on the accuracy and completeness of the information they receive from the organizations they are intended to serve.

When a Board has such a large span of control and responsibility, such as the current DOE board, it is impossible to make fair decisions for all the school districts, because it is impossible to accurately assess their individual needs. The job is just too large for one group to handle.

Local boards are what is needed but they need to be more than just advisory in nature. The system is still just too big to expect that the voice of advisory boards will be heard and not ignored. Advice is cheap, the saying goes. In this case, without authority to act within legitimate local board guidelines and accountabilities, there will be few if any local gains from real, appropriate decisions that benefit local school districts.

In short, when local school boards are formed as they are proposed in HB 289 but have no real control and authority to make financial and other decisions for their local school districts, the real problem has not been addressed and this implementation would represent nothing more than an expensive sham. This system will simply not work.

Real local school boards will establish education policies in their communities, and have the authority to approve their school district budget. True local school boards will hear the local needs, make real decisions in response to them, and then be held accountable along with the schools for making those decisions work.

HB 289 creates advisory boards that don’t have these authorities. I want local boards who will work together and listen to the input from myself and other community members, and be willing to act upon this advice when it applies. HB 32 only requires one Board of Education member to occasionally listen to my advice at the local level. Why will he/she be willing to respond based on my input when there are thousands of voices from all over the state also seeking to be heard on behalf of their own district’s special needs.

I want reform that gives each community the right and opportunity to improve the education in each district. I oppose these two bills because they do not enact the real local school board reform that I have addressed in this testimony.

”’Jack Randall is an Administrator at Keiki o ka Aina and a resident of Honolulu. He can be reached via email at:”’ mailto:JRanMRan@aol.com

Feb. 18, 2003

To: Senator Inouye, Chair; Senator Espero, Vice Chair; Committee on Water, Land and Agriculture (WLA) and Senator Kawamoto, Chair; Senator Espero, Vice Chair; Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations (TMG)

From: Tom Marzec

Subj: REFORM ANIMAL QUARANTINE

Let’s face it, the German-speaking travel market went from fourth place in Hawaii’s precious travel force to last under the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s tenure. The highest spending travel group and every world travel destination is targeting it but us. From 130,000 visitors per year, it plunged to 18,000 and only because no one within the Hawaii Visitor and Convention Bureau or the Hawaii Tourism Authority understands the importance of this market for Hawaii.

The average German-speaking traveler enjoys three paid vacations per year of at least two weeks each, three times a year. This group books in advance because of necessary adjustments in the working place. All major European Travel Organizations offer group deals one year in advance to adjust to such travel behavior and to be able to fill their special group deals … to be able to offer ”’today”’ a compatible price for one year ”’later.”’ These organizations buy large amounts of dollars in advance to stabilize any fluctuation in currency changes.

The importance of this travel group — it is not dependent on any staggering economies. Nor is it concerned of any possible war in Iraq. They will travel even during war. Even retirees are financially able to travel. There will be no war on U.S. soil. Germans are only concerned of security and safety. They utilize the German airline Lufthansa, New Zealand Airlines or Air Canada. They are very comfortable with that. Lufthansa connects with UA from L.A or S.F. The others fly direct to Hawaii with stopovers in Canada.

And then there is the former East Bloc. A population that has been deprived for over 50 years to travel the West. That group is longing to see the western world. There are 17 million former East Germans. There are a great number of German speaking people living in Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. This group does not speak any English. It has learned Russian in school. This group is in great need of German-speaking services that are very limited or not at all available in our beautiful state.

Hawaii once enjoyed 130,000+ visitors from Austria, Switzerland and Germany. That established revenues of about $335 million, not counting expenditures for shopping and restaurants. But then the HTA came on board and failed to maintain this important market.

Before March of this year travel destinations for 2003/4 will be chosen for this travel group. Yet Hawaii has done nothing to encourage them to visit here. The results speak a clear message. An often over-looked fact is that the world largest tourism fair is held every year in Germany. It emphasizes the importance of said travel European group.

The World Travel Organization published demographics in February announcing the strongest traveler numbers in world history for 2002 and is predicting even an increase for 2003, despite war worries. But Hawaii is not getting its share. We are spending $31 million on tourism marketing, which is controlled by the HTA, an organization that recently complained, publicly, the HVCB is not spending it wisely.

And the HTA even publicly says it will cancel all advertisement for at least two months in case of war, the exact opposite of what should be done.

Now at the same time the Legislature offers $8 million in emergency funding for tourism. That may sound like an excellent idea, but the problem with that it is it will be wasted and spent ineffectively and unwisely. At the same time, the HTA chair, Rex Johnson, announced that not all of it is needed. Someone should tell him he needs every dime — if not more — to get tourism back on its feet.

On Feb. 21st the HTA announced that it had provided a $20,000 grant to a health firm to attract higher spending travelers to Hawaii, offering Spa and other health-oriented services.

This nonsense is mind-boggling when markets are neglected that could bring as much as $335+ million in revenues to Hawaii if only someone understood that market.

In truth I am elated that Ted Liu, the new director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and other highly qualified professional business personalities have joined Gov. Lingle to make true change happen, despite taking personal monetary cut backs. And despite having to deal with left overs from the Old Boy’s Club that still spend a lot of time throwing political boulders in progress’s path instead of concentrating on how to make things better for the state. Such incomprehensible and small-minded thinking is an insult to the voters who are very aware of such political games. The only one from that side of the political spectrum who is standing up for Hawaii is Sen. Donna Mercado Kim, and she should be applauded for that.

The Aloha spirit is a great thing. However, in times of economical difficulties we need minds in charge who finally understand business ”’and”’ Aloha … in that order.

Let’s target the former German-speaking East Bloc. Let’s target the former German-speaking West Bloc. New Zealand is the best example on what to do to get them. They are coming in large numbers because New Zealand has a working strategy to effectively invite them. And they are coming.

Let’s get true professionals in charge of tourism marketing, people who are quick to take the action necessary to target that market … now.

By the way, whatever happened to the planned appointment of a director for tourism?

”’Dieter Thate is general manager of Dieter’s Tours (est. 1993) and Kimapa Marketing (est. in 1982). He can be reached by email at:”’ mailto:mail@kimapa.com ”’or visit his Web site at:”’ https://www.kimapa.com