NetWorking in the Aloha State

The people of Hawai’i are natural networkers.  Spend two minutes with a local and I guarantee they will find out where you were born, what high school you went to, your nationality and ethnic background, your genealogy for at least three generations back, your original hair color, and where you shop for groceries.  They will probe and probe until they find common ground.  Once you establish that your cousin’s wife’s aunty on her father’s side went to elementary school with the local person’s grandmother’s hairdresser’s friend’s grocer (the one who retired, not the new one), THEN, and only then will you have any chance of talking about business.

Okay, maybe I exaggerate a bit.  But, I’m not far from the truth, as many Hawai’i business people will attest.  Establishing rapport and finding common ground are crucial to having meaningful conversations and building relationships, whether business-related or not.  It is especially important on a small island where one is likely to run into the other person at family luaus, local restaurants, the gym, or Costco.  Those who prosper in Hawai’i understand the importance of networking and are mindful of nurturing and growing solid relationships.

Want to do business in Hawai’i, but don’t have any connections?  My advice would be to take some time to find out about local current events via the websites of our two major newspapers:  www.honoluluadvertiser.com and www.starbulletin.com.  The safest topic is the weather, especially if you can convey a hint of jealousy over the warm trade winds.  Ask about the economy and housing prices.  Ask about sports, both high school and college.  Ask about the price of poi (it is scarce sometimes).  The point is to show a genuine interest in Hawai’i and in the person with whom you’re speaking.  The respect you show will speed your acceptance into our wonderful island business culture.         

UPCOMING NETWORKING EVENTS IN HONOLULU:

If you are in Hawai’i, you may enjoy networking with island business people at these events:

• Weekly BNI (Business Network International) meetings.  For a list of local chapters, go to www.bnihawaii.com and click on Chapter Locations.
• Hawai’i Women’s Business Center (HWBC) events.  “The Art of Networking” will be presented on July 18, 2006 at 5:30 p.m. at the Hawai’i Women’s Business Center in downtown Honolulu.  Full details and a list of programs are at www.hwbc.org. 
• For Women, By Women monthly events.  The next meeting will be July 12, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. at the Hawai’i Women’s Business Center in downtown Honolulu.  The topic will be “Relationships” and will feature two guest speakers and lots of networking.  For more information, contact founder Janine Wedemeyer at jmwedemeyer@msn.com, or visit her calendar at http://calendar.yahoo.com/jmwedemeyer.

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