The U.S. Small Business Administration has been celebrating National Small Business Week, which ends Saturday.
Joseph Burns, state director of the Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center, said client businesses these days are asking for help on strategic planning, start-up assistance, financing, capital and government regulations.
The center also surveys different sectors on business conditions. For example, a recent survey found 83% of small businesses on Hawaiʻi Island feel optimistic about success this year, and more than a third plan to hire more staff.
Additionally, the top lender of SBA loans in the state is Central Pacific Bank, issuing 91 such loans last year. The top recipient of SBA loans last year was Crouching Lion F&B, totaling nearly $2.8 million.
As for Yelp’s recent list of the Top 100 Local Businesses in the United States, five Hawaiʻi businesses made the grade. The review aggregator looked specifically at such consumer categories as automotive, beauty, fitness, fashion, food and pet care.
Hawaiʻi’s five were on Oʻahu and included Island Dog Obedience, Mike’s AC & Auto Repair, Sugar Bar, Ry’s Poke Shack in Kahuku and Parado Power.
