Hub Coworking Hawaii

Hawaii's Best Coworking Space

Polani Mo'okini

Keiki and Plow Work Day Recap

Hub Coworking at Keiki and Plow
Hub Coworking welcome sign at Keiki and Plow

At the Hub, you might have heard our motto of “Do well, do good”. This saying stems from our mission to foster the success of our members. The second part, “do good” goes a little beyond the traditional business idea of cultivating a community of working professionals. “Do good” comes from the need to feed the soul, to gain a sense of belonging and purpose, to build community with those around us.

Hub Coworking Members working at Keiki and Plow.

To put actions to our words, we host work days where our coworking members are invited to get out of the office, and give back to the ‘aina (land). We’ve hosted work days out at the Kōkua Learning Farm with our friends at Kōkua Hawai‘i Foundation, and community cleanups with the Surfrider Foundation O‘ahu Chapter, as a way to provide our members the opportunity to network outside of their immediate circles, visit places they might not have seen before, and of course to help our surrounding community.

Most recently, we visited Keiki and Plow– a family run, organic farm in Hawaii Kai that offers families a hands-on farm experience. On Saturday, November 6, 2021. The team at Keiki & Plow hosted about 25 Hub Coworking members and friends.

Hub Members at Keiki and Plow
Hub Coworking members at 11/6 Keiki and Plow Workday.

Our members volunteered to help with various projects on the farm such as transferring soil to plant beds, planting herbs and flowers, clearing pathways, pulling crops of weeds and spreading mulch around crops.

Hub Coworking members at Keiki and Plow
Hub Coworking Members clear weeds during Keiki and Plow workday.

We were all split into separate groups to complete our tasks, and Hub members with keiki helped to plant flowers and vegetables in the garden. It was a fun-filled day, and it was so nice to see some of our members out in the open again. Mahalo to the members that were able to make it–we hope to host another work day sometime soon! For more information on our member events and to make sure you’re signed up for our next one, follow us on social media @hubcoworkinghi.

Hub Members in Keiki and Plow vegetable patch
Hub Coworking members with Keiki helped to plant vegetables.
Hub Coworking Members at Keiki and Plow
Keiki and Plow Garden
View of Hub Coworking Hawaii’s 11/6 workday at Keiki and Plow.

The Past Four Years at Hub Coworking Hawaii

Back on August 23rd, The Hub celebrated its 4th year of operation out of our Queen Street location. We are so honored to have made it this far as a coworking space, creative outlet and a gathering place. Together, we have grown through renovations, a rebrand, community volunteer opportunities and countless events–pau hanas, networking opportunities, movie premieres, crop swaps– just to name a few! We only hope that this growth continues long-term, and that we can provide the location, resources and opportunities for you and your business to, as we say, “do well and do good.” 

Before 2020, the Hub was a community resource for businesses needing a venue for their meetings and events. The Hub was and still is a gathering place for many of its own community members allowing the businesses in our own network to spotlight their products/services. While events have taken more of a back seat nowadays, we can’t help but to reminisce on some of the past events that we have had the pleasure of hosting. We hope to bring events back when we’re able to gather in a safe manner again.

  • Art@Hub Shows
    • The Hub has had the pleasure of having it’s space beautified by murals painted by local artists. Artists would create murals or installations on the common theme of “Community.” In exchange, the Hub would provide membership or residency for artists to continue their work or provide classes to the community. Each artist would also be featured in their own Art@Hub Show where they’d display their gallery of work. Local artists that have created murals or installations for the Hub are Lauren Hana Chai, Boz Schurr, Aimee Dukes, Shenae Tam, Bai Xin Chen, Ryan Higa, Aria Villafranca, and Lauren Trangmar.
  • Indie Lens Film Nights
    • In partnership with PBS Hawaii, we would transform our Main Event Space into a theater and feature independent documentary films focused on a variety of social issues. PBS Hawaii would even bring pizza, a popcorn machine and arare/mochi crunch. Some popular features were “Out of State” and “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”
Indie Lens Film Screening of Bedlam
  • Climathon
      • In fall 2019, we hosted the first ever Honolulu Climathon. We hosted the Climathon Honolulu Hackathon with guest judges Chelsea Harder of Hawaiʻi Green Growth, June Matsumoto of Pacific Islands Institute, and Chris Barzman from Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaii. We focused on sustainable tourism and guided our participants with the guiding question of: “How do we reduce the human impact of tourism in Honolulu?”
        Climathon 2019 Winners Team Get Zero Wasted
  • Wellness Wednesday
    • Awakened Mana has been hosting Wellness Wednesday events once a month at the Hub since our early Impact Hub Honolulu days. They are creators of conscious events and products. With a focus on movement, health, sustainability, growth and community, their events and products inspire reflection and an awakened consciousness. Popular events have consisted of Sound Healing Meditation, Kombucha Brewing Workshops and Light Alchemy. 
  • Weekly Member Luncheon
    • Formerly held every Wednesday in the community kitchen, our Member Luncheon was an opportunity for our members to connect with each other during the lunch hour. We’d provide pizza or food from local neighborhood restaurants (thank you, Thyda’s Tacos!) and break the ice for everyone.
  • Monthly Crop Swaps – Back on! 
    • This series of events was born from members sharing their abundance from their home gardens and crops. Our amazing members would bring in apple bananas, mangos, marrungay leaves (malunggay/moringa) and all kinds of herbs to share with others. We figured why not make this a monthly occurrence? This was also the perfect pairing with Long Spoon Farms to help with the monthly efforts as they were providing a similar community service in Kaimuki. 
Crop Swap meeting in our community kitchen

Another growth point of ours has been our membership. Our core group of members has changed over the years, as we steadily welcome freelancers, digital nomads, entrepreneurs, small business owners and non-profit organizations seeking a flexible workspace. Our variety of month to month membership options and offices allowed our members to use our space at their convenience and scale up when ready. When COVID-19 made its way to the Hawaiian Islands, we were just as worried as everyone else. Our memberships took a hit and some long standing office members had to vacate. Since then, we’ve reached a new demographic of remote workers, businesses seeking office space that didn’t require a long lease and workers wanting an alternative space to their home office (or dining tables). 

We’d love to recognize several of our previous members, that have scaled their businesses over the years:

After working with some incredible entrepreneurs/companies, we were inspired to make a greater impact in our community. Since 2017, we have created and joined forces with a variety of programs that have allowed us to provide many mentoring, coaching and networking opportunities for our members and the greater community.

Programs:

The Social Impact Incubator Program helps fill the opportunity gap for very early stage entrepreneurs – especially educators – in Hawaiʻi. SIIP is a six month program where participants gain access to content specialists, top-notch mentorship, weekly learning modules and up to $8,000 in capital to take their venture to the next level. We are currently working together with Teach for America Hawaii on the second cohort of entrepreneurs.

The Hawaii Freelancer’s Network is open to any small business, entrepreneur, freelancer or business leader, current or aspiring! Via monthly workshops at the Hub, HFN helps to connect members to the greater community and share valuable knowledge and insights. 

  • Women’s Personal Finance Group

Women’s Personal Finance workgroup was a casual bi-monthly meetup at the Hub for any woman that wants to learn more about finances, better understand their own financial habits and needs, and get more comfortable asking questions and learning about this big subject. 

Women’s Personal Finance Group Meeting

 

The Benefits to Private Office Spaces

While most people in Honolulu know Hub Coworking Hawai‘i for our co-working spaces, we also offer the option of private office spaces. Catering to employers who want a dedicated space but may have half a workforce that’s remote, we offer members a chance to have an office that feels like their own – even if they’re not in it all the time. Our team sat down with Hub member and owner of accounting firm BCCA Brad Char to learn more about why he chose a dedicated office space for his team.

Here is what he shared:

Client Meetings and Room for Growth

“In the service that we provide, we are frequently interacting with customers via lunch meetings. While we liked having our own space, it felt very fixed,” said Char. “The Hub’s variety of office spaces allows us the flexibility to grow our team incrementally and interface with clients in a space that feels neutral.” 

Ease of Access and Amenities

Decked out with much more than your average office, The Hub offers access to complimentary coffee, tea, kombucha, a communal kitchen, plus showers and surfboard storage for those of us who greet or end the day by catching some waves. “There are a lot of additional things that we didn’t have prior, including much nicer amenities,” said Char. “For clients, coming here feels a lot more welcoming.”

A Space to Collaborate

Working with consultants and vendors? Onboarding new team members? The Hub is the perfect collaborative setting for people to jump right in. “Another thing I’m looking for in the near future is having an HR consultant to help with my company,” said Char. “I think The Hub would be a great place for them to come to when we have to meet.” After meetings, members can always return to the privacy of their office to follow up on immediate action items.

Location, Location

Our central location in Kaka‘ako is the perfect jumping off point in case you need to rush from one Zoom call to an in-person meeting in town. Forgot to pack lunch? We are within walking distance to some ‘ono local spots to grab a quick bite.

Whether it be coworking or working within the walls of your own space, The Hub offers the flexibility to fit your needs. Having a private office at the Hub allows you and your team to choose the working environment that best suits your business. Visit our membership page to learn more about packages and offerings.

IMPACT ART GALLERY -WHAT’S UP AT THE HUB Oct.-Dec.

For those of you who are in the space, you might have noticed a little re-decoration besides the sanitizers, uno cards and other COVID-19 precautions-and that’s because we have a NEW Impact Art Gallery!

Meet our resident artist from now until the rest of the year, Dawn Yoshimura.

Born and raised on the Windward side of O’ahu, Dawn is story-based artist. She likes to create plain air paintings where she hears a story about a place (or makes up her own) and paints her response to it. She also has an interest in making ceramic hand-built forms and collaborative projects with other artists or community groups. Dawn has created Straddling Worlds, an art Gallery that is representative of the places she has been to, communities she’s worked with, and stories she has come to discover.  All of her artwork on display at the Hub come with a QR code for you to read more about the story that lives in each piece.

One of her better known pieces are called Color Bridges, which are abstract visual prayers of encouragement. Dawn is actually hosting several collaborative workshops to create these Color Bridges in order to bring forth a sense of community, and an opportunity to mentally/spiritually help people struggling during this time of the unknown. Her Color Bridges are a series painted on mulberry paper while she was thinking about how to fuse her values; absorbed growing up here in Hawai’i and her ethnic heritage of Japanese ancestry. Mulberry paper seemed a good common material to use to paint her prayers for peace, encouragement, and acknowledgement of someone pursuing their dreams. A sense of solitude, gratitude and anxiousness are all represented in these pieces since they were done in between shut downs.

Paint Yourself Happy Online workshops allow Hub members to pickup a complimentary art kit, and paint their own Color Bridge alongside Dawn through an online stream. The first workshop is this Friday Oct. 30th, and they will continue through the end of the year. Click here to sign up for this Friday! 

Meet Dawn!

  • What’s your favorite kind of art?

My favorite kind of art is when I see the hand of the artist responding from direct observation of nature.

  • In your opinion, why is art important?

Everyone says art is important–but I find that feeling safe and confident enough to express your creativity is the most important mission in life than any artwork ever created. I teach because I find the majority of people have been wounded quite early in life and when I meet them, they are afraid. They need encouragement and skills to even dare to try to make something that is pleasing…for them. My Color Bridge workshops is about addressing this–I present watercolor as something fun and non-threatening but also a glimpse of the challenge, because if something is too simple or easy, wounded creatives mistrust this and themselves. Effort has to be rewarding. Artwork in the end is just a result. it is the making of art at all levels that is essential for a healthy society. I am an artist, as an artist, we are always asking ‘why’ and observing. Sometimes the artwork produced is groundbreaking and at the edge of comprehension and acceptance. Sometimes it is affirming and endless variations of a theme. Sometimes it is private therapy, not meant for other eyes except God’s. If everyone got art training as children from nurturing adults, we would have more skilled problem solvers, innovators, decorators, inventors, curators, caretakers, writers, filmmakers, singers, engineers, lawyers and musicians. Not everyone needs to become an artist to benefit from learning about and making art. But everyone can benefit from learning about and appreciating art.

  • When did you become a member of the Hub?

I became a member because I needed a place to rest and work in town. I hate driving and live in Kaneohe, so I would plan my day so I would drive as little as possible and book as many appointments as I could in one day. The hub was perfectly located, felt like my old offices in Sweden at the Volvo Group and I felt like I had a home in town when I needed it!

Tell me about a piece that will be on display at the Hub?

Arrival of the First Nations is an imagined piece about how Kaneohe Bay may have looked after terraforming began with the ProtoPolynesians planting their canoe plants. I come from Kaneohe so I often fantasized as a kid what is was like when it was a Hawaiian village before it got it’s name.

  • Why do you think it’s important to showcase local artists?

It is important to showcase local artists because we have a perspective and sense of time here that doesn’t come from the tourist or frequent visitor. A tourists’ eye of Hawai’i is through the filter of the brand of Hawai’i and the filter of the local is informed with their own history but also of those in their community. If you think of art as only a product–then, yes, you can showcase other producers of art about Hawai’i and it would probably sell well–but art, like language, music and food, is an expression of the culture and times of a specific locale. A traveler will appreciate this nuance and seeks out and enjoys sampling other cultures and can be transformed or enhanced by the experience. If people can’t see local artists at work–they will only see the brand of Hawai’i that tourists pay for. For locals, it is also important to see local artists–because we are mirrors of our community and our work acknowledges their existence and POV and experiences. This can be humorous, political, observational, documentary in nature but without showing local artists–we are all invisible.

  • Where can people find you online/get in touch with you?

You can find me at @dawnyoshimurastudio on instagram and facebook, my website or email dawn@dawnyoshimurastudio.com

 

Hub Partners With Next For Me to Inspire Local Professionals

NEXT FOR ME AND HUB COWORKING HAWAI’I PARTNER TO EMPOWER TODAY’S WORKERS

 

Honolulu, Hawai’i (September 23, 2020) 一 Hub Coworking Hawai’i, a Honolulu-based coworking, office, community, and event space – known as the Hub –has partnered with Next For Me, a media company that publishes books, newsletters, and research on the topics of entrepreneurship, career moves, and what’s next for today’s workers. This partnership was created to empower entrepreneurs, working professionals, and curious individuals to excel in their careers, and reach their goals.  

 

By virtue of this partnership, Hub members will receive Next For Me books, courses, virtual events, and guides, free of charge. With these resources, Hub members will have access to advice, tips, and group sessions, so that they can actively participate and work towards the next steps in their careers.

 

There are eight Hub members signed up for the first cohort to work through the course and book  “Next For Me: A Guide To Change For Everybody”. Together, the members will complete video lectures, course exercises,  real-time meetings, and online discussions to build a collaborative cohort of motivated professionals. This is intended to be a “low-lift” program, suited to catalyze new moves for members during this time of change. 

 

“The Hub team has been actively looking for ways to support our members,” said George Yarbrough, co-founder of the Hub. “After reading “Next For Me: A Guide To Change For Everybody”, I was inspired to offer this opportunity to our collective of small business owners, entrepreneurs and other members who I knew were going through difficult times at the moment. I am hopeful that this partnership will spark our Hub community and allow our members to reach their goals and do the work that they love.”

 

Jeff Tidwell, CEO and Founder of Next For Me, said of the partnership, “Our company has Aloha in our DNA so we are delighted to be working with the Hub and the innovators in their community. We believe this partnership will drive innovation by sharing our resources and techniques to smooth the way for positive transitions.”

 

For more information about this partnership, or to find out about how you can utilize Next For Me’s resources, please visit our websites listed below. 

 

Next For Me: 

Next For Me is on a mission to make your next career move your best yet. The company offers training, online courses, books, newsletters, and research on the topics of entrepreneurship, career moves, and what’s next, punctuated by the impact on work by COVID-19. For more information, please visit www.nextforme.com.

 

Hub Coworking Hawai’i:

Started by George Yarbrough and Nam Vu, “The Hub” as it is more commonly known serves as a multipurpose space for coworking, events, meetings, studying, idea smithing, and more. The idea is to give Hawaii’s community a non-traditional place to work, share ideas, and grow exponentially. With all of its components and community aligned mission, the Hub forms a diverse and collaborative space that spikes productivity while providing members with a network of other motivated individuals. The Hub is home to a range of companies from startups to national corporations. Memberships range from 24/7 unlimited access, to daily passes. 

 

For more information on how you can join the Hub community, please visit HubCoworkingHI.com or follow them on Instagram and Facebook @HubCoworkingHi.

Special Mahalo to the members who have signed up to participate in the first cohort of this partnership. We truly hope that this programming helps to launch y0ur next venture and leads you on the path to achieving your goals.

-The Hub Team

Impact Art Gallery -What’s up at the Hub?

Ever wonder who creates the artwork displayed inside the Hub? You know, the dinosaurs, the comics, those abstract paintings?


Each month the Hub chooses a different local artist and exhibits their work, to showcase our community’s incredible talent. We love this because it creates the opportunity to support our local artists, foster new connections, spark conversations, and drive creativity through our ever evolving workspace decor. 

The Impact Art Gallery is our version of an art residency program. This space gives local artists an opportunity to share and sell their work. This month, we will share the art virtually as well.   Past artists have included: Lauren Hana Chai, Boz Schurr, Sheanae Tam, Bai Xin Chen, Ryan Higa, Aria Villafranca and Lauren Trangmar.

Sarah Kawaonahele Opaieie Mapuana Farris is our resident local artist for August.  Farris is a Native Hawaiian artist who is currently finishing her last semester at the University of Hawaii with a degree in marketing. You may have seen her working at Deck Waikiki and Arvo Cafe, and if not, you have definitely seen her artwork in various local businesses around O’ahu, such as Morning Brew Cafe and Beyond Fitness Hawai’i in Kakaako, Sunrise Shack in Waikiki, and on MoistHawaii merchandise –– an environmental awareness clothing brand.

This summer, she volunteered for Mele Murals, an organization that focuses on bringing local artists, musicians, and cultural advisors together to preserve Hawaiian culture.

We had the chance to speak with Farris about her experience with the Hub recently. This is what she had to say: 

Q: What inspires your art? 

A: Before moving to Hawaii, finding inspiration for my artwork was very difficult. When I started focusing on my art career in 2017, I noticed that my artwork was heavily influenced by the Hawaiian environment and culture. In my art classes at the University of Hawaii, my fellow students call me a passion painter. This is a person that relies on their emotions and can portray that through a piece. Upon moving here, I have felt more connected to my surroundings, using what I see and what I feel from the island and people to showcase in my art. 

Q: How did you get in touch with the Hub? 

A: I got in touch with the Hub through Josh, who used to be one of my coworkers at Morning Brew Kakaako. A year or two ago Josh started at the Hub and discussed that they usually look for artists to showcase their art, which led me to send in an application to be featured. 

Q: How do you benefit from this partnership? 

A: To me, The Hub is more than a coworking space for individuals. It is an organization that focuses on bringing different parts of the community together to make one ‘ohana. This concept aligns with what I would like to do with my artwork, bringing different people with different passions together to make a community that helps each other. What I think I can gain from this partnership is a community of people that help others in their creativity. I am hoping that this partnership will lead to many opportunities that will help me give back to my community. I am planning to take some of the profits of the exhibit and donate it to Mele Murals, in which it can help younger generations to be able to connect with their culture and to nurture their creativity. 

For more information about the Impact Art Gallery and to submit your artwork, please fill out this form or contact the Hub team.