Hub Coworking Hawaii

Hawai‘i's Best Coworking Space

Humans of the Hub

Meet our Host Team!

Impact Hub HNL has a group of dedicated hosts that work with us to greet new members and facilitate an awesome member experience. Learn more about our team here:

Lawrence Basha

Lawrence retired after a long Army career and is transitioning into something different as a second act. He is interested in organizational development, strategic planning, fitness & healthy living, and progressive politics in Hawaii.

 

Miguel Castrence

Miquel is a geospatial data scientist and managing partner at Resource Mapping Hawaii, a small, locally owned and operated company specializing in aerial imaging and geographic information solutions. He conducts research on wide range of conservation technologies for environmental monitoring over remote landscapes. His latest passion project integrates machine learning and citizen science for mapping marine debris throughout the main Hawaiian islands.

Holger Heine

Holger and his partner Suzanne started Topos Productions in 1996. We worked with clients specializing in corporate events and digital media. Today, Topos Media creates apps, websites and e-books and we help clients with marketing services.

 

Jenn Jiron

Jenn is a graphic designer, illustrator and founder of Waves in Color (a creative atelier). Waves in Color combines Jenn’s East meets West design background and focuses on conveying and creating a visual presence for a wide range of clients ranging from start-ups to established companies. The spectrum of the atelier is wide and includes: brand identity, print/product design, web design, digital projects, pattern creation, illustration and much more. Jenn’s passions include traveling, playing the guitar and helping out in the community.

Joe Heaukulani

Joe describes himself as a Random Citizen helping to transform Hawaii’s communities through enhanced engagement and enduring empowerment. My passions are Technology and Farming, and I am currently skill-building in Amazon Web Services, Machine Learning, Mobile Development, and a small dash of video production on the side.

Ruby Menon

“I have been a host and part of the Hub movement ever since we opened up our doors at the old ProtoHub location on Keawe St. In my day job, I am the Product Manager for a local tech startup, JamBios. In my company, BrainSmart HR, I work with social impact entrepreneurs to provide product design consulting using a behavioral science approach. I also teach Design Your Life by Creating New Habits classes at the Hub. A few years ago, I implemented an Inmate Art project called CARE that works with incarcerated women artists at WCCC. The CARE project promotes and sells their art and craft products so they can earn money for their transition back to the community. I am still involved in this social enterprise project and am always looking for opportunities to promote these talented women’s art work.

Danyale Thomas Ross

Danyale is Founder and Head Instigator in Charge and Mindset Practitioner at InstigateHer™. Her weekly podcast, InstigateHer™ features curated content of women thought leaders and self-help experts while delivering a message in just minutes. Danyale leads the Honolulu WomanSpeak circle, which can be best described as Toastmasters for conscious women a guided process that helps a woman discover her unique story and explores ways to be more fully expressed in the world for herself and her community. Through hosting various themed in person woman-centric events and spaces she encourages women to become a more sovereign version of themself.

Suzanne Savet

My background is in marketing, sales, meeting planning and special event management. My partner Holger and I started Topos Productions in 1996. Today, Topos Media creates apps, websites and e-books and we help clients with marketing services.

My interests include writing; travel; art; photography; film; music; food & wine; and sports, especially, golf, tennis and Formula One racing. As a pastime, I admit to spending too much time online watching hilarious animal (dog, cat) and healthy cooking videos.

Kat Uyemura

“I would be flattering myself if I called myself a Renaissance woman. But, I humbly wish to be an eternal student. I’ve always loved the study of the humanities, arts, literature and music. Anatomy and the fascinating human body has always interested me. I’m a yoga momma who loves travel, hiking, running and anything health related. I also have a great respect and curiosity for technological advances. However, though I believe that it’s integral to advance our society and world, I think what each person yearns for is the beauty of art and culture to transcend us to higher connections to each other, love and spirituality.” Kat says she can be found in any book store.

 

Member Spotlight: Jeffrey Eliasen

Today we’re sharing another member spotlight for one of our long-time members, Jeff Eliasen. You’ve probably seen his smiling face (and bare feet) around the space. Next time you see him be sure to say hello and ask him to chat about coding, technology, puzzles, and/or anything related to pirates.

Jeff is a software engineer, working remotely for companies on the mainland. He’s been ‘enamored’ with computers since he was a little kid, and learned to program before his tenth birthday. He’s passionate about algorithms and data structures, and loves solving data problems. His career choice was easy. He says, “It just seemed natural to spend every day solving problems for pay.” Hard to disagree with that!

I asked him a few questions about how someone new could get into coding. He says that if someone wanted to become a developer or get started with coding, it’s a good idea to start with a coding bootcamp (which didn’t exist when he was learning programming), and determine if you like the kinds of work necessary to complete the course. He also recommends seriously considering a degree in Computer Science or Mathematics if you want to do data work (analysis, machine learning, etc.), or maybe a degree in Design if you want to design and build websites or other digital applications.

Some of the largest changes in the coding world are the availability of powerful tools to people of all skill levels. He believes this democratizes data analysis, e-commerce, and communications (and many other areas). He says that in the next few years we’ll likely see a lot of ‘pulling back the curtains on monolithic business and government entities’ and probably upsetting the current power structure.

In addition to his own coding work, Jeff is a co-founder of the group PyHawaii, the local Python meetup (to be clear, it’s about website coding, not snakes). Python is one of the most-used coding languages in the world right now and is very easy to learn. The meetings typically involve a lesson at a beginner level, a lesson at an intermediate or advanced level, and solving a puzzle as a group to learn problem-solving skills. The group meets the first and third Wednesday of every month and he encourages new and experienced Python users to join!

Jeff loves working at Impact Hub HNL because it’s well-situated around restaurants, coffee shops, and a theater, because it’s near the mall but not so close that traffic is an issue, and (most importantly, we think) because it’s filled with people that make him excited to come to the “office” every day.

Thanks, Jeff, for your time and energy! We’re excited to see you at the office everyday, too!

What is Mindfulness & How Can You Begin a Regular Practice?

You might know that meditation can help bring calm and clarity into your mind and body, but have you been able to put these principles into practice?

Mindfulness expert Noah Pomeroy is hosting a 4-part series starting February 5 that allows attendees to experience the expansive benefits of mindfulness for themselves. The series (which can be attended as one class or a series) will help you learn the basics mindfulness training and develop your own practice over the month.

Noah is a certified professional mindfulness teacher by the International Mindfulness Teacher Association and he completed his training in mindfulness facilitation at UCLA. Noah draws on mindfulness teaching experience from a variety of contexts working with individuals and groups, including teaching this practice at the University of Hawaii, UCLA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Halawa State Prison. The classes will be a combination of lecture, discussion, and guided meditation exercises.

I chatted with Noah about his coming workshop so that we could learn more about this practice, his background, and the upcoming classes.

Andrea B. (AB): What’s the quickest way to describe mindfulness to someone that has never heard of this concept before?

Noah Pomeroy (NP): Mindfulness means directing your attention to the present moment experience with openness and curiosity. It sounds simple enough, but it’s not easy. We all have the capacity to do this to some degree, but we can get much better at it by practicing mindfulness meditation.

AB: What originally (or continues) to keep you excited about mindfulness?

NP: Mindfulness is simply the best tool I have come across to actually engage with each moment of life, rather than being passively carried along on auto-pilot as we are so prone to do. This is why mindfulness is such a game-changer for both our personal and professional lives. As we practice, focus improves and what matters to us and our work becomes clearer. We’ve known for decades that training the body is good for our health – we now know that training our minds is critical as well.

AB: Tell me a bit more about your certification? How long have you been teaching?

NP: After 10 years of a personal practice and 2 years of guiding mindfulness sessions at work, I decided to complete a year long training in mindfulness facilitation at UCLA. As mindfulness has become a wellness buzzword, “2-day teacher certifications” are popping up; the UCLA program grew out of a need to thoroughly train teachers to meet the growing demand for mindfulness training. The program is rooted in the growing body of science that supports the benefits of mindfulness and proven techniques for working with different communities. I’ve worked as a meditation guide at the University of Hawaii for the last 2 years, coaching individuals and groups and delivering lectures for UH’s popular mindfulness classes.

AB: What can people expect in the workshop? What if they are totally new to mindfulness, meditation, and other practices like this?

NP: These classes are designed for people who are new to mindfulness practice, and over the 4-week class series, students will have the opportunity to develop their own daily practice with the support of my guidance and fellow participants. While anyone can take each individual class to learn about a particular aspect of mindfulness practice, participants that choose to do all four will get the most out of the series. Beginning any new daily habit (even for 10 minutes) a day sounds easy, but we all know it is not. In order to experience the benefits of mindfulness, you must practice regularly. I want people to actually start a daily practice that will serve them the rest of their lives. I welcome people who think mindfulness is “woo-woo” or “soft–” through this practice one learns quickly that this practice takes courage, discipline, and the spirit of adventure to meet your experience of life exactly as it is… and those who bring these elements to the practice will be rewarded accordingly.

AB: What is the goal of the workshop – after the workshop, participants should be able do what?

NP: After each class, participants will takeaway their firsthand experience with guided mindfulness practice and an understanding of a particular aspect of practice. Participants that are able to commit to 2-4 weeks of the series will have the best chance to establish a daily mindfulness meditation practice that will allow them to experience the benefits of mindfulness in their lives, work, and relationships. They will have a grasp the fundamentals of practice and how to overcome common obstacles. They will have a taste of the freedom and joy that comes from regular practice that will fuel the momentum of practice they have built through the course.

Thanks Noah for sharing your thoughts! Register for the classes here; members can use discount code MEMBER to get 15% of ticket prices for either the full series or individual classes. 

Member Spotlight: Christine Mai‘i Sakuda of Transform Hawaii Government

Our ongoing series of Member Spotlights highlights the great work that our members are doing across their fields in Hawaii. Christine Sakuda of Transform Hawaii Government (THG) is a local organization that seeks to improve and modernize the Hawaii state government.

You can learn more about the organization here:

THG has hosted multiple events here at Impact Hub HNL, and we look forward to hosting more of these interesting and progressive events about how to improve our government from the ground up! Follow our Facebook events page to keep up to date.

I chatted with Christine over email and asked her to tell me more about the work that THG is doing, and why it’s so important.

transform hawaii government

Andrea B (AB): Can you tell me a little bit more about Transform Hawaii Government?

Christine Sakuda (CS): Transform Hawaii Government (THG) advocates for modernization of state government services so that such services can be provided to the public, Hawaii businesses, and even government officials and employees themselves in an efficient, transparent, and meaningful way. Modernization also helps increase availability and access to electronic data, promoting data-based decision-making in shaping Hawaii’s future.

AB: Tell me a little bit more about you – how did this become your role/passion/career?

CS: I’ve been working in the technology transformation space since 1997, starting off in healthcare and recently transitioning to state government with THG. For 15 years, I’ve worked for non-profit organizations, being the first executive director for the most recent organizations: the Hawaii Health Information Exchange and THG. I do not have a formal education in technology but learned on the job, and believe that technology can be a powerful tool to help solve problems and deliver services.

AB: What are some of the biggest issues you see with our state government?

CS: State departments and agencies have traditionally focused on their own department goals in a decentralized manner. These departments matured during a time when technology was nascent, heavily customized, and not user-friendly. Since then, there have been huge advancements in technology that allows for more enterprise (statewide) planning and systems integration to occur; many of these advancements have brought data to the fingertips of mobile device users, but not yet to our government agencies. Citizens expect the state government to keep pace with these advancements and make best efforts to leverage new technologies to deliver services in more efficient and convenient ways.

AB: What can Hawaii citizens do to get more involved in government and transparency?

CS: THG encourages interested individuals to join the THG coalition through our website to stay informed on the state’s progress towards IT modernization as well as learn how to become more active, such as testifying in support of key legislation that advances these efforts.

AB: Can you tell me more about your events that you’ve hosted here?

CS: THG hosted a series of talk story sessions at Impact Hub Honolulu focused on key themes of state modernization: a state IT strategic plan, modernizing infrastructure, open data, cyber-security and more. Impact Hub HNL is an ideal, central venue to bring together subject matter experts and state leadership to discuss these topics to raise awareness of challenges and discuss opportunities for improvement potentially through public policy.

AB: What upcoming events can we look forward to in 2019?

CS: THG’s speaker series will be returning to Impact Hub HNL in the New Year. We are in the process of developing our 2019 calendar of events and will announce upcoming speaker series topics on our website and through our newsletter. We plan to raise our speaker series to the next level in 2019 by hosting more panel discussions that move these discussions forward. For more information on these events, including Facebook Live video of past presentations, visit our site and select “Events.”

Thanks, Christine, for taking the time to chat with us!

Meet Our New Head Host, Josh Rivera

Impact Hub HNL is delighted to announce that we’ve hired Josh Rivera into a full-time Head Host position. Josh started the first week of November, and he will be working daily to support both our members and our community, helping member engagement, event planning and coordination, and managing our volunteer host team.

Josh was born here on Oahu, but grew up in Florida. He graduated with a Marketing degree from the University of South Florida, and then spent four years in the Army, which brought him back to Oahu.

While in the Army, he worked as a Mobile Gun System Platoon Leader and Signal Corp Platoon Leader at Schofield Barracks. After his service, he went back to the marketing world and started working as a Marketing Assistant for Yelp Hawaii and Barista at Morning Brew (an excellent Kakaako neighborhood coffee shop). He still manages Yelp Hawaii’s social media channels, digital marketing efforts, and helps with their events, which is how he met our Community Director Anne and got to know more about Impact Hub HNL.

Josh is a foodie, a dog dad, and a solo traveller. He says that he loves solo traveling, and encourages everyone to take at least one solo trip in their life. “I enjoy the serendipitous encounters you have with locals and fellow travelers while trekking alone. I believe food and travel go hand in hand. Food is a great way to experience another culture especially when in a new city or country.” When here on the island, he loves to take his Shiba Inu, Kintsugi, out for hikes and for beach adventures.

Please stop by to meet Josh next time to welcome him to the Impact Hub HNL community!

Member Spotlight: Curt Wilken and Karl Smith of CityWide Home Loans

This month’s Member Spotlight is the two owners of CityWide Homeloans, Karl Smith and Curtis Wilken. CityWide is a residential mortgage bank.  In their Hawaii office Karl and Curt focus heavily on construction loans and VA (veteran’s loans) – both of which there is a large need for here in the islands.

Their successful business relationship was actually forged many years ago – the two met with they were kids growing up in Ogden, Utah. They have been friends since 7th grade and remained friends through their college years at Weber State, also in Utah.  It wasn’t until Curt retired from the AirForce, last year, that he was finally able to convince his friend Karl to come visit, and their company grew from there.

CityWide is already one of the largest lenders in the Western states. Regarding their loan services in Hawaii, Karl notes that Hawaii banks tend to be a little more conservative with their lending criteria, and CityWide was able to step in and offer loans for a wide range of projects.  They offer homeowners the opportunity to rebuild old homes, expand their home’s footprint, or do refurbishments and improvements.

The CityWide team was one of our very first members here at Impact Hub, and their time here has proven successful  – they’ve expanded their business and added three new members to their team. When Impact Hub HNL was featured on Hawaii Public Radio recently, Karl was quoted as saying, “We can grow within the space and it’s just a really neat atmosphere.”

If you want to learn more about lending and construction loans, you can listen to Karl and Curt on the Fix it Friday show from 8am-9am weekly with Mike Buck on AM 690. They are also hosting an upcoming Lunch & Learn at Impact Hub HNL, 7 Nov at noon, with Amber Lethem about improving your sales growth. You can register for this FREE event by emailing Curt directly.