Our mission is to cultivate and support the entrepreneurial spirit in the Hawaiʻi minority community: its individuals, businesses and organizations.
The Hawaiʻi MBDA Business Center fosters the establishment and growth of minority-owned businesses by working with minority business enterprises to generate increased financing and contract opportunities and to create and retain jobs.
We are operated by the University of Hawaiʻi and located at the Shidler College of Business. We are part of a national network of funded centers located in major cities throughout the country.
Our Team
Chris Rachal
Program Director
Chuck Lopez
Business Development Specialist
Arthur Martirosian
Business Development Specialist
Success Stories
Construction Firm:
Business Plan and Cash Flow Projection
Hawaiʻi MBDA Business Center developed a business plan and a seven-month detailed weekly cash flow projection for a small construction firm. The firm increased their working capital line-of-credit, and pursued the market recommendations of the strategic business plan. The firm has increased revenues from $5 million to $20 million a year, and was recently awarded a multi-million dollar contract to be the prime general contractor for a homeless shelter development in the Leeward area of Oahu. “Without the Center, we would not have gotten this $14.2 million contract. This will take our company to a new level. We have been blessed with our association with the Center.”
Software Development Firm:
Cash Flow Projection
Hawaiʻi MBDA Business Center developed a cash flow projection for an 8(a) software development firm that specializes in Department of Defense work. The firm was competing for large contracts, but was not able to obtain the necessary working capital line-of-credit it needed to handle payment delays. The cash flow projection clearly demonstrated the firm’s revenue potential, and was able to increase their working capital line-of-credit that met their needs.
“We were a small, but growing company and we needed more capital to sustain our growth. With the Center’s assistance, it was a matter of only a few months before we had a financial model that our bank was comfortable with.”
Construction Firm:
Succession Plan
Hawaiʻi MBDA Business Center developed a cash flow projection for an 8(a) software development firm that specializes in Department of Defense work. The firm was competing for large contracts, but was not able to obtain the necessary working capital line-of-credit it needed to handle payment delays. The cash flow projection clearly demonstrated the firm’s revenue potential, and was able to increase their working capital line-of-credit that met their needs.
“We were a small, but growing company and we needed more capital to sustain our growth. With the Center’s assistance, it was a matter of only a few months before we had a financial model that our bank was comfortable with.”
The Hawaiʻi MBDA Business Center is part of a network of Centers fostering the establishment and growth of minority-owned businesses in America. The Center is partnered with the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, Shidler College of Business, under the management of the Pacific Business Center Program. The Center is Federally funded by the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), U.S. Department of Commerce.
Hawaiʻi MBDA Business Center
University of Hawaiʻi, Shidler College of Business
2404 Maile Way, A414b
Honolulu, HI 96822
Telephone: 808.956.0850
Fax: 808.956.0851
E-mail: [email protected]