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Our Personal Experience in the 2024 Hui Kapili Cohort Group

 

Written by Liana Hilweh in Collaboration with Chad Hilweh, Hilweh Builders

 

What is the Hui Kapili Accelerator Group?

The Hui Kapili Business Accelerator aims to strengthen Hawaii's construction industry by providing training and support to small- to mid-sized businesses. This initiative addresses the industry's challenges, such as labor shortages and high failure rates, and promotes sustainability and community engagement. It is sponsored by Hawaii Home + Remodeling Magazine (HH+R) and American Savings Bank (ASB). It was also promoted by the Building Industry of Hawaii (BIA), further highlighting its importance to the local construction landscape.

 

The Kickoff Event

September 21, 2024

 

From the moment we applied to the cohort to where we are today, it has felt a bit like a dream. As a small business, we’re constantly looking for all types of ways to improve and market ourselves, and opportunities like this don’t come often. So, when we saw the chance to apply to the Hui Kapili cohort, we were stoked! 

 

From the start, we worked closely with Cyd from HH+R and Billy from ASB. While we’ve met others involved, we consider them the ones “running the show,” guiding us step by step through the process. Both have been fantastic. Fun fact: Cyd is part of a band called The Vitals 808! Little did we know we were already fans of her music.

 

Before diving in, we want to note that the world may be small, but the island is tiny! A lot of this began when Chad was having coffee with a local architect, Kris Powers of Powers Design Studio, and happened to sit down and randomly meet Darlene and Cody from HH+R Magazine. That one meeting expanded our network, and we’ll forever be grateful to Darlene and Cody for taking that first step to connect with Chad and Kris. Mahalo!

 

Who are the Other Members?

As for the cohort itself, being the first year, we weren’t sure what to expect. It’s a diverse group, with members focusing on everything from large custom homes and commercial projects to development and government contracting. Some businesses are like ours, providing mostly residential remodeling services. The best part has been the easygoing, collaborative nature of the group—everyone is eager to learn from and support each other.

 

Kickoff Reception at ASB

The kickoff reception at the ASB Main Campus wasn’t just about the stunning surroundings—it was about fostering meaningful conversations and sharing knowledge.

 

The evening started with drinks, pupus, and plenty of opportunities to network. Meeting other business owners, from small startups to established large-scale companies, has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the cohort. Whether we were speaking with leaders of large construction firms or exchanging ideas with fellow small contractors, we found that the real value lies in the shared experiences and learning from one another, regardless of business size. It reminded us that anyone, no matter how big or small their business, has something valuable to contribute.

 

As the reception drew to a close, we took part in some candid video shoots with Delo, the photographer. We hope to see those clips shared in the future, but what we really wanted to convey in those moments was a sense of gratitude—gratitude for the opportunity to be part of this incredible cohort and for the chance to learn from and contribute to this community.

 

Liana and Chad Hilweh, Hilweh Builders at Reception

 

Why Did We Join Hui Kapili?

For me, the decision to join the cohort came from a business standpoint. But for Chad, it was about community. Having grown up in Kaaawa and with deep ties to Oahu, he feels a responsibility to give back. It’s not just about networking for him; it’s about building community. One of his favorite sayings is, “Let’s not compete, but complete each other.” It’s a little cheesy, but that’s Chad—genuine and community-focused.

 

Volunteer Day at Paepae o He'eia

Chad and Tama joined the group at Paepae o He'eia. Paepae o He'eia is a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring and maintaining He'eia Fishpond, an ancient Hawaiian fishpond located on the windward side of Oahu. The organization focuses on cultural preservation, environmental stewardship, and community education, working to restore traditional fish farming practices and promote sustainability within the local ecosystem.

 

Chad and Tama arrived early in the morning to discover a group of keiki tending to the fish pond and learning about the history. Which Chad found inspiring as the keiki were speaking Hawaiian Olelo. From there, the group met and achieved the goals for the day - build planter boxes and extend a walkway. Working together they accomlished this goal and spent some time learning about the history of the Paepae o He'eia. Some of the key highlights was that the area was actually on the brink of becoming a tourist spot but local advocates stopped this from happening and brought back a Hawaiian cultural site to grow food to grow the people. 

 

Tama Volunteering at Paepae o He'eia

 

Week 2: Learning and Networking

 

Following the volunteer day, we returned for the next week of training, eager to deepen our understanding of the industry and strengthen the connections we were building.

 

The session, first led by ProService, covered topics like HIOSH vs. OSHA and safety checklists, especially for jobs requiring permits. One of the highlights was meeting the owner of Nan, Inc., the largest general contractor in Oahu. It’s not every day you get to meet someone like him, and Chad found him approachable, full of stories, and clearly passionate about his work.

 

Cyd Rosa and Chad Hilweh

 

"Grateful and Genuine"

September 25, 2024

 

This week was lead by Abe Lee and Stanford Carr. Abe Lee is the founder of Abe Lee Seminars, a well-known provider of real estate education and licensing courses in Hawaii. With decades of experience as a real estate broker and educator, Abe Lee specializes in training real estate professionals through pre-licensing and continuing education programs. Stanford Carr is the founder and president of Stanford Carr Development, a leading real estate development company in Hawaii. He is known for his role in creating residential, commercial, and affordable housing projects throughout the islands, with a focus on community-driven and sustainable developments.

 

For Chad, the two key takeaways were "Gratitude" and "Genuineness." It's clear that successful leaders in the construction industry have grown their businesses by building strong, authentic relationships. These connections not only contributed to their professional growth but also allowed them to add value to others' lives.

 

By being genuine and practicing gratitude, you create an environment where collaboration thrives—where people want to work with you, and you want to work with them. It all comes back to being thankful for the connections we have and being sincere about that gratitude. While this might sound obvious, it's often easier said than done. As business owners, it’s easy to focus on wanting more, and to some extent, that's natural. However, regularly reminding ourselves to be grateful during the journey helps us maintain a positive outlook on the entrepreneurial path.

 

That positive energy draws people in, creating a reciprocal relationship where we can help others, and they can help us. Ultimately, it's about building people up, even though we’re in the business of building things.

 

Stanford Carr and Chad Hilweh

 

"Work in Process"

October 1, 2024

 

This session, we had the opportunity to attend an event hosted by Redhammer, Alliant, and Housing Hawaii’s Future. The insightful discussion covered essential aspects of job costing, bonding, and affordable housing—topics that resonate deeply with us as general contractors in Hawaii. Here’s what we learned and how it applies to our business and values.

 

Managing Job Costs and Work in Process

One of the key takeaways for us was a reminder of the importance of managing job costs effectively. We’ve developed best practices that help us stay organized and efficient in this area. For instance, we use QuickBooks Online and track all of our costs by customer-projects, ensuring that we categorize expenses correctly and consistently. Running the Profit & Loss by Customer report has become a vital part of our routine, allowing us to compare actual job costs with our initial estimates.

 

The bank feed function in QuickBooks also gives us real-time updates, which is crucial for keeping our job costing accurate. We can track expenses and receipts easily, helping us monitor costs throughout the project. In addition to QuickBooks, we also rely on Excel to create our estimates, so when we pull reports from QuickBooks, we can quickly compare our estimates with actual costs. This level of oversight helps us maintain precision and transparency with our clients.

 

Our historical data has become an invaluable resource, especially for subcontracted work like electrical, plumbing, tile, or large painting projects. By looking at what similar jobs have cost in the past, we can create accurate pricing ranges for our clients. However, we always keep in mind that no two homes are alike, so while historical data guides us, we customize every estimate to the specific details of the project.

 

When it comes to Work in Process (WIP), it’s not something we actively track right now due to the smaller scale of most of our projects. Typically, we complete jobs within 3 months or less, so WIP calculations aren’t required. However, we do anticipate that WIP tracking may become necessary as we take on larger projects, such as new home construction, which tend to span longer timeframes.

 

Bonding and Financial Preparedness

At the event, Alliant offered valuable insights into what bonding companies look for in financial statements when approving performance bonds. While we already have a Surety Bond through the Hawaii State Contractor’s Board, a Performance Bond is something we’ll consider as we take on more extensive projects like new home construction.

 

What gives us confidence is knowing that we’re prepared for this step. My background as a CPA with experience in tax and accounting, we have a solid foundation when it comes to maintaining clean, organized financials. This is crucial when the time comes to apply for performance bonds. We learned that some bonding companies may require reviewed financials, which could add costs, but the importance of having well-structured financial statements will help us remain competitive.

 

Housing Hawaii’s Future

We were also inspired by Sterling Higa’s presentation on Housing Hawaii’s Future, a nonprofit organization focused on affordable housing in our state. It sparked an ongoing conversation between Chad and me, raising critical questions like: Who is the affordable housing for? How can we, as a business, directly contribute to making housing more accessible in Hawaii?

 

One area where we believe we can make an impact is through our employees. By creating a financially rewarding environment—whether through competitive wages, bonus incentive plans, or health benefits—we help our team members afford housing. We understand that we’re not solving the entire housing crisis, but if we can make a difference for our employees and their families, that’s a start.

 

Additionally, we believe that by providing fair and accurate pricing to our clients, we contribute to housing affordability in a more indirect way. We don’t “underbid” just to win a job and then surprise clients with change orders. We focus on transparency and honesty in our estimates, so homeowners know the true cost upfront. This approach, combined with our Aloha Values, sets us apart. Our qualifications, low overhead, and focus on employee well-being all allow us to be competitive in our pricing without compromising quality. Learn more about our pricing here: Pricing. 

 

Looking Ahead

As we continue to grow, we’re excited to learn more from the Hui Kapili Accelerator program. We’re particularly interested in exploring how we can further improve our business processes, manage larger projects, and support affordable housing initiatives in Hawaii. Sterling Higa’s presentation also piqued our interest in his organization, and we hope to find ways to partner with or support Housing Hawaii’s Future in the coming years.

 

In the meantime, we’re committed to applying what we’ve learned—from managing job costs effectively to creating a positive impact on housing affordability, even if our contribution starts small. If you’re interested in discussing your next project or exploring how we can make housing more accessible, we’d love to hear from you.

 

There’s more to come in the cohort, and we’re eager to continue learning how we can improve our business and contribute to our community.

 

Photo of Co-Hort Group - Credit to ASB and HH+R Magazine

 

Connection

So far, the takeaway has been clear: building meaningful relationships and being open to new opportunities is something every business can do. You don’t have to be at a big event or meet industry leaders to make an impact—sometimes it’s the everyday conversations, whether with clients, colleagues, or other local business owners, that lead to the most growth.