My recent experiences working with others in the community…
Hawaiian Music Store
Our family owned and operated Retail Sales Kiosks provided locals and tourists alike the opportunity to listen to a plethora of current and past Hawaiian Music Artist’s songs, purchase their Audio CDs, Audio Cassettes and Videos in VHS & DVD formats. Our qualified sales associates would provide information about where and when the Musicians could be found performing around the island and sometimes purchase tickets for special events.
Locations included:
- Kauai – Kiosk in front of Foodland Princeville Shopping Center
- Kauai – Kiosk inside the Coconut Marketplace in Kapaa
- Kauai – Kiosk located at the Kauai Products Fair in Kapaa
- Kauai – Kiosk in front of the Koloa Big Save
- Oahu – Kiosk located at the International Marketplace in Waikiki
- Oahu – Kiosk on the Ground Floor of the Ala Moana Shopping Center near Honolulu
- Maui – Kiosk outside the Pioneer Inn on Front Street in Lahaina
- Maui – Ulalena Show Store at the Maui Theatre in Lahiana
- Maui – Kiosk at the Shopping Mall in Kihei
Our last operating Kiosk closed permanently during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020. My mother continues to sell Audio CDs and DVD Videos at our website and also as a reseller on Amazon.com
Blue Knights Security, LLC.
I took the opportunity to train for a job providing Security for the Princeville Shopping Center in 2017. Security Guards in Hawaii are certified and licensed by the State of Hawaii DCCA to ensure their conduct is consistent, their duties are lawfully executed and all personnel are held accountable for their actions, not only by their employers but also by the The Board of Private Detectives & Guards, of the State of Hawaii Dept. of Commerce & Consumer Affairs.
My assignments included:
- Princeville Shopping Center
- Islander on the Beach Resort
- Poipu Beach Park Fireworks Celebration
- CJM Stables – ESPN Production Overnight
- Wainiha / Waikokos Roadblock and Convoy Detail
Allied Universal – Hawaii
A new employer offered me a chance to gather more experience in the field of Resort Security. Acceptance of the offer marked an advancement of my Security Career towards stationary assignments rather than multiple posts. Being closer to home provided me the ability to spend more time with my family.
Resorts I was assigned to work at:
- Grand Pacific Resorts –
Princeville, Kauai – Hanalei Bay Resort - Club Windham Resorts
Princeville, Kauai – Ka E o Kai
Princeville, Kauai – Shearwater
Princeville, Kauai – Bali Hai Villas
Grand Pacific Resorts : Hanalei Bay Resort
Another opportunity to assert myself and utilize the skills that kept our family business profitable … I accepted an overnight part-time position as a Night Auditor. Working at Hanalei Bay Resort was a great experience, until it wasn’t. For the first 5 years, I was appreciated and treated kindly. If not for an underqualified, incompetent new supervisor, with an aptitude for jealousy, who brought a toxic level of offensive behavior that was likely the result of her Mormon upbringing, I might still be working there today. Working with a person that believes in an invisible god that directs his worshipers to kill their children to save them from an imminent cataclysm was very uncomfortable. She was confident that tourists entering the bar were in violation of their religious practice and expected others to accept her accusations, she and her judgements were just plain weird. Birds of a feather flock together and the toxic new supervisor was proudly featured in the NetFlix documentary, Sins of Our Mothers.
Things I will choose to remember about working at HBR:
- Almost free stays for my family, 3 nights per quarter, tax on the stay was all we paid.
- Employee of the Month recogintion – I received the perks and certificates multiple times.
- 401K retirement plan with up to 4% matching of employee’s contributions.
- Health Insurance – State of Hawaii mandatory benefit, but still appreciated, nonetheless.
- Teamwork: As a competent, qualified employee, I helped other associates pretty much daily.
Ko’olau Ranch
An incredible opportunity to work on the Security Team responsible for protecting the property, assets, visitors, family and friends of West 10Ai Overview of West 10 LLC • Purpose: West 10 LLC is the legal entity through which Zuckerberg has acquired hundreds of acres of land in Hawaiʻi since 2014, eventually assembling the large Koʻolau Ranch estate.
• Controversy: The use of an LLC and the secretive development of the property have drawn public interest and some local backlash, particularly regarding land acquisition methods and large-scale, private construction in a rural area.
More, LLCLimited Liability Company An LLC is a legal business structure that separates the owner's personal assets from the business's liabilities, protecting personal property like a home or bank accounts from business debts and lawsuits. This is known as "limited liability" and is one of its main benefits, though it does not protect against personal wrongdoing like fraud or professional negligence. Protections provided by an LLC • Personal asset protection: An LLC creates a separate legal entity, so the business's debts and legal obligations are distinct from the owner's personal finances. This means creditors can generally only go after the company's assets, not the owner's personal assets.
• Protection from business debts: If the business is sued or accrues debt, the owner's personal assets (like their house or car) are shielded from being used to satisfy those debts.
• Credibility: Forming an LLC as an official entity with the state can boost business credibility compared to a sole proprietorship or partnership, which lack a formal filing process.
Limitations of LLC protection • Piercing the corporate veil: If an LLC is not properly managed or is used to commit fraud, a court can disregard the separation between the business and its owner, holding the owner personally liable.
• Professional negligence: An LLC does not protect against personal liability for professional malpractice or negligence. For example, a doctor or lawyer is still personally liable for their own professional mistakes, notes SmartAsset.com.
• Personal guarantees: An LLC does not protect against debts for which the owner has personally guaranteed them, such as a personal guarantee on a business loan.
• Business insurance: To provide further protection, it is recommended to carry appropriate business insurance to cover risks like accidents or injuries, as mentioned by Block Advisors
More. This job required not only an active Guard Card from the State of Hawaii, I was also required to sign an NDA agreement. As a result, my agreement is still active so I have to limit what information I disclose about the property or activity on the property to nothing, ziltch, nada, etc.
Although I feel I was unjustly terminated, I would still return to work, even Part-Time, if offered.
My decision reflects these benefits that outweigh everything else …
- Health Care for my entire family. I paid nothing out of pocket for our Family Medical Coverage.
- Premium wage and accurate overtime accountability. I often worked 48-60 hours per week.
- Generous Paid Vacation benefits, although use was approved only when meeting certain criteria.
- 401K Retirement Plan with up to 10% matching on employee’s contributions. Unparalleled.
The negatives (everything else) that do not alter my overall decision:
- Long hours, my posted schedule was 12 hours, 3 days each week. OT was voluntary and well paid.
- Nepotism, expectations of a person varied on how closely related to management the individual was.
- Having a background in technology was considered detrimental to the morale of the team.
No device was ever inoperable when I was the agent working the equipment. - I am even keeled and consistently give respect to everyone for the performance they are capable of.
- I contributed more of my workplace skills to the team than the facility’s leadership offered to me.
Kanuikapono Public Charter School
My current employer is part of the State of Hawaii – Dept. of Education. As my personal time allows, my website content will provide insight on the success and trials of working with the children of this community and the reciprocal benefits of surrounding myself with the many other qualified staff members also committed to impacting the lives of our children, by being present to meet their needs, by being accepting of their behavior and by instilling a positive vision of leadership by example.
Responsibilities of my job as Tech Liaison:
- Inventory Management – Document equipment acquisitions and label the assets and funding source.
- Technology Use Management – Maintain staff and students device lists, accounts, licenses, etc.
- Device Maintenance – Resolve hardware and software issues encountered by managed users.
- Data & Network Security – Maintain our network infrastructure to keep our sensitive data secure. And also assist with data collection, data retention and data export / accessibility, while adhering to the various guidelines established by FERPAFamily Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): This foundational federal law protects the privacy of student education records and gives parents (or eligible students) specific rights to access, amend, and control the disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII). Actionable guideline: You must ensure that PII from education records is not disclosed without written parental consent, except under specific exceptions (e.g., to school officials with a legitimate educational interest, in a health or safety emergency, or as "directory information" if parents have not opted out). More / PPRAProtection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA): This law focuses on student privacy in connection with surveys, analyses, or evaluations funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Actionable guideline: You must ensure that systems and processes for administering such tools comply with requirements for parental notice and consent. More / COPPAChildren's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA): COPPA imposes requirements on operators of websites and online services (including EdTech providers) directed at children under 13. Actionable guideline: When the school uses online services, you must ensure that verifiable parental consent is obtained before collecting personal information from children and that the services used are COPPA-compliant. More / CIPAChildren's Internet Protection Act (CIPA): This law requires schools and libraries receiving certain federal funds to have an internet safety policy and to use technology to filter or block access to certain inappropriate content. Actionable guideline: Network administrators are responsible for implementing and maintaining the technical measures required by CIPA. More and all directives our State and Federal agencies.
- Network Administration – All issues with our PA system, TVs, campus phones, phone system infrastructure, copy machines, projectors, internet routers, switches and wifi APs, security cameras, handheld cameras, handheld radios, Chromebooks, MacBooks, iPads, input devices, charging accessories, printers and their ink and toner supply also.
- Training – Assist staff and students with basic and best practice device and individual account usage.