Hello, friends! As usual it is a busy time for ONABEN. This week our staff is attending the Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) Conference in Denver, CO. As a team, this time together is a great way to brainstorm about upcoming projects. And, as an organization in an ever-evolving industry, the time with our peers will be beneficial to the growth and direction of our programs, and a great source of professional development for our staff. We look forward to seeing old friends and making some new connections. In today’s world an accelerator to success is RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS!
The weather is cooling down in most of the parts of the country, but in November our work will take ONABEN and its team back to Moloka’i, Hawaii. On Moloka’i the weather and the community are warm and always inviting. Our time on this island amidst the community members is always rewarding. From innovation in entrepreneurship to burgers and chicken salad from Maka’s Corner, to coordinated efforts between ONABEN and its local partners, to fresh baked bread from a “secret alley way,” to the Saturday marketplace full of local vendors, to the short flight back to Honolulu to head back to the mainland, Moloka’i’s “can do” attitude is the key to a successful project. We cannot wait to see our island friends in mid-November. Mahalo for accepting and embracing our team as a part of your community!
We are moving into year two of our ANA grant and our work continues to progress. We have come a long way on Moloka’i, and I can’t wait to see how far this project will take us. Currently, April from Team ONABEN is working with five island entrepreneurs to create websites for their small business ventures. Distance is overcome by technology! April will work with the entrepreneurs in the weeks leading up to our face-to-face visit by using an online learning platform. ONABEN has discovered that technology is the vehicle that will drive our team to more communities and expand our reach.
In celebration of our work in Hawaii over the last year, ONABEN is excited to share a video highlighting its work and Moloka’i’s entrepreneurial spirit. If I don’t have a lot to say in this post….and, yes, I know that is unusual….it is because I believe the video tells a better story! Please see the video at the below link and let us know what you think!
“Talk” Soon, V.
