At Mana Up, growing Hawai‘i-based companies isn’t just about scaling sales or expanding markets—it’s also about building sustainable businesses with strong foundations. A major part of that foundation is surrounding yourself with the right partners and people. Through our new Wayfinders Series, we've teamed up with ALTRES, Hawai‘i’s largest HR outsourcing provider, to give entrepreneurs the tools and guidance they need to navigate the complexities of HR with confidence.
The Wayfinders Series is a collection of workshops and sessions designed to guide local entrepreneurs through key growth challenges — from branding and e-commerce to finance, operations, and human resources, long after they’ve graduated from Mana Up’s six-month accelerator program.
Through ALTRES’ Wayfinders Series sessions, Mana Up cohort business owners gain practical coaching on HR management, compliance, and building a workplace culture—all while creating a supportive peer community. For business owners wearing many hats, ALTRES simplifies everything from payroll to leadership development, helping to lift the stress of HR so they can focus on growth. These insights not only reduce stress for entrepreneurs but also equip them with the knowledge and tools to scale with confidence.
A Safe Place to Learn and Share
For many business owners, HR can feel overwhelming, especially when every business faces unique circumstances.
Kiani Wong, CEO and co-founder of Native Hawaiian-owned footwear company Kaka‘ako Kasuals (Cohort 8) and Ki‘ikau Printers, Native-Hawaiian owned and operated businesses, shared how ALTRES’ workshops opened her eyes to the importance of involving experts.
“The ALTRES team provided a fun and safe place to talk about anything HR related,” she said. “My key takeaway from the program is that HR is an evolving, very human process that is dependent on the circumstances of each business. It made me realize how much I didn’t know about human resource procedures (and the ways to protect our business) and that involving professionals that can advise on nuanced circumstances can relieve some of that burden.”
By incorporating ALTRES into the Wayfinder Series, Mana Up ensures Hawai‘i entrepreneurs have access to trusted local experts who understand the unique needs of island-based businesses.
Building Confidence in Leadership
For others, the biggest impact of the Wayfinders series came from both professional coaching and peer support. Dana Shapiro, founder of Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative (Cohort 9), a farmer-owned business revitalizing ʻulu (breadfruit) and other Hawaiʻi-grown staples, reflected on the value of learning alongside other founders.
“The Wayfinders series provided valuable coaching on personnel management, HR issues, and employment law, but most importantly gave me a peer group of entrepreneurs who could relate to the same challenges I face when building the team and culture needed to help my company grow,” she said. “ALTRES staff were knowledgeable, caring, and funny, turning each workshop into an enjoyable afternoon that left me feeling more confident in my ability to lead.”
PHOTOS: UNSPLASH
Shifting Perspective on People Management
Managing a business often feels deeply personal for entrepreneurs—but managing employees requires its own lens. Christine Johnson, who co-founded Bizia Surf (Cohort 9) with Joey Valenti, noted how the program reshaped her approach to growing their business, which finds solutions to the invasive albizia trees in Hawaiʻi.
“As an owner, my business is really personal to me,” she shared. “This program helped me to see that managing people requires a different lens. Thank you for giving me the tools to navigate employees with compassion and confidence.”
Strengthening Hawai‘i’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Mana Up is proud to collaborate with partners like ALTRES, who invest in the long-term success of Hawai‘i’s entrepreneurs, one team at a time.
ALTRES’ support ensures Mana Up companies don’t just grow revenues—they grow teams and cultures that thrive. By addressing critical HR questions with compassion, expertise, and practical tools, ALTRES empowers entrepreneurs to focus on what they do best: innovating, creating, and sharing Hawai‘i’s products with the world.
“By incorporating ALTRES into the Wayfinder Series, Mana Up ensures Hawai‘i entrepreneurs have access to trusted local experts who understand the unique needs of island-based businesses,” said Meli James, co-founder of Mana Up. “It’s another way we help founders not just scale their companies, but also build strong, sustainable businesses that support local jobs and communities.”
Looking for HR Support?
Your workforce is always changing; people take vacations, call in sick, or leave unexpectedly. That’s where we come in. Since 1969, we’ve been helping Hawai’i businesses tap into a large pool of pre-screened, pre-qualified talent.
Since 1969, ALTRES has helped thousands of Hawai’i businesses thrive by streamlining their administrative tasks and keeping them compliant with employment laws.
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