?? I Failed My Hawaiian Business MBA
Norman Farrar
Brand Vision, Growth & Profit Strategist | eCommerce Entrepreneur | Trusted Advisor | Host of Lunch with Norm & Marketing Misfits Podcasts
About ten years ago, I was living on the Big Island of Hawaii.
I was running a business but still figuring things out.
Coming from the mainland, I didn’t fully understand the local culture or how deep their traditions ran.
A friend of mine saw this and suggested I meet with a Kahuna—someone highly respected in Kona.
I had no idea what to expect, but I was open to learning.
So, I invited him to my office.
At the time, we were knee-deep in building out systems, policies, and procedures—all the things that make a business run smoothly.
I wanted his take on what we were building.
He took one look… and let’s just say, he wasn’t impressed.
But instead of shutting me down, he gave me a whole new perspective—one that completely changed how I thought about business.
The Hawaiian way of thinking wasn’t about rigid systems or fast-paced execution like on the mainland.
It was about community, respect, and long-term relationships.
I hired him as a consultant, and over the next year, he worked closely with us.
He helped us align our business with the culture, and once we made those adjustments, the response was incredible.
The community embraced us.
We weren’t just another business—we were part of the fabric of the island.
But I didn’t stop there.
If I was going to do this right, I had to go all in.
So, I enrolled in university classes to learn the Hawaiian language.
It wasn’t easy, but it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Speaking the language and understanding the culture gave me a deeper connection with the people around me and completely changed how I approached business.
Business Lesson: Embrace the Culture
If you’re entering a new market, don’t just dip your toes in—jump in.?
Learn the culture, adapt your systems, and listen to the people who know it best.
You can have the best systems in the world, but if they don’t align with the people you serve, they won’t work.
Amazon Seller Lesson: Know Your Audience
You can’t just sell a product—you need to understand your market on a deeper level.
Selling internationally? Learn the cultural nuances of your target customers.
Launching a new product? Dig deeper than the data—what really matters to your buyers?
Whether it’s using the right terminology in your listings or offering features that matter to your buyers, your success depends on how well you resonate with the people you serve.
This is just a snippet...
?? Read the rest of the newsletter here to find:
Enjoy the rest of the newsletter.
— Norm