As Pacific Edge Magazine gears up for another exciting Business Achievement Awards Gala, we wanted to take a look back at some of our past winners. Hoping that their success stories will inspire and encourage other business owners, we asked them some questions about their success.
This blog features Michael Scott, CEO of Scott Hawaii, winner of the Best Family-Run Business Award at the first Business Achievement Awards Gala in 2011.
How has the Pacific Edge Magazine Best Family-Run Business Award impacted your company?
We are very proud of the award and knowing that we are competitive enough to receive such recognition is very rewarding to us personally. We did post our award on all the social media platforms we utilize and received a lot of congratulations from our Facebook friends and followers. More than anything, receiving this award is a testament to our hard work and focus on family values.
{Please see the press release issued by Scott Hawaii and covered by Surfer Magazine highlighting their recognition as Pacific Edge Magazine’s 2011 Best Family-Run Business here: http://www.surfermag.com/industry-news/scott-hawaii-wins-“best-run-family-business”-award/)
Since receiving the award, what are some new initiatives your business is undertaking?
We have moved away from the mainland U.S. to focus on new business in the Pacific and South Pacific. Our new motto is to own the Pacific and South Pacific.
What do you attribute your success to?
QUALITY. There is no substitute for it. The only other thing that could come close to competing is customer service. Those two things can take a company a long way.
What is one piece of advice you would give young professionals, or business owners just starting out?
Focus. It’s such a competitive world out there, you need to find your niche and stick to it. The moment you think about expanding your product mix you better have a good story as to why; otherwise, it’ll probably be met with resistance, causing you to put less time into what got you to where you’re at and all that work is in jeopardy of being lost. Balance is also a must. Always have balance in your life.
What is your favorite part of your job, what drives you to do what you do?
Being out and about, meeting people and introducing our company to them is the most enjoyable part of my job. What motivates me is the legacy my grandparents started and left to our family. I couldn’t live with myself knowing I let 80 years of history slip through my hands.
For more information about the 2013 Best Family-Run Business Award, please visit http://www.pacificedgeawards.com/categories/. For more information about Scott Hawaii, please visit www.scotthawaii.com.