It was a pleasure to hear from Mr. Gary Hogan, CEO and President of Hawaiian Hotels and Resorts and Royal Pacific Air, and Mr. Tom Bell, President of Hawaiian Hotels and Resorts. Both speakers, equipped with a wealth of information and knowledge of how to run a successful company, reflected on their moral code.
Mr. Hogan began the session with a history and overview of their family’s first business—Pleasant Travel Service. He shared photos of their early sales and marketing campaigns. He also spoke about their mission: “give back to society through education and community-minded programs” such as the Hogan Entrepreneurial Program.
Mr. Bell spoke about the branches of Hawaiian Hotels & Resorts—Royal Lahaina, Royal Kona, Kauai Shores, KOI Kaanapali Ocean, and Lahaina Inn. One of the things that stood out to me was Mr. Bell’s commitment to “value.” He said to always aim for positive value. To get this, experience must always exceed expectations. We must apply this to business and in our daily lives as entrepreneurs. According to Warren Buffett, “price is what you pay, and value is what you get.”
At the end of the evening, Mr. Hogan and Mr. Bell left us with four entrepreneurship insights:
1. Have a vision
2. Stay nimble
3. Give back
4. Prepare to fail
Mr. Hogan and Mr. Bell reminded us all that success in business here in Hawaii is possible. The story of the Hogan family is motivating and one you can learn from to make your company run to the best of its abilities.
Written by: Hogan Entrepreneurs Program student, Matt Southard
Speaker Session with Gary Hogan and Tom Bell 9/13/17
