My company just had its best year ever, doing over $3.5 million in business and bringing on 11 more employees.

The idea that a company can’t make money and take care of its workers is a lie that was sold to us. It’s the same sort of lie that would have you believe hundreds of millions of Americans are lazy rather than 400 Americans are greedy. I am speaking as someone who started his company with $500 to his name.

From the day we opened, I guaranteed a $20 an hour minimum wage. I had no capital or loans from wealthy family members to fall back on; just a simple belief that no one who works full time should be unable to live or cover the basics.

In a state as expensive as Hawaiʻi, $20 per hour is a starting place; I personally consider anything less an insult to working people. Today the lowest paid person at my company makes $22.50 an hour, and the highest, $75 an hour. Most are paid over $40 an hour, and despite, that profits are higher than ever. A living wage yields benefits to the business.

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