 This week's edition of Business in Hawaii, I'm Daelyn Yanagida and we're broadcasting live from the ThinkTech studios in downtown Honolulu. If you want to tune in live, we are at www.thinktechhawaii.com and you may also subscribe to our programs and get on our mailing list there as well. The theme of Business in Hawaii is to share with you stories of local businesses by local people. Our guests share with us how they were able to build successes in a challenging environment and at the same time support our community in the many struggles that we do have. In our studio today, we have Andrew Kampien, founder and director of Handy Andy. I apologize, his last name is French. I am so not the linguist. But thank you for joining us, Andy, and welcome to the show. So Handy Andy Hawaii, what is that? So Handy Andy Hawaii serves as a transitional employment platform for military veterans exiting the service and we operate in the home maintenance space via Handyman and construction. Wow. Okay. So what is your mission? So it's our mission. It's to apply centralized home care services to the consumer using a veteran to do it. I want you to share with our viewers what inspired you to get started. But before we go there, we're going to put up a video that you shared with us. So 2012, is that when you retired? No, so I got out, I did tenure service and I got out until 2016 January. Okay. And you made Hawaii your home? Yeah. So I was in North Carolina the last five years of service and my parents moved out here from Washington, or I'm sorry, from Oregon back in 2011. And then we used to come here traveling every year for Christmas. And then I knew someday I would end up here. And then as soon as I got out of service the day after I flew out, bought a one-way ticket and never looked back. Fantastic. And when did Handy Andy Hawaii start? January of 2017. Wow. So tell me about, so I understand that you served and you saw a need for folks who were getting out. Tell me about that. Tell me about how that spoke to you. So if I, back to 2016, I looked at the process of exiting the service and I put myself in the shoes of people who didn't really have anything to do after and it didn't look that good. There was no really, there's no clear path on how to make that transition smoothly or how do your skills like transfer into the civilian world. So there was a lot of lost souls and a lot of people who were scared, a lot of my peers who were very specialized, they still had a lot of trepidation getting out of the service. And then we were trying to figure out, well okay, so I understand that there's a niche here. There's a lot of people who need employment and what's the vehicle that we can allow them to have employment, right? So the first, Handy Andy wasn't the first concept, we actually had another concept. It was a little bit more robust. So it was a, we acquired a drone company to fly UAVs. And that's something I did in the service as well. And then we figured out it was just, the aptitude was too much to really mass produce veterans. And so we had to scratch that idea but it told us a concept, okay? So we're awarded the GI bill when we complete service to do continuing education, whether it's going to do a degree path or a apprenticeship program. So I was doing a little research on what it would take to get that drone industry accredited and what it would take to do that. And I was like, okay, this is a long path, but how could we, you know, consolidate these steps? And so we started thinking, me and my father were here in Waikiki at Rumfire. And we were, how can we mass produce a lot of people? What is a unique skill that every service member has or possesses? And we're all somewhat familiar with a janitorial maintenance type of work. So handy, changing stuff, you know, cleaning up and all kinds of stuff like that. And they're like, okay, so that's where the idea was born. And then we just had to reverse engineer the model on what it would take to be able to get guys to come in and then go market our efforts and our mission. Wow. So how do you go though from serving in our military to understanding how to start up a business of your own? Yeah, coaching. There's no, it's not something, you don't read a book to figure that out. You know, it's not like I listen to a podcast and you figure it out. It's just, my dad is a very good mentor who has a ton of successful businesses across the years. And he just coached me through the process, still is it today. So. So when you started, was it just you and you were, you were doing? Yeah. So we had three guys initially started. I would go out and do like the sales and marketing. And then we have three other guys in the field full time. And is that just on Oahu? Yeah, it's just on Oahu. Are you thinking about expanding to the other island? We are. We're actually going, so this is a prototype model for a franchise. So we started last year with three guys. Now we're in the mid 60s. Wow. So workforce is fast and growing. And so once we hit all the metrics and our system and process are fully developed here, then our triggers are met, then we're going for national expansion. Wow. Okay. So let's back up a little bit. You said it's a prototype for a franchise. Right. I think what's important for you to share with people is where do you, where do you get that idea? Where do you start? I mean, I doubt many entrepreneurs say, yeah, I'm going to start up this business and it's going to eventually be a franchise. Well, it always goes, it goes back to starting with the end in mind before you start something have a clear goal to where you're trying to go. And then our first big goal with me and my family set forth was to hire a thousand veterans in five years. So the only, I can't do that in Hawaii. So we have to do it nationally. What are some of the statistics about veterans in Hawaii? Do you know how many approximately we have? So there's like 140,000 veterans in Hawaii. Wow. Yeah. And so what makes that your niche? You know, I think that it's an amazing way to give back to the community, to the country, those who have given their time and their energy and their loyalty to the country, serving the country. Where did that come from? I understand that you served, but there's got to be something bigger. Well, it's always about, okay, so it's about serving a cause greater than yourself, right? The military did a really good job of recruiting people and getting them in the service. But when you look at exiting, now that you're not part of their efforts anymore, there's really not the same helping hand as it was initially on the forefront. And so that's where we determine that the private sector is going to be the one responsible for feeling that void. And hopefully we can start a trend where other people follow suit. How do you connect yourself to these veterans so that you're a logical progression to them exiting and then looking for employment with you? Yeah, so there's the transition programs currently out there that we're reaching out to. We use social media and any kind of social channel to really get our name out there. And pretty much any hookup that we can get where we want to exhaust all means and hire as many as we can. So do you hire non-veteran? We do. Yeah, because really in order to get these guys fully trained when they get out, you have to have these guys who've been in the trades for 10, 20 years who can really teach them good habits. Because we don't just hire people who are skilled out of the military. We have some guys who've never lifted a finger, but they should have the right mindset. And we have a platform where we could train and we trained them and now they're very successful. Fantastic. So tell me about some of the services that you offer. Yeah, so basic handyman repair. So we could do light installations, ceiling fan installations. We could do full on remodels and full blown construction, new builds, and everything in between that. So we operate under a builder, contractor, licensed. OK. So my guess is that there will be a lot of folks or maybe even some other businesses that are looking for licensed contractors. So is that? Yeah, so that is the thing. So when you talk to a lot of consumers and they have a handyman that they're using, which is great. Continue to use them. But generally speaking, they're not going to be licensed or have the insurance and bonds that we do. So if you want some accountability, hold somebody accountable, it's better to help get a business accountable than your friend Bob. And then it gets tricky if something does go wrong. Nice. So tell me about some of the larger projects that you've done. Yeah, so currently we do a couple commercial projects. We're on pancakes and waffles. We're just finishing up one of our final walk-throughs on that. We do some of the big hotels we've done some renovations on. Nice, very nice. Very versatile, home flips. So you said 60 employees currently and growing. And you service all parts of Oahu. Correct. And so I did notice on your website that people can go there and fill out a form. Yeah, so if you're at handyandyhawaii.com, you can get quote now and we'll ask you some basic questions. Your address, name, and best contact information goes right to our call center. And they'll get back to you soon within 20 minutes. You have a call center? We do have a call center. Wow. Wow. Yes. Is that call center locally based? Yes, locally based, absolutely. And locally staffed? Locally staffed. Wow. And is that 24 hours? It is. And so we have emergency services too. So outside of 10 PM is emergency services. So it's a little bit of a more expedited fee. If you have emergency plumbing or some kind of emergency issue, then you can't wait until the morning, then call us. And we'll be there. Fantastic. So where is your home base? It's in Mapunapuna. So near the industrial area over there. OK. It's actually U-Haul. Right. So Hawaii's been experiencing some inclement weather in the past couple of years. There have been several close calls with hurricanes. People must be burning up your lines with needs. What types of handy needs do your clients call you for? So recently, with the hurricane scares, we did a lot of sandbagging and board ups. So protect from debris and then to help mitigate flooding. Oh, good to know. Because where I work, we're out there trying to figure out where we're going to go to get a sandbag. Right, right. So actually, another sister company of ours that's managed and owned by us is called Rescue One. And when it does, it does mitigation, flood work, fire damage. Oh, wow. It's a restoration company that started from a flood that happened out in Waikai in April, I believe. Right. Really? So we went out there, we got hired for the job, and then we created an opportunity out of necessity. Wow. OK, so there's another business called Rescue One. I didn't know this. So that's brand new this year, right? And you do restoration work. Specifically, restoration work from damage. Yeah, flood mitigation, restoration, fire damage, mold remediation. Wow, wow. And we've had unpredictable weather, so I'm sure that there's a lot of space there. Right, so collectively between the two during the hurricane scare, they were working hand in hand, cohesive unit going out and servicing the island. And they did really good. Proud of everybody for their efforts. That is really great. Because it was a long day, very logistically intense, because the scarcity in the stores and just getting places was kind of tricky. Right. People go into this frenzy, try to figure out what they're supposed to do. They could just call your line, right? Yeah, absolutely. That's fantastic. We are going to go to a short break. And when we come back, I want to talk about, I didn't even realize that you expanded your business recently this year, but I do know that you have even bigger plans to expand that business. I also want to talk about some of the accolades that you've received locally for the work that you've done in your fast growing business. And we'll talk about that when we come back. We are going to go to a short break. This is Business in Hawaii. And we'll see you back here shortly. This is Think Tech Hawaii, raising public awareness. My name is Stephanie Mock. And I'm one of three hosts of Think Tech Hawaii's Hawaii Food and Farmer series. Our other hosts are Matt Johnson and Pamai Weigert. And we talk to those who are in the fields and behind the scenes of our local food system. We talk to farmers, chefs, restaurateurs, and more to learn more about what goes into sustainable agriculture here in Hawaii. We are on at Thursdays at 4 PM. And we hope. Welcome back. This is Business in Hawaii. And my guest today is Andrew Kampion. Andrew is the founder and director of Handy Andy Hawaii. Handy Andy Hawaii was started out of a passion to help people coming out of the military on that exit with an opportunity to really get into careers that are meaningful and support, basically a support. Andy, you have been recognized by Pacific Business News as being top, was it top 25? Yeah, 23rd fastest growing company. Top 23 fastest growing companies. We have a picture of an article that PBN did on you. You want to talk about that article and how that came about? Yeah, so in the process of getting recognized and the validity of the process to be able to do our goal, which is hire 1,000 people, you have to get out there in exposure and do press releases. And we thought out to go for this and submit our financials and turn out that we were selected. I didn't know where we were. We had no clue where we ranked. And they would just let the cards fall, they fall and put us in a decent place. Very nice. We have a picture of you accepting that award. We could put that up. So is this where they recognized? Yes, this is where we recognized us at the event there in August. Tell us about some of the other types of businesses that you are up against or focused on with. So there's a couple of just construction companies. There was real estate companies, food industries. There was very small and large. Yeah, small and large. That must have been such a rewarding moment for you, such a satisfying moment. It was definitely nice. It was definitely a check in the box. But now we have to tighten it up and really close that gap and go for that top spot. Well, that message about hiring 1,000 vets in five years, that's amazing. And I think that probably speaks volumes to you really sticking close and aligning to your mission. We have another picture of you and some of your coworkers. I think it's three of you. Tell us about that. Yeah, so this is my little brother. He works in the company as well, Nick Compion. And on the right is Nathan Stowell. He was one of the founding members as well. He was probably one of the best guys that we've ever had in this company. And unfortunately, he passed away April 1st, this last Easter, hiking on the Allmont Trail. That was a very devastating blow to this organization because he was one of the heart and souls of the company. He was a lively, intelligent, and just a charismatic character. It's hard. You can't replace somebody like that. So it was devastating for our peers and the guys to work through it. Turned the business in turmoil. But we persevered and stuck with the mission. But now we have a driving force to be able to hit our targets. Because the mission doesn't stop, right? You still have to, you know? As the founder of a very successful business, there are so many large corporations that focus on culture building, engagement. But right now, you're a business of 60. Tell us about your culture and how important that is to you. I think that picture alone and how you speak of the inspiration that arrives from your coworkers and working together. Tell us about Handy-Andy Hawaii's culture. So because of that military background that a lot of us have, it's that cohesive unit, that connected spirit that we all have, where we thrive and work under pressure together. It's a force, it's a tight bond that only a few people really understand. And so it's nice for these guys to be able to trench us and out and have a team of people who understand them and the trials and tribulations that they've faced up until that time of them coming out. So you have a culture that's very strong and very hardheaded as well, but they're tough young men. Supportive. Supportive. Becoming that support on the exit. Because I'm sure that a lot of them still do have some struggle, not struggles, but the getting out of the military, one large organization into a different type of community. It's scary for them, because you figured the first and 15th every month, they didn't have to think about getting paid. They didn't have to think about health care. They didn't have to think about anything. I mean, they're going to be wrong. They had things to think about, like staying alive. But when you get out, there's a lot more things that you have to consider. And that's a lot of, we've seen that come through, we understand that. And because it's like the feel felt found, I've been through that, and I can help you. And there's the resources we have afforded to you. Nice, very nice. So the 60 employees that you have, are they all veterans? No, it's a mix. The veterans, are they local, or how did they find their way to Hawaii? This was their last tour. The majority of them were stationed here at one point. And that's the thing, is Hawaii is such a lovely place and people want to stay here, but they're afraid to find employment. And they don't want to go back to Oklahoma. No offense to Oklahoma. But if you're in Hawaii, why would you want to leave? And so they look for opportunity and they find us. Fantastic. And so we're getting better and better about spreading our name and going offensive and trying to find them as well. Fantastic. I know that you have much bigger plans than just staying on Oahu, that your expansion is going to go to the other islands. But I know that you've also been talking about expansion across the water, and perhaps even internationally, talk to, talk to someone about that. Yeah, so we're going to primarily start on the west coast and the east coast and target very difficult markets that are highly veteran populated. So we can achieve our goal. So we'll hit those targets and then we'll start trading on the other locations like Texas, Florida, North Carolina, very veteran centered locations. Frequently in the media, people will say, you know, Hawaii is not very friendly to small business, but you seem to have decided that this is where you want it to be and you are going to make something out of nothing. So speak to us about really what that reality is. Is Hawaii really difficult to start up a business? Oh, it's difficult. But at the end of the day, if there's a wheel, there's a way. And if you want it, you'll find it. Trust me, it wasn't easy to get to where we're at today, but we wanted it and it was worth it. Our mission was worth it. So we had to dig deep and figure out what it took. When it comes to workforce development, I think you can argue anywhere across the nation it's difficult to find a good workforce. But Hawaii especially, because you know, it's hard to get people to show up to work when the surf's good. You know, so you gotta still produce knowing that there are factors out there that you can't control. And so that's challenging. I'd say it poses a bigger challenge here than a lot of other states that I've been to and I've been to a lot of states. So you said workforce development is a major struggle. What are the other barriers to starting up, being an entrepreneur and starting up a business? Well, so there's competition. There was like over 500 other competitors in that space. You know, in our first year, we won Handyman Company of the Year. So that was a good, we were surprised. Like, okay, we ran new, but we're figuring this out. And it was nice to see that. But yeah, so bear the entry. There was a competition there. So what advice would you give to entrepreneurs like yourself that perhaps have never owned a business, just came out of, you know, whether it's serving the country or maybe private industry. What advice do you have for them if they wanna be an entrepreneur and start up a successful business in Hawaii? My first piece of advice and the most important of all of them is find a mentor. Because there's gonna be so many questions. You're gonna have more questions than answers. And there's people who've done it before you. And you gotta trust their guidance and know that they have your best interest in hand. And don't be afraid to fail and fall and, you know, get back up and keep moving because it does happen and it's part of business. But it's about how you deal with those roadblocks, right? So that's where a mentor and a leader can kind of help you guide you through those trials and tribulations. So the expansion to the West Coast and then international is not where you're stopping. You also talked to me about working currently on an accreditation for an accredited training program. Tell me about that. Absolutely, so it's a working process. We're still about a year out from fully developing and it takes about two years of total legwork. But it's called the National Academy of Construction and Trade. And what that does is we understand that the prototype for men and women get down to service. They're not necessarily trained in these skills. So we have to train them. Because work, like I said, workforce development was one of the biggest struggles that we've seen. So how can we effectively train them to optimize their potential? And then how can we let them use their benefits that they had used so that they have afforded to them so they get a good stipend from the government when they're going through these training programs and just being an intern as well. So what is that process like, applying for accreditation? You said it's a two-year process. Right. Most of the folks watching right now don't know anything. Yeah, well, we're still currently going through the process, but you have to have an institution created. So creating an institution has its own answers and a curriculum. And then you have to get a registered accreditation program. And then after that, then you start going through the VA and start getting them to recognize it. And it just takes a lot of time and due diligence to validate all of those requirements. So you've already created that curriculum. The curriculum is created. And what does it contain? It's just individual trades. So you're getting a prototype individual who could do plumbing, electrical, carpentry work. So would you be an instructor? No, I would not be an instructor. So do you contract with other organizations to bring that instruction in or? No, we'll hire. We have the person that worked with us already. He's currently training the guys now. It's just not in the official capacity like a school. Wow. It's on-the-job training right at the moment. So what is your hope to, when your accreditation finally arrives, what is your hope? What does this look like? What's the big picture? So the big picture is it's a school that provides employment to veterans. And not just us, but we want to be able to provide to other people. Because Plumber Bob's down the street, he needs a workforce too. And if we could provide them people and veterans, we can hire or get our goal way faster if we source them to other companies as well. Fantastic. So I'm sure that as the founder of this organization that's driven by the desire to support and to help people, that there are many ways that you, other ways that you give back to the community. Can you share with us some of the ways that Handy Andy Hawaii gives back to the community? So we actually have some events coming up, some charity events coming up, like trash pickup and things of that nature. And that's one of the things we're actually trying to do as a team to really get more involved in this community. Because we've been so focused on optimization and growth that we've kind of put that in the back burner. But that's a big initiative next year. But that definitely is full circle, right? I mean, you are providing these opportunities for the vets and then eventually. We can always do more, but definitely. That's our focus right now is putting veterans at work. Fantastic. Fantastic. What else do you want to share with our viewers about Handy Andy Hawaii and the journey that you've been on and the journey that you're going to continue forward? Well, it gives an opportunity. If you have any home or service needs, give us a call at 808-285-3443 or find us at handyandyhawaii.com. And we'll take care of you. And we thank you for putting a veteran to work. And what about those vets that are now watching us who want to contact you? Yeah. So if you go to handyandyhawaii.com or slash recruitment, or you can just hit the recruitment tab on the website. There's an inquiry form where you can submit a resume and inquire right into there. And we'll get back to you within the hour. Within the hour? Oh, yeah. Fantastic. With a call line, 24-hour service, emergency services, just amazing. Handy Andy Hawaii and what you do for the veterans and for the local community is amazing. Congratulations on your success. I know that you'll have much more success going forward. And I'm looking forward to seeing that grow. Appreciate that. Thank you so much. We are out of time. Thank you to Andy for joining us today and a huge thank you to our production staff. If you would like to be a guest on our show, please email your information to shows at thinktechawaii.com. Business in Hawaii airs every Thursday at 2 o'clock. And we look forward to seeing you here next week.