 Buddy and welcome to Think Tech, Tourism 101. Today we delve into the world of restaurant dining and hospitality. With the restaurant chain called PS Restaurant. They have 13 restaurants, eight here in the state of Hawaii, and five in California. I guess are the chief executive officer of PS Restaurant. Thank you, Reed. And the vice president of operations for their four restaurants, two on Oahu, two on Kauai, killing chain. How's it brother? How are you? Okay, okay. So listen, when I delved into your backgrounds, I found some interesting similarity. Both of Polynesian descent. You both also started, I believe, at Leilani's restaurant. They're on Maui. I was just there the other week with Jared Higashi, our vice president of the River Relations. And one of the four times there was Jason. Beautiful setting there at Kana Poly. And you both went to college or got some of your postgraduate training at San Diego. So the two of you have had many things in common through the year. So it's no wonder that you're working very closely today. I actually didn't put that together. Thank you for pointing that out. So let's, Jackie, let's talk about you. You are the chief executive officer of this very fine, privately owned family restaurant. Tell us about how you started in the business and where you grew up. And I always like to know that about our guests. I was born in Honolulu. My mom came here from Samoa in the sixties. And then I was born here, but her dream was always to get to the mainland. So we moved to San Diego when I was just about three years old. But because most of my family stayed in Hawaii, we would come back every summer. And so summers were spent here. My family was here. So Hawaii definitely always felt at home, even while growing up in California. So after a sort of a transition period of time after high school and college, I came to Maui with my mom at 18 and was at a transition point in my life trying to figure out what my next step was. And I got a job as a hostess at Leilani's just to try to make some money and regroup and figure out where I was going to go to school. And little did I know that 30 years later I'd be sitting here with you talking about my wonderful career and family at TS. Right. Yeah, I grew up in Lahaina, where our first restaurant came over 40 plus years ago. So my mom's worked there. She just made 38 years. So I grew up in Lahaina on the bar stools and just being a part of the restaurants. From a very young age, one of our founders was based there. And so I just enjoyed always being around the restaurants. And when I was, when I had a first opportunity to get a job, Leilani was what it was. And I worked there off and on in the summers when I come back from high school because I got into Kumaima schools. So I was boarding in Oahu. I'd come back and even in college I'd come back and work. And what happened was I got to play some professional football for a few years. And when that was done in Canada, I came back. Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan. So I got to come back and figure out what I was going to do. And we had an opportunity when Hula Grill opened up right around 2004-2005. I just got back in again as a busser because my experience was professional football, not restaurant executive. And I just worked my way out, got a chance to go to Dukes and eventually became GM there. And, and then I'm here again with Jackie. I just to clarify though, we all those were similarities except for she went to San Diego State. I went to the University of San Diego. That's true. San Diego. San Diego. I'm just joking. So we did it as a way. You pretty much have stayed with both of you, with TS restaurants throughout your career. Yeah, that's interesting because you're usually in someone's career path. You look at mine, I've been in the private sector, public sector, non-profit world. But you've pretty much stayed with us. So what's very special about this restaurant? And maybe we've been there, your career path. I mean, now you've gone from being a hostess to the CEO of this company. And Dylan, everybody knows you and Waikiki. I think you're the vice mayor of Waikiki. Everybody knows Dylan. So talk about that. Talk about what has kept you with one family business and then your career path. Well, being 18 and getting a job as a hostess at a restaurant, you don't think that that's going to be your career. I mean, I was 18. But what TS provides is a real ohana. There is a spirit in TS that's so beautiful. And it is because of the spirit of aloha. It is because the company started in Hawaii and there's so much respect for Hawaii and the culture and what all of that means with the community. And so when you're in TS, you're in a family that helps you grow. And if you prove yourself and you work hard and you take advantage of the many opportunities, then you know that you have a chance to do something more than what you're doing at the time. And so that's really why I've stayed all of these years. I didn't plan on it, obviously. I mean, if you would have told me when I was 18, I would have laughed and thought you were crazy that I could be CEO all these years later. But there's no other place I'd rather be. It perfectly mirrored my life between California and Hawaii and then the nod to the culture of Polynesia that I grew up in. And then also the people are just so amazing. I get to be around passionate, interesting, fun, exciting people every single day. So why would I, why would I ever go anywhere else? Well, talk about your specific career path. So you went from there and you also were a controller? I was controller for, so I went from there to a bookkeeper. I was actually, it's told I was too young to be a bookkeeper, but I kept asking until somebody let me do it. And then from there I went through the financial side of the company and I was controller for about a dozen years. But I, because it's a family company, we were always able to do other things. And so when new projects would come up, I would raise my hand, I would ask to be involved, and I had the opportunity to do that. So I was growing more skills as, as I was doing these new projects. And then when Vice President of Operations became available because someone retired, I put my hand up and I was called on, which was amazing. And it was, it was an unconventional choice at the time, but I knew that I had had this beautiful opportunity to grow and develop all of these skills through the company because we were so willing to give people a chance. And so I was Vice President of Operations for the California region for five years before becoming CEO. And when did you become CEO? November 1st, 2015. All right. So you've been almost five years at the helm then come to 2020. Yeah, almost. Great. Dylan, talk about your career path. Yeah, when I was young, I really did, I grew up around these restaurants and with, you know, either role models or peers, not peers, but role models that I looked up to. And something I realized at a young age was that I think I noticed was that they were always having fun. And I just thought, and that sounds like a pretty cool career. Like, and so when I was young, I had a goal that one day I'd be a general manager in one of my restaurants. And I was, I felt like it was an attainable goal. It was far off, but they just looked like they had so much fun, they got to run their restaurants and, and take care of people. And though I didn't know hospitality was, you know, maybe a strong point for me, it just felt like the right thing. So as my, as I went through school, and I was doing fairly well in football, it kind of took me in a direction. And I thought, you know, you only get to do that once, so let that play out. And I got to play it as long as, you know, I thought that was a good time for me to get out. And sometimes I think you would probably know too, when professional sports, they tell you when it's time to go out. So I listened and I made my way back home, but with always the thought that I would get into the restaurants. But I didn't have any managerial experience. I did get a bachelor's in business, but a lot of times you need work experience. Though I knew some people in the restaurants, they wanted me to work my way up, which I did. And when they came back, I just bussed and ran food at the restaurants until there was an opportunity at Duke's, when I was at Hula Grill, they asked me to come down and just learn how to be a manager. And what was happening simultaneously, which I didn't know was I was also, I got into coaching and I was coaching varsity football at Kaiser. And I really felt like that was a calling for me coaching. I actually tell people, as much as I had great, you know, best playing, I loved coaching more. And what happened as I started moving my way through the restaurants was I realized that I could kind of coach people. And so I got to have a career where, you know, hopefully financially it was going to be good and I was having fun, but I also got to being sort of a mentor or coach. And I was surprised. I became a general manager, like right at 30 or 29, 30, which was a surprise for me. I thought it would have took longer. And at that point, I don't want to say I was good and I didn't want to push for anything else. But I was really happy. And then where I ended up today was this momentum. And hopefully, you know, I think people thought I could do a bit more than what I was doing. And I just been riding that train a little bit. So when we recommend your places to eat in Waikiki, more often than not, people would say to us, what about Duke's Waikiki? So how is it that you've been able to establish, you know, a brand name there? I mean, you're taking advantage of Duke Hanabuka's name, but at the end of the day, when they walk in and if they're not getting good service, good food, what have you, they're going to say, gee, they named it after Duke, but you don't get that impression. You have really become a very popular restaurant in Waikiki. I'll start and let Dylan fill in. But it's interesting because we're in Waikiki. So there are a lot of tourists that come in and there are a lot of people that don't even know who Duke Hanabuku was and they don't know about his legacy. So I would say, first of all, we're really honored that we get to introduce Duke to a whole new segment of people that may not have ever known what a great man he was. So we're really proud of that. But really, in all of our restaurants, we always try to make sure that we embody home. And so when you're coming in, even though it's busy and it's large, and there are a lot of people in there, you feel like someone special. You feel like you're coming home. You feel like you're somewhere where people care about you. And that's what's important to us is that when you walk in, you feel that way. And that for the people that live here a full time, that they feel like this is their restaurant too. I do think that I totally agree with what she said. It's interesting because we would never want to have Duke be in the background, but we try our best not to over-utilize that great resource or that amazing legacy. That just happens naturally. And as she said, we had to introduce some people. We're not experts, but outside of maybe doing some research or going to the Bishop Museum or something, we do have a lot of artifacts. We do know a lot of stories. This is actually where he lived and worked most of his life and played in it. So there's that sense of place, which I think is really important when people look at a Waikiki. I think they're unsure about sense of place unless you tell the story or you're able to. And I think that's what's special about where we're at is it's actually where Duke was. It's where he's buried out in front. It's where he's worked. His family is still working down at the beach. So we have that essence that we don't need to do anything. It's there and then we do our best to be who we are, which is just gracious hosts. We want you to feel like you're home. And I always tell everybody, I think one of the great things about especially Duke's and Waikiki is it's one of the few places where I think you can feel really comfortable as a guest and really comfortable as a local. There's a lot of places that are geared towards both of those sectors of people. You know, we happen to be in the middle of a lot of hotels. So there's going to be a lot of tourists, but I think if locals make their way to Waikiki or they're down there for work, it's a place where they feel, you know, we can go to Duke's. I'll probably know somebody that's working there. I'll feel welcomed and it'll make it feel like home. And I think we do a really good job of providing that experience for both people. Great. Well, you know, we're going to take a pause for the cause at this point in time and then we'll come back and we'll talk a little bit more specifically about the challenges that everyone faces when you want to open a restaurant or operate a restaurant. I know in talking with a lot of my financial friends in the banking business said that's one of the toughest decisions sometimes I have to make is kind of a leap of faith if you will. But you've managed to do that, you've expanded and I know you have future plans that I'd like for you to share with you. I guest on our show are two wonderful people representing the restaurant business here in Hawaii and we're going to have them delve a little deeper into why it's such a special business and a great place for employment. Thanks to our ThinkTech underwriters and grand tours. The Atherton Family Foundation. Carol Mon Lee and the Friends of ThinkTech. The Center for Microbial Oceanography Research and Education. Collateral Analytics. The Cook Foundation. Duane Kurisu. The Hawaii Council of Associations of Apartment Owners. Hawaii Energy. The Hawaii Energy Policy Forum. Hawaiian Electric Company. Integrated Security Technologies. Galen Ho of BAE Systems. Kamehameha Schools. MW Group Limited. The Schuyler Family Foundation. The Sydney Stern Memorial Trust. Polo Foundation. Yuriko J. Sugimura. Thanks so much to you all. Welcome back again everyone. Our guests today are Jackie Reed and Dylan Ching of TS Restaurants. They operate 13 restaurants. 5 in California. 8 in the beautiful state of Hawaii. So before I leave that subject of Dukes and Hula Grails, what are some of the more popular food items that people come in? Hula Pie. You have to have a hula pie whenever you come in. I also think what people are dreaming about when they're coming down or what they haven't had in a long time is one of our Duke's Mai Thais and it just makes sense to the setting. And then I think we really pride ourselves on fresh fish and really quality meats. So I think however you prepare them, you know, would definitely want to have sort of an island flavor. But I think if you start with really good ingredients, I think people appreciate it because a lot of times it's about how they feel when they left. Not necessarily do they remember the exact item. Outside of the Mai Thai and the hula pie, which are just so iconic, I think we're really shooting for consistency and how people feel when they leave. Okay, and of course you use a lot of local products. We do, especially produce. We use local farmers wherever we can and make sure that we try to support those local businesses. Dylan, where are your two operations on Koi that you oversee? We have Dukes right there. It's our original Dukes and it's right in Kalpaki at the Marriott. Yeah, it's probably one of the most beautiful settings that we have and you just feel relaxed and it's right there in Lihui. And then we also have Kyokis Paradise in Pui Pu. And again, I wouldn't take anything away from the beauty of that restaurant. And it's sort of our secret restaurant where people, it's farther away from everything and it's not, it doesn't have the name Dukes. When you get there, we almost always over deliver the experience because it's unexpected. So that's a hidden gem if anybody's looking to go, it'll also be different. And Jackie, what about the four besides Leilani's on Maui's? Talk about the other three. So Kimo's was our original restaurant. 1977 opened and is still an amazing place to be right in Front Street. And then across from Leilani's is the original Hula Grill on Maui and Wailers Village. And then we have Dukes Maui, one of our newer restaurants in North Kanapalli Beach. Let's talk about the challenges in operating the restaurant business. And talk about how you've been able to overcome it, as well as keeping in mind that, you know, it's more than just jobs. You want to create a healthy environment, but also be able to be competitive. This is a very competitive business. There are other restaurants out there, but you're holding your own and you're doing very well to talk about challenges. So it's interesting in business, one of the biggest words is innovation. And so you're constantly trying to innovate. But one of the gifts that our founders gave us, Rob Tipo and Sandy Saxton, is they literally sketched out a plan. It was called the plan of the core principles of how they were going to found this company before Kimo's. And every single one of those principles applies today. And so that was their gift to us of these are the things that are most important. There were things that a lot of people weren't doing at that time that now people are doing today. And so just making sure that we're executing that plan that's relevant to the time that we're in. And part of that is creating a sense of place, having architecture that honors a location, making sure we hire the best employees, making our general managers, owners of their restaurants, giving back to the communities and making sure that we're responsible members of the communities. All of those was part of their plan. And so having that in today's world is, like I said, a gift. But there are some things that are difficult. The increasing regulation, keeping up with that, a lot of the regulation doesn't apply as easily to the restaurant industry because it is a more transient business. And we've got a mix of part-time and full-time employees and a lot of students that work for us. And so I'm trying to keep up with all of the regulation and make sure that we're doing the right things from a legal perspective, but also creating the right environment within our industry and serving our guests properly is a difficult balance. Since you have operations in both California, let me put you on the spot here. Where is, what state is better in terms of a restaurant to operate in a business environment? Given the fact there are rules and regulations, maybe let me phrase that. Are there things that are happening in California that you could see happening here that would make it easier to operate in this business environment? Are there things happening here that you'd like California to adopt? Well, Hawaii is definitely a friendlier business environment. You know, we're proud to be in these two states because there is a lot of focus on people and the citizens of the states and making sure that they're taken care of. But there are some extra rules in California that are difficult to implement within our industry. So, yeah, Hawaii is definitely a more friendly business environment. Also, the organizations in Hawaii around restaurants are a lot bigger and a lot more supportive. You know, they exist in California and California is doing an amazing job, but the population is much higher. And so it's harder to create that type of community from a business perspective over there. Dylan is a vice mayor of Waikiki. You know, when a tourist or a local steps into Waikiki before they come to your restaurant, or when they leave your restaurant, there's obviously things that they see there that often cause concern. So how are you able to be part of the solution as opposed to just sitting idly by and say, well, we'll let government fix it, or we'll let the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association fix it? How do you have that balance there? Because as I said, people know you as someone exactly in Waikiki. Well, I would start with there's a lot that people don't know, and I think it's our job to get awareness out on a lot of the things that are happening. One way we can just start is that we have over 300, we have about 450, 500 employees. And I think all given the right information, I think they're happy to help their community. Lots of them live in Waikiki. Lots of them are from Hawaii. So I think we try to make sure that we get our people out and get to them to our community, whether it being Waikiki or the outskirts of Waikiki or anywhere on the island. So we do that quite a bit. But I think also things like for myself, being on a few boards that really are focused on things like homelessness or safety or the beautification, things like I'm on the Waikiki Community Center Board, which to me is probably, it's closest to my heart because when I think about Waikiki or when a lot of people think about Waikiki, there's lots of businesses and hotels and traffic and things going on. And there's just one jewel sitting right around Paul Kalani Street that just services the people of Waikiki for people that work. My son goes there as a preschooler and lots of people that I work with, kids go there. And there's a health center that we're landlords for. And also the kupuna that live in Waikiki is a place for them to go and to feel safe and to learn and to be part of a community. So I really feel fortunate about that. Other things like the Waikiki bid, which is our business improvement district and WIA, all these organizations are really working hard behind the scenes to try and make sure that we don't just utilize the space that we give back to it, because it is really important for not just the people that live and work in Waikiki, but it's a really important place for the whole state. And I think it's our kuleana to make sure that if we're there, that we're doing whatever we can to make sure that it's a better place for everybody that comes through, not just even just our employees walking to work. We want to make sure it's safe for them, because there's not a lot of great parking in Waikiki. So there's so much that we can do that we are doing that, but we can continue to do. And I think not just relying on government or certain organizations, I think it's a full community effort. All the stakeholders have to take ownership in doing it. And it's not let's push them one street over over here. Let's make sure that we attack the problem. And I think there's people that are trying to do that. And we got to keep pushing. Jackie, you're also involved in a number of tourism organizations. Talk about some of those experiences and the fact that you would take time out of your very busy schedule also being in California to come to the board meetings, participate actively, contribute in more ways than one. Yes, I'm on the board for the Hawaii Visitor and Convention Bureau and also on the board of the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association. And those organizations, they're important. They're important for the industry. They're important for the state, because tourism is the main economy in Hawaii. And so if I can be a part of organizations who are promoting tourism in a responsible way that still preserves the islands for the people who are from here and who their ancestors are from here, then it makes me feel great. And it's a wonderful use of my time. And you're also a member of YPO. I am a member of YPO, yes. Yeah, great. And Dylan, you're an alum of Pacific Century Fellows. I am. Yeah. Great. Very proud. Thank you very much. So let's talk about some of the opportunities that you see. Any plans for a future expansion? Yes, whether it's here or somewhere else? Absolutely. So one of the things that we recognized when I became CEO, we also had the second generation of families come onto the board in more active roles. And you can't replicate the energy of a growing company. And we knew that we had something really special. But we wanted to make sure that we continued to give opportunities for people who were like me at 18 or like Dylan when he was younger just starting out. And the way to properly do that is through growth. So we do have a growth plan. We're planning on growing, you know, not crazy, a little more conservatively. And we want to make sure that we're hitting all the points of the founders plan going in places where we know we can be a part of the community, a place where we can have a sense of place. And also one of the biggest things was opening restaurants in places where we want to live, work, and play. And so we're searching right now looking for our next opportunity. And we're really excited about it. Great. Dylan, any parting words for someone out there that might be thinking about entering a career in culinary, cuisine, restaurant business like, what would you say to them? I think that something that I don't think people realize is that, you know, when you work in the restaurant industry, you're dealing with people. And lots of jobs are not nowadays trending towards people. There's technology and robotics and all these things which are great and we need them. But a lost art of I think that's going to be very sought after in the future is people's ability to take care of people and to talk to them and to make them feel comfortable. I don't think any machine can ever replicate that. And the restaurant industry is amazing for the ability for people to get that. And I think a lot of people that come into the restaurant industry use it as a transition and a jumping off point to something else. But there's a lot of them that feel like, hey, this is a career that I love. And I think we're living proof of that. Living examples of that. But we've had a wonderful discussion today. I hope you've enjoyed as much as I have. Once again, T.S. restaurants. And this gives you a reason why you want to visit one of their eight locations throughout the state of Hawaii and their five in California. So next time, this is a movie, say, piece of love with all my love upon all. Thank you.