In this episode of Women in Motion, Lee Kantor interviews Kat Hurtubise, founder of Aloha Hospitality Professionals (Aloha HP). Kat shares her journey from starting Gourmet Events Hawaii in 2003 to founding Aloha HP in 2015. Aloha HP is a staffing agency serving Hawaii’s hospitality, administrative, and light industrial sectors across four major islands. Kat discusses the company’s focus on service, culture, and personal development through their Aloha Academy. She also highlights their plans for expansion to the mainland U.S. and emphasizes the importance of building meaningful work experiences.
Kathleen Hurtubise is the pioneering force behind AlohaHP, revolutionizing the staffing landscape with Hawaii’s signature Aloha spirit.
Founded on the promise of blending technology with deep-rooted Hawaiian hospitality, AlohaHP emerged as the contemporary answer to staffing, empowering professionals to design their work schedules and environments. AlohaHP’s mantra, “Elevate, Empower, and Transform,” signifies more than just words—it’s a movement.
We’re on a mission to enhance not only our professional journey but also the businesses we collaborate with and the exceptional individuals we champion. Our core principles, encapsulated by “BestSelfThroughService,” emphasize kindness, truthfulness, integrity, productive energy use, and a balanced sense of possession.
Every day, we’re committed to professionalism, embracing growth, unwavering discipline, continuous learning, and collective belief in our shared mission. A testament to her vision, Hurtubise’s company has received multiple recognitions from Pacific Business News.
A sought-after speaker and hospitality connoisseur, she continues to share her wisdom, having graced platforms like The Special Event conference in San Diego and the East Meets West conference. Join AlohaHP in reshaping the future of staffing, fostering growth, and forging lasting partnerships.
Connect with Kathleen on LinkedIn.
Music Provided by M PATH MUSIC
This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix
TRANSCRIPT
Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios, it’s time for Women In Motion. Brought to you by WBEC-West. Join forces. Succeed together. Now, here’s your host.
Lee Kantor: Lee Kantor here, another episode of Women In Motion and this is going to be a good one. But before we get started, it’s important to recognize our sponsor, WBEC-West. Without them, we couldn’t be sharing these important stories. Today on Women In Motion, we have Kat Hurtubise with Aloha HP. Welcome.
Kathleen Hurtubise: Hello. And as we say in the islands, aloha.
Lee Kantor: Well, before we get too far into things, tell us about Aloha HP. How are you serving folks?
Kathleen Hurtubise: Thanks for asking. So, Aloha HP is short for Aloha Hospitality Professionals, and we are a unique staffing agency in the Islands of Hawaii and we service four major islands. And we focus on hospitality staffing, light industrial staffing, and administrative staffing. And we’re excited to be here and we’re excited to be of service to the people across the islands, mainly the Island of Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, and Hawaii.
Lee Kantor: Now, what’s your backstory? How did you get involved in this line of work? Can you share a little bit about your journey?
Kathleen Hurtubise: Sure. So, I am a serial entrepreneur who is surprised that I’m in that space. It was way back in 2003 that I started my first company, and it was really out of a passion to be of service. My first company was and still is an event logistics company, it’s called Gourmet Events Hawaii. And I started that company because I wanted people, businesses in particular, to have an experience in events that would really bring their brand and their mission to life. And that company did very well and continues to do well.
Kathleen Hurtubise: And as I grew that company, we started to accumulate scores of people to execute our events across the state. And then, by the time 2014, 2015 came along, we had over 100 people in our team, and they were temporary workers doing hospitality work. And at the same time, there was an opportunity to bid for $1 million plus contract at the Hawaii Convention Center to provide all of the staff for front of house events. And so, that had been a long term vision of mine to be of service not only in Hawaii, but globally. And so, we went in as an event logistics company and bid for this contract, and we won.
Kathleen Hurtubise: And that was super exciting, and at that time I thought, I think staffing companies win these types of contracts. And as a result of that, I diligently went and took the test, successfully passed it and got a license to be a staffing agency in Hawaii. So, it’s been since 2015 that I’ve had not only an event logistics company, but now Aloha HP as a staffing company that’s all about service first.
Kathleen Hurtubise: So, through our three verticals of hospitality, administration, and light industrial, we really put our people out in the field as exceptional human beings, service first, and learning the tasks of the trade secondarily. And that has really made a huge difference in the commitment, the reliability, and the vibrancy of our temp team members because they’re going in knowing that they’re going to be of service to these companies, first and foremost, and figure out what that task is secondly so that they’re not just cogs in the system.
Lee Kantor: Now, can you talk about when you’re in a staffing agency, like you are, it’s kind of a two sided marketplace, right? You need the staff. You need people to deploy when the need be. But you also need clients who need staff. So, you have to kind of have relationships with, I would imagine in your world, all the hospitality companies that need staff and then you also need kind of those workers that are the staff. How do you kind of marry both of those? Because each of those have different needs and you’re kind of helping connect them.
Kathleen Hurtubise: Yes. It’s a beautiful space to be in because you’re dealing with people on both sides of the equation. So, we have talent executives who work to connect with companies that need services as it relates to hospitality, admin, or light industrial. And then, we have our talent acquisition specialists that are sourcing, vetting, and placing our temp team members into those companies. So, we have two different functions, the account executive working with companies and then our talent acquisition specialists working with human beings that we are then sourcing, processing, bringing them into our company as a W-2 worker, and then deploying them out to the companies that need their services.
Lee Kantor: Now, how do you kind of build that culture that is kind of capturing that aloha spirit that you referred to?
Kathleen Hurtubise: Yeah. Well, we do it in a couple of different ways. The first is that the team that I bring on as full-time staff have to have that sense of aloha and really be that – one of our core values – best self through service. Best self through service, that’s really key. And so, when we bring in our full-time staff, we’re really vetting and interviewing them to make sure that they are a good match for our company.
Kathleen Hurtubise: We’re also entrepreneurial, which is a very unique kind of company. There’s only about 5 percent of the companies that are truly entrepreneurial out there, and I will raise my hand and say my company is one of those. And then, there’s a certain type of employee that’s going to be very excited about a dynamic environment like an entrepreneurial workspace. And so, it’s really important for us to get the full-time staff right to begin with.
Kathleen Hurtubise: And then, from there, when our talent acquisition specialists are sourcing and vetting and bringing onboard our temp team members, it’s really important that they are communicating what our culture is about. We live and breathe by the 10 Golden Rules of Aloha, which is a way of being that we’re showing up on time, that we’re working as team players, that we are understanding that we are being of service first in the activities that we’re doing, and it’s less about the task and more about the beingness.
Kathleen Hurtubise: So, as they bring them on and get them onboard with us, they then go through an Aloha Academy. And this is a proprietary academy that we have set up throughout the years that allows our temp team members to understand the basics of working in our company, our expectations, kind of the nuts and bolts, and then we go through the kind of culture piece, the 10 Golden Rules of Aloha.
Kathleen Hurtubise: We even have a whole person aspect to this academy, which is allowing them to kind of tap into themselves. We actually teach them how to breathe, and through that breathing, do meditation. And what’s really interesting about that is most people haven’t really experienced a deep breath or kind of a meditative moment. So, even if this is the first and last time in their life that they actually experience that, it’s an experience, I believe, that’s going to stay with them for some time.
Kathleen Hurtubise: And so, from the Aloha Academy, they take an evaluation. And once they have passed that evaluation, over 80 percent correct, and this is practical stuff, kind of philosophical stuff, then they will then be awarded with a certificate of completion from the Aloha Academy. And from there, they’re deployed to our clients.
Kathleen Hurtubise: And then, we’re staying in touch with our temp team members on a regular basis. Once a week we send them a Life Vitality Blog, which is allowing them to tap into ways that they can just kind of ground themselves, center themselves, and really work to be the best that they can be in the hopes and the desire that they are doing that very same thing for the companies that we’ve deployed them to.
Lee Kantor: Now, when you’re working with an individual, maybe this is their first temp opportunity, or maybe this is their kind of career, they’re just working temp because that works best for them, do you do any training to help them with those skills? I know you’re hiring more for attitude and enthusiasm and behavior first rather than the task they might be doing. But do you do also any training for certain skills if those are needed?
Kathleen Hurtubise: Yeah. So, a lot of our positions that we’re hiring for are entry level positions, entry level hospitality, entry level admin, and entry level light industrial. So, the clients that we are supporting are giving us the job description and we’re making sure that our temp team members match those basic skills that they need. And to your point, we’re also looking for attitude, for mindset in making that match. So, in terms of the skills, yes, we are interviewing them for that, assessing them to make sure that they’re a good match for our companies.
Lee Kantor: So, just from my understanding, like say, I’ve never been a waiter before, and then I come to you and you say, “Well, there’s an opportunity. You could be a waiter at this event. You know, you can be the one that hands out the hors d’oeuvres or something like that.” Somebody’s going to show me how to do that in a way that makes me a good employee for you?
Kathleen Hurtubise: Yes, that’s right. And that’s where our leadership comes into play. So, in those event spaces where we’re hiring people who might not have the skills, we have a strong stable of leaders we call captains, and they have a ratio of 1 to 10, so that we might have not ten people that our leader is managing, and perhaps three of them haven’t had the service experience, though they do have the right attitude and the right mindset. So, having that leader who has the skillset really locked down can train them on the job to make sure that they’re handing out the hors d’oeuvres or greeting people.
Kathleen Hurtubise: It’s not necessarily a skill that takes time to learn. It’s important, though, that the person that we’re bringing into our system has a growth mindset and is willing to learn on the job for those important tasks that just need clear direction, and that’s where our leadership comes in.
Lee Kantor: Now, let’s look at the other side of the coin. The person that’s hiring you, before they hire you, have they worked with other staffing agencies or did they try to do it themselves with their own employees? What is typically the opportunities you get?
Kathleen Hurtubise: Yeah, it’s a little bit of both. A lot of companies like to try to hire folks themselves. What we have found post-pandemic is that that activity is becoming more and more difficult. So, they have tried staffing agencies, perhaps ours or perhaps another one that might be maybe more like I have a national presence. What we have discovered from their feedback is that they like working with us because we see them and then they, therefore, see us as partners.
Kathleen Hurtubise: So, we have a very strong communication line that happens on a daily basis, definitely on a weekly basis, so that we’re checking in with them after the first day with our temp team members at their job to say, “Hey, how did it go from your perspective with the new member?” And then, we’re doing the same thing with our temp team members, checking in with them after their first day, just to make sure that we get the train on the tracks and everyone is aligned.
Kathleen Hurtubise: And then, once a week after that, we’re checking in with them, both the temp team member and them, to just make sure in that first month that it’s a really nice, smooth transition into that company. And that’s something that we find is unusual and that they appreciate working with us.
Kathleen Hurtubise: Another thing I just want to mention that we do is that we escort our temp team members to their job the first day. And that’s really important because we want to make sure that they have that point of contact, that they’re being introduced to them properly, that they know where to enter the building. All of those hiccups can really cause things to go a little sideways and we want to make sure that that first day is the most, you know, positive and forward situation for both our temp team members and our clients.
Lee Kantor: Now, has there been an event or an opportunity that your firm has had that was memorable or that you’d like to share or talk about?
Kathleen Hurtubise: An event that was memorable?
Lee Kantor: Because your business has grown so much and has evolved over the years, has there been anything that stood out that you’re like, “Wow. We really made it. We’re at this event” or “We’ve come a long way.”
Kathleen Hurtubise: You know, I have this philosophy that we’re as good as our last event, if we’re talking about events, or we’re as good as yesterday. I’m just of that philosophy that clients are clients and everyone is important.
Kathleen Hurtubise: So, yes, we’ve done some really big events for former presidents, for large, thousands of clients from around the world. And I really have this philosophy that we’re putting our best foot forward every day, whether we’re deploying one person to a company or we have, you know, 200 people, 200 of our temp team members at an event executing something for a couple thousand people.
Lee Kantor: Now, you mentioned kind of this culture and community that you’re trying to build with your workforce. Is there any advice you can give when you’re trying to build out this culture of service that you have, that you’ve learned that you could share with our listeners?
Kathleen Hurtubise: Well, I would say my experience, especially post-pandemic, is that people who are in – and I can only speak from my experience – entry level positions, I feel there that’s a place where we’re having a hard time finding people and keeping people. And our experience has been people want to have an experience at work that’s more than just coming in, clocking in, and clocking out. And we find that when we build connection with them, that they know that they have us to rely on to come back to, to answer questions or even get inspiration and ideas of how they can have a more enriching life.
Kathleen Hurtubise: You know, people coming into those entry level positions might not have that available in their life, so there’s this extra sense of terror, I feel, as a staffing agency we’re giving them. And that they are seeing that there’s greater meaning than just going in to a company that we’ve put them in, clocking in, and clocking out, and getting a paycheck. I feel like there’s a desire post-pandemic to have greater meaning in what we’re doing, whether it’s work or personal stuff, just a deeper sense of purpose.
Lee Kantor: Yeah, I think people are really looking for those type of opportunities. It isn’t just showing up and getting paid and punching a clock and leaving. People want to be part of something bigger than themselves.
Kathleen Hurtubise: Yeah, totally. And I’d say, you know, that could be a bit cliche. I get it. And I say more than ever, people are desiring that. And if my company can help to cause that to be a little bit more real, instead of just a saying, I’m all for that because I want to wake up knowing that I’m contributing to something greater than myself for sure.
Lee Kantor: Now, can you talk a little bit about why it was important for you and your firm to be part of WBEC-West?
Kathleen Hurtubise: Yeah. Well, one, I’m just really thrilled to be a female entrepreneur. And I think it’s really important to be aligned with an organization that is all about empowering and educating and helping women who are in business to really spiral up, so that, first and foremost, is why I’m excited. I’m proud to put the certificate and the logo on our signature so that when people are choosing our staffing agency, they’re choosing us because of our service, and our commitment, and our ability to deliver. And then, I’d also like to say that they might feel very extra glad that they chose us because they know that it’s a woman-run and woman-owned business.
Lee Kantor: So, what do you need more of? How can we help you? Like, who’s your ideal client?
Kathleen Hurtubise: Well, our ideal client are companies that are in hospitality. We find ourselves in catering companies, hotels, restaurants, and senior living facilities. Those are some key areas. In terms of admin because it’s entry level, we do call centers, receptionists. And then, light industrial, we’re doing a lot of cleanup, like construction sites, demolitions and such. So, if you have listeners out there who need those types of services, we’d love to hear from them.
Kathleen Hurtubise: We are in the Islands of Hawaii at this moment, and then my vision is for us to be expanding to markets in the Mainland, specifically Texas, Arizona, and Florida within the next three years. So, look out for us on the Mainland and we’re definitely bringing the spirit of aloha with us.
Lee Kantor: And if somebody wants to connect with you and learn more about your team and your firm, what’s the website? What’s the best way to connect?
Kathleen Hurtubise: Best way to connect is www.alohahp.com. Again, the website is alohahp.com. And they can also reach me at kat, K-A-T, @alohahp.com.
Lee Kantor: Well, Kat, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.
Kathleen Hurtubise: Lee, thank you so much. It was such a pleasure.
Lee Kantor: All right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all next time on Women In Motion.
