My name is Jim Stone and I'm a musician, poducer, entertainer, and entrepreneur. I live on the island of Maui in Hawaii for all my life; being a passionate musician, I've come to love the sounds of community, people, and the ever growing awareness of cultures around the world and to the world, particularly my own. I am 50% Hawaiian, a native to my homeland, where I play music and promote cultural shows and events for a living. I'm an active member of our island tourism industry, especially in the field of cultural awareness and eco-tourism; I have a vision to build better planned culturally diverse eco-tourism activities here in the islands. Tourism is our industry, it's what keeps our economic development in motion. It is in my thoughts to build a deeper bond with our American counterparts by looking beyond the hotels and sandy beaches and reaching for the roots of culture in our native land, language, people and most of all our arts.
Ulalena, characterized in Hawaiian as "the rain in the mountains of Maui" is my mission. Ulalena was rated as Hawaii's #1 Must See event/activity when on Maui. As of 2018 her doors were closed after over 20 years of service. I aim to restore her to the glory she once knew, in hopes of preserving an island epic for future generations.
I had served Ulalena and the Maui Theatre as the general manager here. I came aboard as GM in 2017 ,in the twilight hour of the company's short life, in hopes of making a difference for the owners, employees, and the business. The improvements I proposed were financial, social and creative based, strategies aimed toward marketing, economic spending, and cultural creativity. The plan was sound, but I was too late. Creditors and debtors were filing claims that broke the company's morale, pushing the owners into bankruptcy. Our employees have suffered, the business has suffered, and the cultural awareness is suffering with every passing day. The Theatre is abandoned, the doors are closed, and the people are gone. No one comes to see Ulalena because we have no money. We need money to reopen our doors.
We need to raise an initial $5,000.00 to finance the opening costs of the new LLC, as well as retain a business attorney. This renovation requires seed money, finances to get us going in the direction of restoration.
My overall and long term plan is to raise 1.2 million dollars over the next 2 years to pay off priority creditors and debtors, re-hire Ulalena employees, develope a powerful business team, and create a forward-motion to incorporate into the business infrastructure. I have studied the nature of the show's decline and ultimate failure, keeping my focus on improving the details that the former company administration had neglected. My tenure was short lived, but long enough to make a lasting impression on me to reach higher than I've ever reached before; for the people who work there as well as the cultural message Ulalena portrays.
For our financial contributors, I will personally answer your email and Facebook inquiries and questions you may have 24 hours a day. I'm seeking investors (silent or management) as well as any dollar from you anonymous contributors in the Fundrazr community.
email: jimstonemusic808@gmail.com
As an added incentive, and upon reaching our financial goal, we offer to a number of our contributors of any amount, the opportunity to enter into a drawing to fly you out to Maui to see the restoration of Ulalena as well as the rest of Maui. All this in full accommodation. In addition, we will post on our Facebook page as well as our "coming soon" website for "Saving Ulalena" the names (at your permission) of every contributor as well as the amount contributed. This way you can track our business activities, the notable contributions, and the overall momentum.
In the coming weeks we will update our Fundrazr page with info and details as to where our presence can be found online and what more you can do to help.
Aloha and mahalo for your consideration.
Jim Stone/Producer and Entertainer, Maui Hawaii.
jimstonemusic808@gmail.com
