Pono Shim, leader of nonprofit economic development organization PBR Hawaii and one of Hawaii's most gifted storytellers and business influencers, talks about the importance of pulling together to achieve the goal of a sustainable society.
Throughout the VERGE Hawaii conference where Shim spoke, there was a theme of all paddling forward in the same canoe. But if everyone jumps headfirst into the same canoe, he said, the boat will capsize.
"This is more of an orchestra than a canoe," he said of the need to collaborate across generations, states, sectors and industries in a way that takes into account the needs, strengths and challenges of each actor. "We need to start conducting as an orchestra to make this music."