I’ve just returned from a vacation on the island of Kauai, one of the most beautiful islands on the planet to be sure, but also a place where the original Hawaiian culture is now being protected and respected as it exists alongside the present. And that is largely due to an amazing entrepreneur who has made it his life’s work to restore ancient and sacred native Hawaiian sites so they are not forgotten.

Billy Fields is an icon in the Hawaiian Islands, and his company, Fields Masonry, which is based in Kailua-Kona, has been doing unique and difficult work that no one else does. At the heart of that work are the pohaku (rock or stone) used to build walls that incorporate an ancient locking technique where the stones are set in “tapered formations that use weight and gravity to lock into place.”No mortar is used, yet the walls can withstand the elements. Billy’s first restoration was the Hulihe‘e Palace in 1989, and the success of that work led to a constant stream of restorations including burial platforms, terraces, and fish ponds. Before he does any work, he conducts research to understand the history of the area as well as the genealogies tied to it. There is a sense of urgency in what he does. Because Billy wants the work to continue beyond his lifetime, he is teaching others how to do it and in doing so is preserving an important part of the Hawaiian culture that was in danger of being lost.

You see, one of the other things that Billy does outside his company is to work with Hui Malama i na Kupuna o Hawai‘i Nei, a nonprofit organization, to take care of ancestral Hawaiian remains. Billy explained to us that this work started when the big developers of resorts on the islands began to encounter the remains of native Hawaiians during construction. Now whenever construction takes place, the organization is contacted so that any remains will be treated with dignity.Billy estimates that he has reinterred more than 5,000 ancestors in protected sites on their native land. And the work will go on until it is done.

Since my last post described the 10 worst small businesses to start in 2013, I thought it would be a good idea to also list the 10 best small businesses to start in 2013, based on sales growth over the past year.

10. Services to buildings and dwellings -- includes cleaning, pest control, janitorial, and landscaping services (12.59 percent sales growth over the past year)

9. Management, scientific, and technical consulting services -- includes business and financial services, healthcare support firms and educations and training services (13.80 percent sales growth over the past year)

8. Gas stations (15.37 percent sales growth over the past year)

7. Computer systems design and related services -- includes computer programmers, software developers and IT management services (15.57 percent sales growth over the past year)

6. Machine shops, turned product, and screw, nut, and bolt manufacturing (17.92 percent sales growth over the past year)

5. Industrial machinery manufacturing (21.23 percent sales growth over the past year)

4. Employment services -- includes human resources and staffing services (21.42 percent sales growth over the past year)

3. Cattle ranching and farming (21.43 percent sales growth over the past year)

2. Architectural and structural metals manufacturing -- includes welders, cutters and metal fabricators (21.88 percent sales growth over the past year)

1. Oilseed and grain farming (22.43 percent sales growth over the past year)

(Sales growth estimates based on financial data collected from thousands of small employers by Sageworks, Inc.)

Although the economy is gradually gaining some steam, not every sector is growing with equal speed. Some are growing fast, while others are lagging behind the rest of the pack.

So, based on rates of sales growth, here are the 10 worst small businesses to start in 2013: 

10. Lawn and garden equipment and supplies stores (5.20 percent sales growth in the past year)

9. Drycleaning and laundry services (4.90 percent sales growth in the past year)

8. Office supplies, stationery, and gift stores (4.77 percent sales growth in the past year)

7. Printing and related support activities -- includes firms that print newspapers, books, labels, business cards, etc. (4.53 percent sales growth in the past year)

6. Amusement and recreation industries -- includes golf courses, bowling centers, marinas and skiing facilities (4.43 percent sales growth in the past year)

5. Death care services -- includes funeral service managers, morticians, and undertakers (4.07 percent sales growth in the past year)

4. Activities related to real estate -- includes real estate firms and property managers (4.04 percent sales growth in the past year)

3. Residential building construction (3.58 percent sales growth in the past year)

2. Business, professional, labor, political, and similar organizations -- includes business associations, labor unions and political groups (2.84 percent sales growth in the past year)

1. Land subdivision -- includes firms involved in servicing land and subdividing real property (sales down 2.51 percent in the past year)