Flash Hansen was 17 and a Kaiser High School senior when his father got him a job as a busboy in a new restaurant/nightclub in Waikiki. He was 18 when he started working on the nightclub side and learned that being behind the bar paid much better than busing tables in the restaurant.
From there Hansen would go from barback to bartender, then become co-owner of Club 1739, an event promoter, promotions and marketing director at the Wave Waikiki, a concert promoter with BAMP Project, co-owner of the Apartment3 restaurant in Century Center, and then owner of his own marketing firm, Modern Media.
Hansen, 46, is in his second month as director of promotions and marketing at iHeartRadio, where he represents six Honolulu radio stations. He is also heard on the air from 4 to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays on iHeart’s “alternative” rock station, Star 101.9.
JOHN BERGER: What’s the biggest challenge in becoming part of the iHeart family?
FLASH HANSEN: As director of promotions and marketing I represent six radio stations that each have their own (separate) audiences, but that’s where working at BAMP served me so well. We actually dealt with more genres of music working with BAMP than I do working with six radio formats at iHeart.
JB: What are some of your favorite memories of the Wave?
FH: The Wave was ground zero for my formative years in a lot of ways both personally and professionally. I met Maleko (McDonnell) at the Wave, and because of Maleko I met Christa “SuperCW” Wittmier. Matty “Matty Boy” Hazelgrove was working for me at the Wave — and we went on to promote nightclub events and concerts.
The Wave is so near and dear to my heart on a personal level because of (Wave owner) Jack (Law) — to this day he is my mentor, and to this day I don’t make an important business move without at least running it by him.
The memories that stand out the most are the infamous Halloween parties. To this day I don’t see people dressing up for Halloween the way they did at the Wave.
JB: What is your key to success?
FH: I’ve just been really fortunate to have these crazy opportunities come my way, but I always have tended to say “yes” to things that scare me, that challenge me.
It’s very easy to talk yourself out of anything. The harder thing to do is say “yes” to the thing that challenges you. You win some and you lose some, and you just try to win more than you lose.
JB: What do you like to do when you’re not working?
FH: My biggest thing now is to treat my body better and be as physically active as I possibly can and work out and stay fit. Other than that I’m happy to sit on the couch.
JB: What would you like to be doing five years from now?
FH: Five years ago I would never have imagined that I’d be doing this job at iHeart and replacing Maleko (on Star 101.9) so it’s probably going to be something completely different than what I’m doing now.
