2009 Celebration of Entrepreneurship Nominees - DEF
BUSINESS NAME: Daniel David Haas, An Accounting Corporation
BUSINESS CONTACT: Daniel David Haas
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.dehaac.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Entrepreneur
Daniel David Haas, An Accountancy Corporation is a Manhattan Beach based firm that has quickly established a glowing reputation since its founding in 2005. Haas is a South Bay native who founded the firm with a strict dedication to the three underlying principals of professionalism, responsiveness, and quality of service. Haas serves individuals, small businesses, and corporations, and provides much more than a perfunctory accounting – he believes his role is as silent partner of a sort, an objective sounding board who provides comprehensive information and advice on every financial aspect of life, business, and the tax implications thereof. He has published financial guides for his clients that cover everything from business strategies to the monetary aspects of marriage, college, retirement, and the death of a loved one.
Haas’ services have become particularly valued during the recession, as Haas and his firm have worked with individuals going through the loss of their homes and businesses in dire need of strategies to survive the prolonged economic downturn.
BUSINESS NAME: Darren's Restaurant
BUSINESS CONTACT: Darren Weiss
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.darrensrestaurant.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business
Many entrepreneurs have to overcome barriers—a lack of experience, money, connections—and Darren Weiss had an additional one that would have stopped others. He’s deaf, but he hasn’t let this impede his dream of being a restaurant owner and chef. Weiss, the owner of Darren’s Restaurant in Manhattan Beach, says that he was inspired to open his business because he loves cooking and making people happy with his unique presentation and flavors. Darren’s Restaurant is Weiss’ most recent foray in the restaurant business, and was encouraged by the loyal customers at his former restaurant to open his newest space. He says that, although there are plenty of good restaurants in the South Bay, there’s a lack of fine dining establishments, which he is aiming to provide with Darren’s Restaurant. It’s a mission at which he’s succeeding. He says that the warm and inviting atmosphere is attracting clientele. And the industry zeitgeist is confirming his success. He has received high ratings from Zagat’s, and Open Tables rated the restaurant as the finest in Los Angeles and Orange counties for four weeks running.
But Weiss says he didn’t succeed alone. He credits his teachers at the Culinary Institute of America with mentoring and inspiring him. He’s also worked under several highly regarded chefs, including David Paul in Hawaii and Hans Rockenwager in Santa Monica, who taught him the importance of presentation. He was particularly inspired by Jonathan Weiss (no relation) who proved that success was not dependent on being able to hear. Weiss says that he loves the restaurant business and hopes that his success inspires others with disabilities. “Deaf people, in particular, tend to have low expectations,” he said. “I would like to be a role model and teacher.”
BUSINESS NAME: DeAnn Flores Chase Law Corp.
BUSINESS CONTACT: DeAnn Flores Chase
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.dfclawcorp.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Ouststanding New Business
After spending 10 years in litigation working for a large law firm defending individuals and businesses of all sizes in Southern California, DeAnn Flores decided she wanted to stay close to home and help the people around her. “I opened my law firm so that I could help local entrepreneurs and business owners to protect themselves and their families from the risks involved with operating a small business,” Flores, founder of South Bay Business Lawyers said.
Located in Manhattan Beach, Flores opened her firm two years ago after the nudging of her mentor and friend Carol Glover. “I have had many people inspire me throughout the years but I am particularly grateful to Carol who has taken the time out of her busy life and career to listen to me and inspire me to leave the big law firm lifestyle and open a small business law firm here in the South Bay.”
Born and raised in Oklahoma, Flores had her first job as a hostess at Grandy’s Restaurant at age 15. However, for the past 15 years she had lived in the South Bay and said that it was an easy decision to open her business in Manhattan Beach. “I opened my law firm here in the South Bay because it gives me an opportunity to give back to the community by advising and supporting our local businesses and our local economy,” Flores said.
In addition to running her business, Flores also is the President of the Manhattan Beach Kiwanis Club and General Council for the Crown Jewel Club.
Flores explained that in her business she aims to be responsive and approachable. “We strive to learn about you and your business so that we can provide practical, efficient legal solutions that apply specifically to how you run and grow your business.”
In 20 years Flores said she sees herself still in the South Bay doing what she loves. “I plan on being continuing to counsel and support our local business community.”
BUSINESS NAME: Dig 4 Kids
BUSINESS CONTACT: Erick Fonoimoana
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.digforkids.org
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Entrepreneur of a Distinguished Biz for Kids
Erick Fonoimoana learned two important lessons early in life: aim high and give others a helping hand. Today the Olympic gold medalist and volleyball star puts them into play, literally, through his foundation Dig 4 Kids. He created the foundation in 2000 after noticing the lack of youth education and exercise programs in disadvantaged communities. Students from Carson and Hawthorne receive academic tutoring and mentoring, along with exercise and volleyball lessons, in the innovative after-school program. “Volleyball has given me a ton of opportunities, and I wanted to start a foundation to give back,” says Erick. “We offer a positive, safe and fun environment for the kids.”
Erick hopes his success story will serve to inspire his students. Though always driven to excel in sports, he was especially inspired by his sister, who took seventh place in the world 100-meter butterfly at the 1976 Olympics. “I told my dad I wanted to be an Olympian,” Erick recalls. “When I’m talking to the kids, I share the experience of a dream coming true. I tell them, ‘This is what my dream was and I wouldn’t let anything get in the waydrugs, peer pressure, etc.’” Erick is grateful to the AVP athletes who also act as mentors and role models for the D4K students. “They’ve graduated from four-year universities, some with a full ride, and they are physically fit. They’re just great role models as far as getting my message out there: the importance of education and exercise, which give you increased opportunities to be successful,” Erick continues. “The more times the kids hear about it, the more likely they are to believe.”
The greatest reward for him is watching former participants, now high school or college students, return to work with the younger set and become mentors themselves. “They want to come back and help because they liked it.”
BUSINESS NAME: DiggersList
BUSINESS CONTACT: Matt Knox
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.diggerslist.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business
Brand new to the South Bay business scene, Matt Knox along with his business partner and brother Johnnie Munger, who is the Chief Technology Officer, was inspired to launch his Internet-based business October of this year after realizing there was nothing else of its kind.
A former insurance broker for contractors, Knox said he kept hearing his clients say that they didn’t know what to do with excess material after finishing a job. “They would store things or throw them away, or try to sell them on Craigslist, but really, they didn’t have a good way to get rid of them,” Knox said. “So I asked them what do they need that they don’t already have, and if it was free would they use it all the time? A website is the ultimate blank slate and I realized that if I built one for their needs, they would use it.”
Seeking out the mentoring of his brother, who resides in Arizona, Knox said that the two of them have become closer since working on the business together.
Realizing that they ventured into untapped territory, Knox said he and his brother are pioneers in this type of business. Knox explained that there are other job-lead sites but that they cost money for the contractor and are limited in how many bids one can get. What he didn’t realize when he started the business is the positive impact it would have on the environment. “DiggersList has the potential to really contribute to the reduction of construction waste in landfills,” he said.
In testing the website, DiggersList has attracted financial partnerships with Habitat For Humanity and the Deconstruction Network, who use the site daily because it caters to what they are trying to sell.
Despite the distance between Arizona and California, the business partners and brothers are able to run their company successfully and Knox said he does not foresee himself living anywhere else but the South Bay. “I lived in the South Bay for about six years then moved away for a year but I really missed the area while I was gone. I love the beaches and the people and the small-town feel,” he said. However, what he does foresee is his businesses growth. “I will definitely be continuing to create new things, whether it it’s advancing the company or other endeavors,” he said. “For me, having an Internet-based business and working with builders is a creative dream.”
BUSINESS NAME: DSG International
BUSINESS CONTACT: Steve & Darren Gable
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Entrepreneur
Steve Gable and his twin brother Darren are idea men. They have spent their business careers taking a creative approach to a number of products and industries—starting with a kid friendly, turtle-shaped remote control designed to block inappropriate content. The move from their first career, playing professional beach volleyball, to designing kid-friendly products was inspired by their father Derek, an entrepreneur and well-respected toy inventor. The experience of developing, sourcing, marketing and selling this product led to their successful boutique promotional merchandising company, DSG International.
DSG International works with major clients in the entertainment, music, automotive and corporate industries, providing them with products, ideas and promotional strategies. The company has weathered the down economy, Steve says, because of his and Darren’s good work ethic, client relationships, and dedication to get their clients quality products at an affordable price. While Steve says that the biggest risk he and his twin took was starting a business with little experience, they have created a track record that shows they understand what it takes to make a business work. In addition to DSG International, the pair has founded a custom energy drink company and a company that takes used billboard vinyl and turns it into sustainable products. All of these companies are centered in their hometown of Palos Verdes.
BUSINESS NAME: Dworsky Companies, Inc.
BUSINESS CONTACT: Dave Dworsky
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Entrepreneur
Dave Dworsky has always pursued and fulfilled his dreams. When he was young he wanted to play college football and he did for four years at the University of Hawaii. This accomplishment served as the catalyst that would spur him on to become an entrepreneur that took him from Hawaii to Gardena and led to the creation of the Dworsky Companies. The company, which specializes in facility and landscape services, has expanded to cover most of Southern California. And while his entrepreneurial desire to be in control of his own destiny has fueled the growth of the company, Dworsky credits Jan Dworsky, his wife of 32 years, his coach at the University of Hawaii, and his management team as further catalysts, inspirations and mentors that have pointed the company in the right direction.
Dworsky says that his strategy for success has been a combination of building strong relationships and by being customer-service oriented “almost to a fault.” Dworsky Services’ growth has been organic, following the success and expansions of the company’s clients. The biggest challenge that he’s faced has been in the last year. The down economy has hit many of Dworsky’s clients hard and, he says, he’s been working very closely with them, remaining flexible to deliver more with less.
BUSINESS NAME: Dynamic Learning Services
BUSINESS CONTACT: Melanie West & Suzanne Kisly-Coburn
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.dynamiclearningservices.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Entrepreneur of a Distinguished Biz for Kids- FINALIST
Helping kids pass a class or learn an equation is just part of what Melanie West, Ed Psy, and Suzanne Kisly Coburn do at Dynamic Learning Services. Their approach is more fundamental, designed to help elementary through high school kids tap into their individual learning styles—particularly those that are more right-brained—to succeed in the left-brain world of right and wrong answers and standardized tests. It’s an approach that has been very successful with kids who have struggled for years. They often say that their sessions at Dynamic Learning Services were “the first time anyone has understood me,” said West, adding that this understanding comes with instantaneous and amazing results. West and Kisly Coburn find inspiration in the natural desire for human beings to be successful and the recognition that schools often give short shrift to right-brain thinkers in favor of those who can more easily tap into their left-brained selves. Seeing these right-brain kids thrive and succeed by adapting their thinking is the measure of success.
While Dynamic Learning Services has had a lot of success, the two women took a big risk starting the business, leaving comfortable, steady jobs. They have a big commitment to the South Bay and the school systems they served throughout their careers. That they’ve committed to helping the kids with an unconventional or artistic bent isn’t surprising. Both women had dreams that were outside the tried-and-true when they were kids themselves. Kisly Coburn wanted to be a cowboy and West dreamed of a career in the theatre or art world. Instead, they are helping the artists and innovators of tomorrow find their way in the world today.
BUSINESS NAME: Edelbrock Corporation/Vick Edelbrock Jr.
BUSINESS CONTACT: Vic Edelbrock Jr.
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.edelbrock.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Lifetime Achievement
Vic Edelbrock Sr. launched the Edelbrock Corporation, an automotive performance company, in 1938 and, after World War II, he bought a service station in Hollywood. On one side was a machine shop where he worked on cars. In 1948, the company moved into a 5,000-square-foot facility at Jefferson and LaBrea. He then bought the corner lot and from there built a 1,900-square-foot facility. In 1962, Edelbrock Sr. passed away after a four-month battle with cancer.
When Vic Jr. stepped in he was a 26-year-old graduate from USC and had 10 employees. Fortunately everything was paid for and his father had made a great name for himself so that made it easier for Vic Jr. to take the ball and run with it. Initially his employees didn’t know what he was going to do. His father had $250,000 in the bank. They didn’t know if he was going to take that money and run to Vegas, said Edelbrock, but he didn’t. His employees, along with friends of his father’s who weren’t involved in the business, watched over him and made suggestions. He said that in the mid-60s all the baby boomers were turning 16, and they wanted a car and wanted to modify it, which represented the company’s first business spike. In 1968, the company moved to a 20,000-square-foot facility in El Segundo where it stayed for 20 years until Edelbrock bought its current 600,000-square-foot facility across four locations in Torrance and two in San Jacinto. The company now has 400 employees.
One of Edelbrock’s greatest rewards has been starting from a tiny shop and establishing a reputable name that is known worldwide and is synonymous with quality. The company maintains all its core products are made in the USA. Its newest venture has been a partnership with Eaton Corporation to build OEM superchargers, which were introduced last year and have gone over well with the Ford Mustang. This venture is going to take the company into the future because it gives them the ability to make performance increases on the new evolution of engines. Enthusiasts are becoming interested in fuel injection, and Edelbrock offers a unique product that is easy to work with. In this business, it’s all about how the company stays current with the market trends, he said. They have a niche market and it’s important to stay ahead of the game and offer products that people want to buy.
Edelbrock advises young entrepreneurs to start their business slowly, build their base, don’t get too far ahead of themselves, make something they would use themselves and be able to look people straight in the eye and truthfully tell them their product works.
BUSINESS NAME: El Segundo Educational Foundation
Annual Golf Tournament
BUSINESS CONTACT: Richard Lundquist/Jayne Pimlott
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.elsegundoedfoundation.org
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Distinguished Philanthropic Event
The El Segundo Educational Foundation annually raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for the El Segundo Unified School District. Although chairman of the foundation, Richard Lundquist is an active member of the board and contributes money and time. He said that this year’s largest fundraiser, Strokes of Genius Golf Tournament, has been organized by board member Edward Su for the last four years.
The event, which celebrated 21 years of success, raised $20,000 in 2008 and 2009. “We aim to have about 144 players and this year we had 135,” Su said. “2006 was our best year—we raised $35,000. In prior years before that we raised between $10 and $15,000.”
The El Segundo Educational Foundation was established in 1983. The foundation was the brainchild of then ESUSD Superintendent Richard Bertain. Since its inception, the ESEF has raised more than $4 million for the ESUSD. All the monies have gone directly to the schools with $1million being held in the Endowment fund.
For the past three years, the ESEF has raised the bar for its fundraising, giving the school district an annual donation of $450,000. ESEF board member Duane Conover explained that the community and the corporations who do business in El Segundo are the main participants of the Strokes of Genius Golf Tournament as well as annual donors to the foundation. “All monies raised have gone to the district to fund programs as requested by the Superintendent and school board,” Conover said.
BUSINESS NAME: Elwood Capital Group
BUSINESS CONTACT: Richard Haynes
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.elwoodcapitalgroup.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Young Entrepreneur- FINALIST
Entrepreneurship is in Richard Haynes blood. His great-great grandfather Elwood Haynes developed the first commercially viable automobile, stainless steel and numerous other products still in use today. Haynes gave a nod to his forebear by naming his company Elwood Capital Group, Inc. Haynes buys foreclosed properties in South Central Los Angeles, demolishes them and builds low-income housing, which his company also manages. But unlike a large management company, Haynes is definitely a hands-on sort of guy and focuses on one thing as opposed to buying up different kinds of properties pell-mell. His investors are other business professionals—such as doctors and lawyers—not large corporations. Haynes says he is also committed to his tenants, building nice, high-quality properties that they’ll be proud to live in. His goal to invest in the community as a whole is what differentiates Elwood Capital from other, similar companies, he says.
Haynes says that working for himself has always been his ambition, so when he had the opportunity to strike out on his own after a short stint at a real estate company, he did so, but not without some help. He says that he has received guidance from former professors and other USC alumni. Though Haynes is investing his time and capital in South Central Los Angeles, he is still headquartered in the South Bay. He says that it’s an ideal central location, allowing him to scout properties and to work with banks and investors in Hermosa Beach and the surrounding area. Though he’s just starting out, Haynes already has his eye on the future. He hopes that in 30 to 40 years, because of his efforts, Los Angeles will become a better place to live.
BUSINESS NAME: Emerge Interactive Agency
BUSINESS CONTACT: Chris & Tyler Smith
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.emergeagency.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Young Entrepreneur- FINALIST
Chris Smith could have opened Emerge Interactive Agency anywhere in the country, but he chose the South Bay. That’s because the South Bay has become his home and he liked the idea of working close to the beach. Emerge Interactive Agency is a recruiting firm specializing in finding jobs for the myriad developers needed to make a video game idea into a video game reality. With his partner, Tyler Smith (no relation), Chris Smith has built a successful agency that is growing along with the evolving video game industry.
The Smiths honed their skills while working at another, similar agency, but wanted to work for themselves, which inspired the creation of Emerge Interactive Agency in 2002. While not the only firm that specializes in recruiting video game development, Smith says that Emerge Interactive is different because its small size allows it to build strong, valuable relationships with its clients, giving it more personalized service—delivering the kinds of professionals they need. Smith may have cut his professional teeth on video game development recruiting, but he sees the potential to broaden the agency’s scope into other facets of the video game industry and beyond.
BUSINESS CONTACT: Sasha King & Deborah Greene
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.epoxygreen.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business- FINALIST
Bringing together commerce and green consciousness is the mission of EpOxyGreen. Founders Deborah Greene and Sasha King have fused the growing interest in “green” thinking to the construction materials business, offering a plethora of products designed to appeal to both those on a budget and a desire to do no harm. EpOxyGreen spun off of an earlier iteration of the green concept that Greene had opened in the trendy Abbot Kinney neighborhood in Venice. King, who says that she’s always been fascinated with how products come to market, says that the business is on a mission to both make the world a greener place and to educate the public and builders that it is a viable, sustainable, and more profitable alternative to the conventional way homes and buildings in general are constructed.
Being located in the South Bay makes sense, says Greene, since the Los Angeles basin is the green center of the country and others are looking to the area to lead the way with innovations that can be adapted by business at large. Both women credit a number of people for mentoring and inspiring them. Many of these people are “little angels” that have helped the business thrive others are heroes from afar, like billionaire Richard Branson and the founders of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and Patagonia clothing. Risk is a part of the business, and, Greene says, she can’t point to a single risky moment they’ve taken while building the business. Instead, she and King subsist on a daily diet of risk that comes with being in charge of their lives, she says. As for the future, they’re moving forward with a green baby line and are developing numerous other green ideas.
BUSINESS NAME: Eureka!Burger
BUSINESS CONTACT: Paul Frederick
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.eurekaburger.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business
Eureka Burger is a unique 2,000 square-foot burger bar and restaurant in Redlands, California, founded by Manhattan Beach resident Paul Frederick. Since opening this past July, over 30,000 customers have already had a taste of what Eureka Burger has to offer.
Frederick’s commitment to using environmentally sustainable products that promote healthy eating has led him to use as many organic products as possible, to buy from local vendors, and to create every menu item from scratch. Eureka Burger’s menu features top-quality beefs, gourmet salads, hand-cut fries, craft beers, and fine wines. Rock and roll decor, whimsical photos, and plenty of flat-screen televisions make for what Frederick describes as a “modern, fresh, and value-oriented restaurant.”
After working many years in commercial real estate development, Frederick decided that the smartest move for a developer with an innovative idea in the current economy was to shift from landlord to tenant. With help from his wife, who has an extensive background in food, and his father-in-law, who is a chef at Manhattan Beach restaurants Mangiamo’s and Talia’s, he set out to create a different and healthy burger experience for his customers.
Frederick plans to open up five more restaurants throughout California by 2010, with plans already in motion for Fresno and Laguna Beach locations. He is currently seeking the right property for a location in the local beach cities so that South Bay residents can also discover and enjoy Frederick’s new twist on a classic concept.
BUSINESS NAME: Evergreen Design Build, Inc.
BUSINESS CONTACT: Daniel Salzman
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Real Estate Entrepreneur- FINALIST
What began as an experiment in building all-green construction homes led Daniel Salzman to start his Manhattan Beach-based company Evergreen Design Build, Inc. in 2007. With a passion for changing the face of urban redevelopment in an environmentally friendly way, Salzman incorporates proven green technologies into home-building, such as solar panels, LED lights, non-toxic paints, gray water for irrigation, drought-resistant plants, and the exclusive use of reclaimed and recycled materials. After working as a writer for 15 years, Salzman began redesigning old houses as a hobby and ultimately started Salzman Design Build, Inc. in 2007, building conventional houses. Struck by how much material was wasted, he committed to changing the way homes are built and retraining contractors to do the same. Not long after, he started Evergreen Design Build, Inc. with the sole focus of building green. The South Bay’s numerous opportunities for redevelopment, along with the beach lifestyle and community feel, has made it the ideal place for Salzman and his family to work and live.
In 2008, Salzman commenced work on Manhattan Beach’s first two green houses. The first earned certification from Built It Green, a non-profit organization that promotes and validates green building. Earlier this year he sold the second home, which earned gold-LEED certification by the Green Building Council.
Salzman has worked on several other green building projects, including a two-year project in Singapore that produced the world’s largest, greenest resort. His environmental consciousness was enhanced while working with Phillippe Cousteau (son of legend Jacques Cousteau) on a project for Cousteau’s non-profit organization, EarthEcho. Salzman is currently a consultant for the production of a billion dollar environmentally friendly mixed-used development in Orlando, Florida. For Salzman, building green is about more than riding a trend. He cares about and believes in finding smarter ways to build and taking the time to explain to his customers the importance of going green. He wants each one of his clients to walk away thinking, “Wow, I can have a home that is warm, inviting, and green. And all without having to break the bank.”
BUSINESS NAME: Fine Touch Dermatology
BUSINESS CONTACT: Dr. Sanusi Umar, M.D.
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.finetouchdermatology.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Entrepreneur
Located in Redondo Beach, Dr. Sanusi Umar opened Fine Touch Dermatology in 2005. He lives in the South Bay and thought it to be a wonderful place to live and work. His passion is treatment of hair loss. He became a dermatologist because he was dedicated to doing something about hair loss due to his own personal history. He decided to pioneer a brand-new process for transplanting hair. Before he opened his own practice, Dr. Umar was working as a dermatologist for one of the major groups in Los Angeles.
Dr. Umar sees patients from all over the world. He has a niche in the business of hair transplantation because his process is to use hair from other parts of the body. That unique ability allows him to repair cases that have had poor surgeries using antiquated methods. Eighty percent of his clientele are repair cases from other clinics.
Professionally, Dr. Umar’s greatest reward has been the satisfaction derived from the joy he sees in the faces of his patients. These are usually patients who have had this problem for years, maybe even decades, with no solution in sight, and it’s fulfilling to Dr. Umar to see how his remedy affects the patient, their family and friends.
BUSINESS CONTACT: Adam & Michael Goldberg
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.freshbrothers.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business- FINALIST
Adam Goldberg, who is the owner/founder of Fresh Brothers Pizza along with his wife Debbie and younger brother Michael, said that he couldn’t even eat pizza in the South Bay until he opened up his own place, which serves pizza made from his older brother Scott’s recipe. With three successful pizzerias located outside of Chicago, Scott had something that Adam knew would also be a hit in Manhattan Beach. “I always said that one day I would bring his recipe out here,” Goldberg said. “It’s that recipe combined with our customer service which has allowed us to be so successful.”
With two established locations in Redondo and Manhattan Beach and a third one opening this January in Marina Del Rey, the Goldberg family isn’t suffering the consequences of the economy like other new business might. Starting this school year, Fresh Brothers also landed the contract to serve pizza for school lunches at all three beach cities. “We were very happy about that,” Goldberg said. “It’s very rewarding to know that the kids are eating a healthier pizza.”
However, before his pizza days, Goldberg worked in the entertainment industry as a TV director. He moved from the northwest to Manhattan Beach 16 years ago and hasn’t looked back since. “It made sense to start my business here. What could be better than living and working in the same area?”
Goldberg said he finds inspiration every day in the people he serves and his hard working employees but his ultimate inspiration comes from his parents, who he said were the greatest parents ever. “We are all hard working and I think that is because we were raised with supportive parents who showed us a great work ethic,” Goldberg said.
Goldberg realizes that opening a restaurant given the state of the economy may have been his biggest risk; however, he was confident in his ability to succeed. “I think what makes us different from other pizza places and what has contributed to our success is the quality of care we put into each pizza. Every single pizza that goes out of here means something to me, and if I am in the kitchen and I see something that I don’t think is quite right I will call the customer and tell them they might have to wait an extra 5-10 minutes so we can make it again, rather than serve a less than perfect product.”
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2009 Celebration of Entrepreneurship Nominees - DEF
