2009 Celebration of Entrepreneurship Nominees - GHIJKL
BUSINESS NAME: Gelbart & Associates
BUSINESS CONTACT: Dr. Moe Gelbart
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.gelbartandassociates.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Entrepreneur; Lifetime Achievement
For the past 33 years, Dr. Moe Gelbart and his staff have been providing counseling services for South Bay residents at Gelbart and Associates. The treatment center is largest and most comprehensive mental health practice in the South Bay, composed of two offices in Torrance, one in Redondo Beach, and a large multi-disciplinary staff consisting of over psychologists, psychiatrists, marriage and family therapists, and clinical social workers. Gelbart and many of his staff members hold leadership positions in community hospitals. Gelbart is the founder and Executive Director of the Thelma McMillan Center at Torrance Memorial Medical Center, the largest outpatient chemical dependency program in the area, which was started in 1991. He has also worked in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Psychology Department, where he treated police officers and their families, and developed the first hostage negotiation program in L.A. County.
The Brooklyn native started out as an eighth and ninth grade English teacher in New York where he eventually began working in a program designed for emotionally challenged students. He received his PhD in Psychology from the University of Southern California in 1979 and became a licensed psychologist in 1980. Gelbart works extensively with patients with chemical substance dependencies, as well as with stress and violence in the workplace, relationship issues, sports psychology and performance enhancement, the psychological effects of physical illness, and anxiety and depressive disorders. He is listed in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology, and is certified by the American Psychological Association in the treatment of alcohol and other psychoactive substance use disorders. “Providing help in a caring, professional, respectful environment” is the mission of Gelbart and Associates. Following this mission has built this company into one of the most well respected in mental health practices the South Bay.
BUSINESS NAME: General Finance Group, Inc.
BUSINESS CONTACT: Ron Valenta
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.generalfinancegroup.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Lifetime Achievement- FINALIST
After working for others for nine years, Ron Valenta of General Finance Group was inspired to start his company so he could call the shots. “I was not politically inclined to be in a corporate environment/ I am more performance driven and wanted my own business,” he said.
Opening his first business in 1988, General Finance Group, a public company. now has nine business operating in Australia, New Zealand and the United States. “I remember when I first started in this business I had different goals. We have evolved since then,” he said. “The first goal was to get a paycheck, second was to make enough to cover my bills, third was to hire people and then fourth was to get a second location, then become a regional player, then national participant and finally an international leader in the business.”
Valenta said it has been through the observation of several people he has admired that has inspired him to grow his business. “No one directly mentored me but I have picked and chosen traits I have admired in several people such as Father Colosimo, a Jesuit priest, Dr. Fred Kiesner, an LMU professor and one-time entrepreneur, and my peers Ron Havner, Rick Pielago and James Robertson.”
However, Valenta’s success has not come without risk. The entrepreneur explained that in order to be successful, he has he had to believe in himself and in self-sacrifice. “My greatest risk professionally was leaving the corporate environment in a high salary and equity ownership environment to going out on my own with limited capital, no pay, much self-sacrifice and incredible hours of work,” he said.
Valenta is the first to say that his hard work has paid off and that his greatest reward is not only managing a successful business, but what the business has done for others. “I’ve created a culture that allows others to grow professionally, improve quality of life and provide upward mobility.”
With all of the success Valenta has achieved since the days of his first job as a waiter when he was 15, his says that it is important never to forget how you started. “When financial freedom occurs, do not forget your roots, where you came from. Return the same to those behind you.”
When giving advice to young entrepreneurs, Valenta said that it is important that when starting your own business you understand all of the aspects of it and be willing to work hard, be passionate and self-sacrifice. “Work your competitors, keep a high moral ground and in time, you will succeed,” he said.
BUSINESS NAME: Go Green Lunch Box
BUSINESS CONTACT: Kim Castner
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.gogreenlunchbox.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business- FINALIST
Go Green Lunchboxes manufactures and sells lunchboxes that offer an eco-friendly alternative to plastic bags, aluminum foil and juice boxes—a five-section container with one lid that creates a seal so you can have yogurt or other wet foods in one section and it won’t drip into another section. Founder Kim Castner officially launched the business in April 2009, but she began formulating her plans in November 2007, and is currently working on getting her patent.
Castner lives in the South Bay, where her children attend elementary school. It was a great test market for her because she already knew of mothers who were concerned about how they packed lunches for their kids and they wanted to become greener. Castner’s customers also are her friends. Go Green Lunchboxes offers the first one-set lunchbox and includes a built-in whiteboard inside the bag where mothers can write notes to their kids.
Castner’s first job professionally was working for a children’s advocacy group based in Los Angeles called Children’s Action Network. She was inspired to start her own company out of the frustration of having to pack lunches in Tupperware for her two daughters every day when they kept coming home without the lids. She did some Internet research only to find there were no other companies that offered an alternative, so she thought she’d come up with something herself. What Castner created was a fun-looking bag that kids enjoy and also allows parents to pack lunches in a way that not only saves time, but also money. In the next 10-15 years Castner sees herself selling lunchboxes both nationally and internationally and possibly branching out into snack-pack containers.
BUSINESS NAME: Hanavan Marketing
BUSINESS CONTACT: Lynne White
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.hanavanmarketing.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Entrepreneur
Hanavan Marketing and PR is a Manhattan Beach-based firm founded by owner Lynne White in 2004 that provides customized marketing and public relations services. Unlike many firms that focus on one aspect of marketing, Hanavan offers comprehensive services, including public relations, advertising, printing, writing, branding, video and website production. This versatile approach, combined with a large network of specialized vendor partners, enables White to provide services for small, specific projects, as well as large, multifaceted marketing campaigns.
White prides herself on her ability to produce tailor-made marketing programs for clients that span numerous industries, from attorneys to engineers to hair salon owners. She welcomes the opportunity to service companies that range from small, local businesses to international corporations, such as Luxe Hotel.
Prior to starting Hanavan, White worked as a publicist in Hollywood for several years, where she “learned a little bit of everything.” In 2004, White took a giant leap of faith, left behind her comfortable paycheck and started Hanavan marketing. Owning her own firm also afforded her the luxury of working where she lives. She credits Ed Myska of Bank of Manhattan for counseling and guiding her in the right direction as she stepped out on her own. No matter what the project, no matter how great or small, White brings the same enthusiasm and quality of work to all of her clients.
BUSINESS NAME: HAX (Hangar Athletic Xchange)
BUSINESS CONTACT: Jeff Herdman
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.haxla.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Entrepreneur of a Distinguished Biz for Kids
Jeff Herdman, owner of HAX, jokingly says that he is still trying to figure out what he wants to be when he grows up. “It was always my dream to be a professional basketball player,” he said.
While he didn’t get to see that dream come into fruition, Herdman has come a long way from his first job as an independent sales rep for Starter Sportswear.
He was inspired to start HAX out of his passion for sports and the need for a sports training center. HAX, a facility that trains clients from kids to professional athletes year-round, focuses on the client’s specific sport and provides coaches and trainers who are educated in that particular sport. “There are similar facilities to this around the country, but nothing like this on the west coast,” Herdman said. “What makes us different from other training facilities is our staff, coaches and programs, which include our basketball academy, travel teams and our partnership with club-volleyball.”
Herdman said as an entrepreneur he has been taking risks his entire life. “I’m not sure if one was greater than the other but in addition to HAX I also started a company called Magic32 which is a signature line of footwear and apparel by Magic Johnson.”
What inspires Herdman to take his risks are his daughters, Haley and Skylar. “My family has always supported me, and my greatest reward by far in my life has been my two daughters, there is no success equal to having them.”
BUSINESS NAME: Herald Publications/El Segundo Herald/
Manhattan Beach Sun
BUSINESS CONTACT: Heidi Maerker
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.heraldpublications.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Entrepreneur; Lifetime Achievement
Unlike the many newspapers that have folded in the current recession, Herald Publications’ five newspapers have stayed healthy. CEO Heidi Maerker says the company has been a success for close to a centurysince the El Segundo Herald debuted in 1911because of her staff’s passion and overall camaraderie. “We are a reflection of the communities we cover,” says Heidi. “Our readers are like a family. We share their life’s milestones with them. For many generations, we have covered residents, families and their communities literally from cradle to grave, the good times and the bad times.”
Herald welcomed the Manhattan Beach Sun into its fold in 2007, and just this year accomplished delivery to that city’s homes, along with over 45 rack locations. Heidi joined the Herald family in 1994 as editor-in-chief, which was a part-time position for a few years. In 1999, the company bought three more newspapersthe Hawthorne Press Tribune, Inglewood News and Lawndale Newsand she went full-time. “I enjoyed the newspaper business and working with the different communities, so over the years I started buying more stock. Today I am CEO and majority shareholder,” says Heidi, who grew up in Palos Verdes and wanted to remain in the South Bay. She credits two mentors for giving her sound advice and support during the past 15 years, corporate attorney Eugene Walsh and former Herald board member Marie Stinnett. Heidi shares an interesting tidbit: Two of the newspapers, the El Segundo Herald and Lawndale News, were established well before the cities they cover were incorporated in 1937 and 1959, respectively. Adds Heidi: “It gives me a great sense of responsibility to these papers and their communities considering their long and storied histories.”
BUSINESS NAME: Hollywood Jump Start
BUSINESS CONTACT: Jill De Forest
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.hollywoodjumpstart.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Entrepreneur of a Distinguished Biz for Kids
“I love work. Work is my hobby,” says Jill DeForest of Hollywood Jump Start and DeForest Search Partners. It is no wonder that Jill’s passion is helping others find their dream jobs. For five years, she has helped area youth become professional actors and models via Hollywood Jump Start, while also running DeForest Search Partners, an executive search firm for the toy and entertainment industry, with such clients as Mattel and Disney. Prior to this, she owned Sawyer and Associates Personnel Services, sold real estate and opened her first business at age 12. “I’m an entrepreneur. I’ve started several successful businesses,” says Jill, who launched Hollywood Jump Start five years ago.
As the mother of three professional actors, she learned firsthand what it takes to open doors in Hollywood. As a South Bay native, she could understand what a challenge it is for parents to regularly travel to Hollywood. “My workshops are about bringing professional Westside training to the South Bay. It’s the same training offered in the city, but we give much more personalized attention,” Jill says.
HJS debuted as a one-stop workshop yet quickly grew into ongoing classes and camps. “Just by popular demand, I realized I needed to put together a much more comprehensive program,” she recalls. “Parents really preferred that I just take over and do it for them: get work permits, do their children’s head shots and resumes, help them to learn a monologue and perfect itjust basic acting and audition skills.” When Jill offered a one-week summer camp, where budding actors could meet agents and perform monologues, 30% of her students got callbacks and agency representation.
Jill says this past summer was her best ever, with every camp full and some overflowing, forcing her to double her space and her staff. “I have no other competition that does everything I do,” she says. “I’ve evolved into a year-round acting and modeling school: I opened that in September.” The greatest reward, adds Jill, is seeing how thrilled the parents are when their children reach a level they never imagined, from acquiring an agent to commercial and sitcom roles, to music video appearances and print advertisements for models.
BUSINESS NAME: Interlyne Inc./Yourjobstop.com
BUSINESS CONTACT: Jon Stocco & Joanaa Lord
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.yourjobstop.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business
For the last year, Jon Stocco has been making it easier for people to find jobs using the Internet. He hasn’t used a magic wand, just the know-how he and business partner Joanaa Lord developed during their stint working for a tech company. When that company was sold, they took it as a sign that they should go out on their own. Interlyne Inc. was born soon after. The company’s website allows job seekers to use a central location—yourjobstop.com—to search all of the major job databases, giving the broadest reach to the largest number of jobs possible. Stocco says that a broad range of people helped him and Lord develop the business.
A transplant from Colorado, Stocco fell in love with the South Bay when he relocated here to work for his former employer. And he has no intention of moving anywhere else. “That would be a step backwards,” he said. And Stocco is just looking forward now. In the future, he expects to continue building the site and broadening out to other industries and taking advantage of opportunities as they present themselves.
BUSINESS NAME: JibJab Media, Inc.
BUSINESS CONTACT: Evan & Gregg Spiridellis, Co-founders
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.sendables.jibjab.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Entrepreneur
A deft combination of creative talent and technical know-how make Gregg and Evan Spiridellis stand out in the vast sea of Internet entertainment media. The brothers have been making web surfers laugh since the ancient (in terms of the Internet) days of 1998. They started their company, JibJab Media Inc., with their own money—the first big risk (although, Gregg says, in the land of the Internet, every day is a risk) they ever took. The second was when they went to outside investors for additional funds to take JibJab to the next level.
But an entrepreneurial spirit has imbued the brothers’ lives from the get-go. Both of their parents, mom Lenore Katz and dad Nick Spiridellis, were entrepreneurs in their own right. While Gregg and Evan spent most of their youth having fun and being kids, they did pursue interests that prefigured their eventual career path—Evan was always doing something artistic and Gregg was always tinkering with a computer; though in those days, no one realized that the two pursuits were a hand-in-glove fit. The brothers chose to originally headquarter JibJab in Manhattan Beach (the company has since moved to Venice) when they first moved from Brooklyn, New York, because it seemed like “a great place to live and work,” said Gregg.
BUSINESS NAME: Jimmy Miller Foundation
BUSINESS CONTACT: Jeff Miller
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.jimmymillerfoundation.org
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Distinguished Philanthropic Event- FINALIST
Jimmy Miller is a name well-known in the South Bay. During his short 35 years, the lifeguard and surfing instructor touched a lot of people, transmitting his passion for surfing to thousands of people. His passion and the lesson of his life—which ended in suicide after a severe bout of depression—are now being used to create a legacy of healing. The Jimmy Miller Foundation uses surfing and the ocean to help those with physical and mental injuries recover. The program helps kids and adults to overcome the trauma of their injuries. Most recently the program has been expanded and is helping injured Marines at Fort Pendleton. Jeff Miller, president of the foundation and Jimmy Miller’s brother, says that the program has been so successful there that it will now be integrated into the official therapeutic program offered to the Marines coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. The healing effects of the ocean are most evident for these wounded warriors, says Miller. He recounts how one Marine told him that he hadn’t slept for more than three hours since returning from his deployment. After one day of surfing, he slept a peaceful eight hours.
Of course the biggest asset that the Jimmy Miller Foundation has is its volunteers. Jeff Miller credits the foundation’s “amazing” board of directors with making the venture a success. The foundation holds a yearly fund-raiser at Sangria restaurant—which is owned by Kevin Barry, a lifeguard and friend of Jimmy Miller’s. The group also supports other fundraisers and local causes. The rewards that Jeff Miller has derived from the foundation have been immediate. He says that one of his favorite things to do is to push a kid or an adult into a wave on a surfboard for the first time. He also loves listening to participants talk about their first surfing experiences. Most of all he values how the foundation has helped him, his family, and his brother’s friends heal themselves. Apart from the community support, Jeff says that there have been numerous unexpected rewards—Jimmy’s old college roommate reconnecting with the family thanks to the foundation, the crayon drawing from the 9-year-old kid thanking the volunteers for their efforts, and the PhD candidate who wants to complete a dissertation in occupational therapy focusing on the foundation’s therapeutic work.
BUSINESS NAME: KKC Development, Inc.
BUSINESS CONTACT: Kim Komick
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Real Estate Entrepreneur- FINALIST
Kim Komick, owner of KKC Development, Inc., a construction company in Manhattan Beach, has lived in the Beach Cities her entire life; therefore, she has an understanding of the needs of the residents in the community. KKC coordinates with both the residents and city staff and takes care of the neighbors so when someone moves into their new house they don’t alienate everybody with their new construction.
KKC has been in business since 1991. Komick was inspired to work in real estate because she grew up in this business with her father and her first job out of college was as a loan broker for a small firm.
Komick’s greatest professional risk was when she started in this business as young woman and became the first female contractor in town. Her greatest reward has been building the downtown Manhattan Beach commercial buildings where Old Venice and El Sombrero are housed. She said it was fun to be able to build something that is going to last a long time in her hometown.
To weather these hard economic times, KKC has a lot of work already lined up, and the company receives recommendations from within the community. With a healthy balance between custom and speck construction, KKC has experienced no downturn in business.
BUSINESS NAME: L5 Real Estate Investments
BUSINESS CONTACT: Mike Flaherty
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Real Estate Entrepreneur
Mike Flaherty, owner of L5 Real Estate Investments, has been in business 10 months. With a civil engineering degree, his first job was as project manager of Bohler Engineering, a real estate development and engineering firm located in Philadelphia. From a challenging economic standpoint, providing investors with predictable returns in unpredictable times is key. Now is the time to go back to the basics of cash flow. Flaherty is a big fan of what Warren Buffet has done in buying cash-flowing businesses and he believes there is no better time to buy secure, stable cash-flowing real estate opportunities than right now.
Flaherty’s grandfather, who was a builder in the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland, inspired him to go into real estate. Flaherty previously worked New York City where he managed real estate development for British Petroleum, a skill especially in demand when BP bought Arco Oil. Eight years ago he was relocated to the South Bay. Flaherty believes that despite the state of the economy, it’s a fantastic time to buy discounted value opportunities with a long-term upside in emerging markets where there is job and demographic growth. The real estate market can’t get much worse than it is right now so by purchasing these properties that generate cash flow for the company’s investors, opportunities are created for L5 and its partners, Flaherty said.
BUSINESS NAME: Life Impressions/Artlight
BUSINESS CONTACT: Roger Carillo
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business
Having a cherished memento of one’s child —a lock of hair, a photograph, a bronzed baby shoe—is not an unusual wish. But Roger Carrillo has taken this desire one step further, creating lasting, unique pieces of illuminated glass art containing impressions of children’s handprints and pets’ paw prints. It was his own desire to create a memory of his first child that led him to invent and patent a form of cast glass and to start Life Impressions in the summer of 2007. His thriving business has given him a nationwide reach. The finished works of art have a kind of three-dimensional reality lacking in a traditional hand print. Every piece is illuminated, which is another of Carrillo’s signature techniques.
A network engineer by trade, Carrillo has always been an entrepreneur. His parents ran their own businesses and Carrillo put himself through college by running his own catering firm. He settled in Hermosa Beach from Houston about 15 years ago, and says he opened his business here for a simple reason—he likes the area. In addition to his artistic business, he has several rental properties as well. Carrillo’s artistic creations aren’t confined only to hand and paw impressions. He creates everything from awards to public displays to public art. He sees his legacy in his artwork, hoping that in 20 years he has a body of work that is publicly displayed and enjoyed by the public at large.
BUSINESS NAME: Life Revolution
BUSINESS CONTACT: Clark Souers
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.liferevolution.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Entrepreneur; Entrepreneur of a Distinguished Biz for Kids
There are a lot of pressures in today’s world, and kids seem to be bearing an even greater share of them. That’s what Clark Souers found during his years volunteering with kids’ organizations, so he decided to take his skills in life coaching and help children and college students learn how to beat the stress of 21st century life. He does this with a range of cutting-edge multimedia techniques including flash media. The result is an entertaining approach that engages and entertains at the same time.
Souers decided to start Life Revolution in the South Bay because he observed that the area has a very involved, highly motivated group of kids who also need to learn how to take breaks and balance their lives. Life Revolution was probably the biggest risk that Souers has ever taken, but it’s the direction his life has been going since he was a kid himself, when he dreamed of being a CEO one day. And while he’s living his dream, running his own company, his greatest reward is when he sees the program “making a shift in a kid’s life…and they’re less stressed and more successful,” he said.
BUSINESS NAME: LOOK! OPTOMETRY
BUSINESS CONTACT: Dr. Lester Silverman
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.lestersilvermanod.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Oustanding Entrepreneur
Lester Silverman has been an optometrist for over 20 years and says he hasn’t worked a day in his life. “That’s because I love what I do,” he says. When Silverman opened LOOK! Optometry in Manhattan Beach three and half years ago, he introduced the community to a unique type of optometry business, which blends the classic “country” doctor approach with a state-of-the-art office. The result is a place where people feel comfortable and are completely satisfied with the services they receive and the frames that they buy. And it’s working exactly the way Silverman planned.
He says that he never considered working for others. The idea of working for himself was too appealing. Silverman has had several offices over the years, but coming to Manhattan Beach seemed like a logical step in the evolution of his practice. “Who doesn’t want to be in Manhattan Beach?” he asked rhetorically. And apart from providing needed care in a comfortable space, Silverman has made his mark on the community in other ways. He is involved in numerous civic organizations and serves on the parking commission. He believes this civic involvement goes hand-in-hand with being an optometrist. Silverman sees himself continuing to build his practice over the next few decades and hopes to be an even more integral part of the community.
BUSINESS NAME: Love My Planet Lunches
BUSINESS CONTACT: Sara Magers & Gabriella Twigg
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.lovemyplanetlunches.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Entrepreneur of a Distinguished Biz for Kids- FINALIST
Co-owners of El Segundo-based Love My Planet Lunches Gabriella Twigg and Sara Magers have created the answer to the Ziploc baggie by utilizing recyclable, reusable and completely eco-friendly sandwich bags. Though as a child she wanted to be an English teacher, Twigg said her first job was at a children’s clothing store called The Little Folks Shop. Twigg believes that once she took that first leap to becoming her own boss she became fearless. She got more creative in the things she really wanted to do. Twigg’s mother was also a business owner and, early on in her career, her mother served as her mentor.
With a background in finance, Twigg grew up in El Segundo. Magers was raised in El Porto (North Manhattan Beach). Because these cities are undergoing greening efforts, the South Bay seemed like a natural fit to start their company. Magers’ daughter attends Grandview Elementary School in Manhattan Beach, and they started a green movement in the school that focuses on coming up with an alternative to the use of plastic. The idea in the school was to reduce, reuse, recycle, so instead of bringing throwaway containers to school, students brought Tupperware that they could wash out and bring back home. This was an improvement but it still created a need for plastic, which does not biodegrade. So, the two women came up with a 100 percent cotton material with recycled nylon on the inside that is washable, biodegradable and free of any harmful leads. Twigg believes Love My Planet Lunches is a pioneer in the industry that has honed in on the whole ecological aspect, going from using materials and nylons to using 100 percent cotton and organic materials.
According to Twigg, the company’s greatest risk and reward professionally is one and the same. “Anytime you put yourself out there with an idea you run the risk of it not working out. At the same time, putting out our product, working and making a place for ourselves and having our ideas come to fruition has been our greatest reward.
BUSINESS CONTACT: J.R. Johnson
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.lunch.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business- FINALIST; Outstanding Entrepreneur- FINALIST
When the World Wide Web was founded, it had the potential to connect a broad swath of people across the globe. It hasn’t quite lived up to that promise—instead creating small, global communities centered around single points of interest. J.R. Johnson is trying to change all that. His goal with his new website, Lunch.com—which he describes as Wikipedia meets Yelp—is to present common ground for people across the board. It’s a big a mission, but Johnson is confident that he can show people from these small web communities how similar they are to each other. “I want people to get out of their ‘silos’ and make connections…which will make us more tolerant and compassionate,” he said.
This isn’t the first time that Johnson has helped make connections on the web. After selling his site Virtualtours.com to Expedia, he wanted to do something larger and broader. That led to the April 2009 launch of Lunch.com. Being connected to a community is something that Johnson has known first hand. His family has been in the South Bay since the 1920s; he’s rooted here, so it made sense to open his business here as well. As for the future, he hopes to continue building Lunch.com and remain in the South Bay. “It’d be great if the next Facebook or Twitter came out of what we’re trying to do with Lunch.com,” he said.
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2009 Celebration of Entrepreneurship Nominees - GHIJKL
