2009 Celebration of Entrepreneurship Nominees - MNOPQ
BUSINESS NAME: Made by Meg LLC
BUSINESS CONTACT: Meg Hall
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.meghall.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Young Entrepreneur- FINALIST
Meg Hall admits that her path to culinary entrepreneur has been a zigzag. Starting out as a financial advisor, Hall found that this path—although lucrative—wasn’t her passion. So, while advising clients during the day, she began cooking school at night. And though it left her “exhausted,” she says, in the long run, it’s been worth it. In the year and a half since she’s opened Made by Meg LLC, she has tasted success on all fronts—her catering business has flourished, attracting high-end clients, and she’s had the spotlight shone on her with high-profile public appearances. The reason for her success is simple. “If you’re passionate about something, nothing stands in your way,” she says.
Hall adds that the support of her family and friends and the help she’s received from celebrity and well-regarded chefs as another of the factors for her almost immediate success. She also credits the business skills she honed during her finance career as another ingredient in her recipe for success. Made by Meg stands out from other catering/personal chef companies in that it doesn’t rely on pre-set menus, but instead offers clients individualized menus from scratch that pair every entrée, side dish, wine and dessert to please the palate of the client. Hall says that she may have numerous conversations with a client before finding that perfect menu. But this is just the start for Hall. She envisions herself at the head of a suite of businesses—restaurants, retail outlets, a catering company, and even a television program—that will transmit her passion to the world at large. The hub of her empire has been set in the South Bay because, Hall says, she loves her hometown and didn’t want to leave it to pursue her business.
BUSINESS NAME: Manhattan Beach Country Club for
Manhattan Beach Education Foundation
BUSINESS CONTACT: Sara Nielson & Keith Brackpool
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.manhattancc.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Distinguished Philanthropic Event
Sara Nielson, managing director with the Manhattan Beach Country Club, coordinates the annual wine auction for the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation, which has been held for the past 12 years. It’s a 1,400-person event where they have been able to raise $500,000 for the Manhattan Beach school system. The Country Club’s venue meets the needs of the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation and their cause is specific to the Country Club’s business, which is family-oriented where members have several children enrolled in the local school system. Therefore, the collaboration made sense for the Manhattan Beach Country Club in terms of being a donating sponsor. Public funding for the school systems has dried up and to continue offering unique programs for the children private money has to be raised.
The Manhattan Beach Country Club’s greatest reward has been watching this event grow and witnessing the tangible impact it has had on the local school system. Their efforts expose them to people in the community who otherwise wouldn’t have known they were here and, as a result, some of them become members of the club.
Keith Brackpool, owner of the club, started another foundation several years ago that focuses on education and youth. The Manhattan Beach Country Club also hosts the Calcutta event for the Manhattan Beach Country Club Youth Committee.
BUSINESS NAME: Manhattan Beach Education Foundation
Annual Wine Event
BUSINESS CONTACT: Adam Goldston
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.mbef.org
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Distinguished Philanthropic Event
Adam Goldston is this year’s Chair for the Wine Auction, working in conjunction with the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation. The Manhattan Beach Education Foundation was launched 26 years ago by a group of parents to enhance art and music in the city’s public schools. Over the past 26 years, the situation has worsened, especially in the budgetary process. Erika White, who has an MBA and past experience working for a public not-for-profit finance company, is now president of the organization and helps raise money to help pay for critical programs for the district. The Foundation now represents 8 percent of the school district’s total budget. White decided to take on this project because of the need for great schools for her own children and the entire community. There are a lot of amazing people who volunteer their time for the organization and they have helped inspire her.
The Foundation is needed because there are so many advancements in education and luckily the community is supportive and can afford to help supplement state resources.
This year the Foundation has saved 84 positions in the local school district and if they didn’t raise that money, there would be 84 fewer teachers. Through her efforts, White has come to know several amazing people in the community, including parents, teachers and staff who have helped her to learn many things she never would have learned otherwise.
BUSINESS NAME: Manhattan Bread & Bagel
BUSINESS CONTACT: Michael Keegan
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.manhattanbread.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Entrepreneur- FINALIST
Manhattan Bread & Bagel is going into its 18th year in business. Owner Michael Keegan, who came from Chicago and took his first job in 1986 in commercial real estate, said he couldn’t find a good bagel in the South Bay so he decided to open his own store. Living in Hermosa Beach, Keegan loved the Beach Cities and looked into the Sepulveda/PCH corridor for a retail bakery location. Manhattan Bread & Bagel is one of the last stores to make all its products from scratch on premises from all-natural ingredients, he said. Offering a unique product that can’t be found in the grocery store, everything is done the old-fashioned way-by hand. Opening up multiple stores has been Keegan’s greatest professional risk. He ended up selling three stores in 1999 and currently has just one location in Manhattan Beach.
BUSINESS NAME: Manhattan Highlands
BUSINESS CONTACT: Ken Ziegler
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Real Estate Entrepreneur; Outstanding Entrepreneur
Ken Ziegler of Manhattan Highlands has owned and managed residential and commercial properties in the South Bay for the past 20 years, with ten properties sprinkled throughout Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Hermosa Beach and Torrance.
Ziegler has lived in the South Bay all of his life and his first job as a young man was canceling out stamp books for S&H Green Stamps. Ziegler ultimately found himself desiring a job where he could be hands-on and began investing his money in various real estate properties that he could manage and take care of. He credits Don Servio at Remax for helping guide him in locating and purchasing profitable properties.
Ziegler feels that by exclusively management of his own properties allows him to devote his time fully to taking care of tenants’ needs.
BUSINESS NAME: Matt Morris Development
BUSINESS CONTACT: Matt Morris
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.mattmorrisdevelopment.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Real Estate Entrepreneur- FINALIST;
Outstanding Entrepreneur- FINALIST
Real estate development is in Matt Morris’ blood. As a junior high student, he dreamed of being a developer someday; urged on, in part, by watching his dad change the skyline of Dallas, Texas. The younger Morris, however, was interested in residential properties. After a short stint at a residential developer in Dallas, Morris headed to California to work with his brother, a builder. Morris soon decided to take the biggest risk of his life, and, at 23, struck out on his own with no money and few contacts. Luckily, he found a couple of investors who believed in him, and the rest is history. Today, Morris specializes in high-end custom homes, which are as individual as their owners, working closely with his clients, often making tweaks that improve the living spaces and the long-term values of the homes.
Morris’ success has fueled his drive to succeed, but he has been careful not to overreach. He says that he has weathered the real estate downturn with little difficulty—abandoning the spec market entirely for the custom one. He also was careful not to over-leverage his assets, sticking to a conservative path. Morris loves working and living in the South Bay; most of his projects are within walking distance from his home and office. “I love the lifestyle, the people, the clientele,” he said.
BUSINESS NAME: Melting Pot Food Tours
BUSINESS CONTACT: Lisa & Diane Scalia
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.meltingpottours.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business
The downturn in the real estate market may have ended Lisa Scalia’s appraising career, but it led her to do “what she was meant to do,” she said. Along with her sister Diane, Scalia opened Melting Pot Food Tours in July 2008. A combination city tour and moveable feast, the business combines Scalia’s two passions—food and travel—while trading on her knowledge of the geography of Los Angeles’ many interesting neighborhoods.
Melting Pot provides more than the traditional bus tour. Scalia’s clients don’t sit on a bus watching the scenery streak by—instead they walk the neighborhoods, stopping along the way to sample the local cuisine. The tours are small enough that Scalia is able to interact directly with her clients, making them feel that they’re having a one-on-one experience, feeding off her passion for the L.A. or Pasadena locale and, of course, the food. Surprisingly, Scalia’s business is one-of-kind in the L.A. market, though food tours are well-established in places like Boston and New York—both sites of Scalia’s initial research. This intimate, culinary approach to seeing Los Angeles and, more recently, Pasadena has paid off. Melting Pot Food Tours is regularly listed as either the number one or number two attraction on Trip Advisor. Scalia may be transmitting her passion about L.A.—but her heart (and her home) belongs in Manhattan Beach. As for the future, she hopes to be doing this for at least the next 20 years and to eventually be as popular as Starline tours, and be the first thing that people do when they arrive in Los Angeles.
BUSINESS NAME: Memphis at the Beach
BUSINESS CONTACT: Kevin Barry
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.memphiscafe.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business
The biggest risk that Kevin Barry ever took in his life was his newest venture—Memphis at the Beach. This, says the experienced entrepreneur and restaurateur, has everything to do with timing—starting a business in one of the worst economies in decades. Opening a restaurant in a down economy would have scared more conservative business owners off. But Barry’s the kind of person who acts when he sees an opportunity. After selling one business, he and a new set of business partners were looking for a new opportunity. They found a space—the old post office in Manhattan Beach—completely renovated it into a cool, modern 21st century space and Memphis at the Beach was born. The restaurant joins two other successful siblings in Orange County that cater specifically to classic comfort food—burgers, meatloaf, fried chicken, fish, etc.—all with a California twist.
Barry owns other businesses in the South Bay and says that he chose Manhattan Beach for his newest venture specifically because he loves the vibe. “It’s like a small town,” he said. He hopes to build Memphis at the Beach into the same sort of integral gathering point as his other restaurants—like Sangria—being the site of fund-raisers and other community events.
BUSINESS NAME: MHB Financial Group
BUSINESS CONTACT: Steve Bloch
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.mhbfinancial.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business
Steve Bloch, managing partner, started MHB Financial Group in 2005 in the South Bay because he wanted to work closer to home so he could spend more time with his family. After graduating from law school, he worked in the international tax department at Deloitte & Touche, where Shel Richman, a partner with the company, helped mentor him.
MHB Financial Group’s unique model is that Bloch serve as his clients’ personal CFO and coordinates all their other advisers to make sure everyone’s operating on the same page financially. His clients, who are business owners, are trying to run their businesses and they don’t have time to coordinate all the different financial professionals. So he takes the model for his business and applies it to his personal life. What separates MHB Financial Group from others in the industry is twofold; first, Bloch don’t think anyone’s taken his model—the family office model—to the smaller business person. The second is his background as both a tax attorney and certified financial planner. There’s no one else who coordinates the estate planning, investments and insurance, which makes the company unique in that respect. Bloch is in this business for the long haul because client relationships are not one-year deals. It’s a 15-20-year relationship because he works with them now to help them get to their retirement years.
BUSINESS NAME: Montessori School of Manhattan Beach
BUSINESS CONTACT: Judy Ernst
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.montessorimbrpv.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Entrepreneur of a Distinguished Biz for Kids- FINALIST;
Outstanding Entrepreneur
When Judy Ernst had twin boys back in the sixties, she could not find the right preschool so she simply decided to start her own. The UCLA graduate returned to school and obtained her Montessori diploma in 1968. She opened the Montessori School of Manhattan Beach with 15 students, and now her three schools have nearly 600 students. She says she filled a gap in her community because back then the only other Montessori school was located in Westchester. As for her own success, she is quick to credit her staff and her high teacher retention rate. “I believe any method of education is really only as good as its teacher. Our longevity of staff is very unusual; it’s not uncommon for them to be with me 15 to 20 yearsI’ve had one for 30. Our teachers are excellent,” Judy says. In an effort to open her schools’ doors even wider, she established the Montessori Foundation of Education four years ago to offer financial aid programs. She also sponsors preschool teachers who come into her schools to improve their education with UC Irvine Montessori Training.
Judy is grateful to her father, a business owner himself, for encouraging her to take a gamble and fulfill her dreams. “He showed me that I could do it, and he was always there for me,” she says. A huge proponent of the Montessori method, Judy has helped children gain mastery, self-confidence and independence for 40 years. “It’s a wonderful method of education. The children are active learners and use Montessori materials that are unique in self-teaching,” Ernst continues. “I taught for 20 years, and it’s very fulfilling but a tremendous amount of work. We’re at the point now where former students are bringing in their children to enroll, and that’s just a wonderful feeling.”
BUSINESS NAME: Moon Tide Media
BUSINESS CONTACT: Todd Klawin
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.moontidemedia.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Entrepreneur
Todd Klawin just might be a jack of all trades. The owner of Moon Tide Media in Hermosa Beach, Todd has worked 40 hours a week since high school, and previous jobs include bagging groceries, parking cars, building docks, hanging drywall, delivering furniture, caring for a squirrel monkey colony and working as a lifeguard and white-water raft guide. On top of that, Todd has experience in public relations, advertising and software. He started a venture-funded software business in 1999, but the long hours and frequent traveling spurred him to launch a whole new businessMoon Tide Media, a multi-channel media and marketing company with two publications under the banner of Luxury Life & Style. “When I was ready to start my next business, I wanted something that had the potential to scale up in an exciting way, but that would allow me to spend my time closer to home and with my family,” Todd says.
He understood the media business from past work experience and saw a market opportunity in creating a network of world-class lifestyle magazines and web sites for micro-regional areas like the South Bay. “Our goal is to create a family of these magazines and web sites all across the country, each serving an exceptional community. We launched our South Bay edition three years ago and our Westside edition just over a year ago,” Todd says.
Moon Tide achieved profitability in its first year and has managed to stay the course in 2009. “Despite the economic headwinds, we had a very productive year. We launched a second magazine, bought a competitor that has been in business for 18 years and maintained our profitability,” he adds, noting that such success is contrary to how media businesses have performed recently. Moon Tide Media also offers a full suite of creative, consulting and custom publishing services and is actively involved philanthropically in the communities it serves.
BUSINESS NAME: Music Rhapsody
BUSINESS CONTACT: Lynn Kleiner
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.musicrhapsody.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Entrepreneur of a Distinguished Biz for Kids
When strapped school districts started cutting music programs in the 1980s, music teacher Lynn Kleiner took a problem and turned it into an opportunity. She combined her three passionsmusic, teaching and childrenand has been making beautiful music with South Bay children since. Music Rhapsody remains unique, Lynn explains, because of its foundation in music education. She and her staff use the Orff teaching method, which is based on things children like to do, such as sing, chant rhymes, dance and play instruments, to develop creativity and imagination. The Orff melody instruments include xylophones, recorders and percussion instruments. “Ours is the only music studio based on this philosophy, which I believe is the only way to go,” Lynn says.
While the need for quality music education motivated her to open Music Rhapsody, it was her clients’ encouragement that motivated her to expand. Now she has studios in Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Santa Monica and brings her program into over 20 preschool and elementary schools. “I think what inspires me most is the children. When they aren’t getting high-quality music education, it’s important to offer it elsewhere,” says Lynn. “Music is the only activity children do that uses the entire brain, so there’s much more recognition now from educational groups.” Speaking of which, the National Parenting Association recently recognized Music Rhapsody for its new book and CD set, “Farm Songs.” Prior to this, “Songs of the Sea” was honored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and this month Lynn is speaking at the NAEYC conference in Washington, D.C. She travels here and abroad to lead music-instruction workshops for teachers, librarians and caregivers, spreading the fun, game-like techniques utilized in her camps and classes, a modern-day Pied Piper.
BUSINESS NAME: Mychal's Learning Place/Feed Your Face Luncheon/
Bowl-a-thon
BUSINESS CONTACT: Ed Lynch
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.mychals.org/site.php
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Entrepreneur of a Distinguished Biz for Kids;
Distinguished Philanthropic Event- FINALIST
Children are sometimes the best teachers, as Ed Lynch discovered with daughter Mychal. At the age of two, Mychal was diagnosed with a neurological disorder and given just two more years to live, yet she lived five and half more years. This journey opened Ed’s eyes to the lack of services and resources for parents of children with developmental disabilities motivating him to tackle this problem. “I don’t think I’d be in this line of work if it were not for Mychal,” he says. Ed opened Mychal’s Learning Place in 2002, providing a unique after-school program to youth with physical and developmental disabilities, including autism, Down and Tourette’s syndromes. His goal is to provide them with the same activities, and responsibilities, as typically developing children. Mychal’s After-school Program (MAP) offers karate, music, dance, sports, bowling and life skills training to build independence and self-esteem.
The new weekend program, Mychal’s Independent Living Experience (MILE), teaches young adults not only how to care for themselves but also how to contribute to society. Many students are employed and can travel independently by bus or train. “We’re doing those activities to give them the skills they need to be independent. I expect a lot from everyone, and I believe the bar needs to be raised,” says Ed, who teaches his can-do approach not only to students but also to parents and staff. “I believe that our kids can. They can do anything they want to do, of course, with some restrictions and limitations,” he continues. “I can’t is not an option.”
While Westside Regional Center provides most of his funding, Ed is grateful for community support. He thanks St. Joseph’s Church in Hawthorne and L.A. Goal in Culver City for providing space for MAP and MILE, respectively. He also thanks his board of directors; local companies, such as CVS Pharmacy, Mattel, Northrop Grumman and Union Bank; and the Weingart Foundation, Green Foundation and John Gogian Family Foundation. Marmalade Café in El Segundo has also held dinners in support of the MILE program. Next May the Manhattan Beach Marriott will host the seventh annual “Feed Your Face” luncheon. “This past year our attendance was down because of the economy, but we raised more money, which was great,” says Ed, who is seeking corporate sponsors for 2010 and donations for the silent auction (please visit http://www.mychals.org).
BUSINESS NAME: Natural Simplicity
BUSINESS CONTACT: Marisa Scarda & Mario Sandoval
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.naturalns.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business- WINNER; Outstanding Entrepreneur
Recently named “Best of the Best Flower Shop” by the El Segundo Herald, Natural Simplicity opened its doors in downtown El Segundo in April 2008, winning rave reviews for its simple yet sophisticated floral arrangements. Floral designer Mario Sandoval worked out of his home for 12 years before partnering with longtime friend and former Realtor Marisa Scarda, slowly building his reputation. With his artistry and Marisa’s marketing savvy, Natural Simplicity has flourished the past two years, despite the economic downturn. Marisa is quick to attribute this success to their personalized service and Mario’s creativity. “He puts a lot into it. He lets his imagination go wild,” Marisa says. “Each arrangement design is created with your dreams in mind.”
When the El Segundo Chamber of Commerce named Natural Simplicity 2008 Merchant of the Year after just eight months of business, both she and Mario were surprised and honored. Natural Simplicity supplies fresh flowers to local businesses, such as Second City Bistro and Flemings in El Segundo, and out-of-state clients as far away as New York and Pennsylvania. “No matter where you are located, you will be treated like family, says Marisa. “We add a personal touch. When you call, you will reach one of us.” Both she and Mario enjoy giving back to their community by donating beautiful arrangements to local churches and schools.
Resilience has characterized 2009, their second year in business. “We started when the economy was bad and we’re very lucky: It hasn’t affected us. Everyone is still sending flowers, people are still getting married, corporations are still holding events,” Marisa says, adding that their excellent customer service, reasonable prices and originality ensure their continued growth.
BUSINESS NAME: Old Venice Restaurant
BUSINESS CONTACT: Julie Hantzarides
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.oldveniceonline.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Lifetime Achievement- FINALIST
In 2006, Old Venice in downtown Manhattan Beach burned to the ground. The restaurant, which serves up authentic Greek and Italian cuisine, reopened August 10, 2009. Owners Julie Hantzarides and her son and daughter successfully brought the restaurant back with 75 percent of its original staff, thanks to the support of the community.
Hantzarides has been involved in the restaurant industry in various capacities throughout most of her life. Early on, she knew she wanted her own business, but she was more interested in fashion and retail. It wasn’t until she met her husband, Jimmy—who served as her inspiration for opening the restaurant—when she decided on the hospitality industry. It was his aspiration in coming to California from New York to open a restaurant at the beach, so in 1984, they opened Old Venice. In the beginning, the couple was so young they couldn’t have foreseen the success they would soon experience.
Professionally, the greatest risk has been putting every penny of their life and family savings into the restaurant, but the reward is multi-fold between the relationships the family has formed with their customers and employees. Jimmy Hantzarides, who passed away July 4, 2008, always had Three P’s that he would live by—have passion, patience and perseverance for whatever it is you are doing and you will succeed.
BUSINESS NAME: One Hope Wine
BUSINESS CONTACT: Jake Kloberdanz
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.onehopewine.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Distinguished Philanthropic Event
Jake Kloberdanz wakes up every day on a mission. The founder of One Hope Wine has taken his knowledge of sales and marketing and combined it with a passion for doing good. The company has made giving back its priority with 50% of all of its profits going to support a number of charities (depending on the type of wine a customer buys) from breast cancer (chardonnay) to AIDS (merlot) to autism (cabernet sauvignon) to U.S. troops (zinfandel) to the environment (sauvignon blanc). Kloberdanz developed his concept of branded, year-round charity after a girlfriend was diagnosed with cancer. And it’s already making an impact. In the first two years that the company has been in business, it has already raised $250,000 in funds for the charities that Kloberdanz has partnered with. He expects to raise millions more, and to make hope itself a cause as one challenge is overcome and a new one is confronted by people across the world.
Kloberdanz says that his mother, Jane Rosen, an entrepreneur in her own right, has been a big influence on him as have the other founding members of One Hope Wine, all former colleagues from his days with Gallo Wines. Inspiration is a big part of Kloberdanz’s life now, and that’s been the biggest reward that he’s derived from One Hope Wine. In fact, he says that there are nights he finds it hard to fall asleep because of his excitement about the work the company is doing. The biggest unexpected gain he’s gotten is education about all of the causes One Hope Wine supports. Because of the work the company has done, Kloberdanz has been able to rub elbows with the famous and the unsung—and it is these behind-the-scenes heroes and organizations no one has heard about (yet) that gives him hope. “They’re doing amazing stuff,” he said.
BUSINESS NAME: P.S. I Love You “Day at the Beach”
BUSINESS CONTACT: Patricia Jones
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.psiloveyoufoundation.org
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Distinguished Philanthropic Event
Patricia Jones is founder of the non-profit P.S. I Love You Foundation located in Redondo Beach, which has been in business since 1998. Helping between 600 and 1,000 kids every year, P.S. I Love You Foundation’s mission is dedicated to nurturing at-risk children through 12-week after-school educational and inspirational enrichment programs. The Foundation hosts a day at the beach adopt-a-child program every year where 250 kids from the inner city are brought to the ocean and adopted for the day. A gift-giving program through the Manhattan Beach Downtown Business Association organizes gift bags for families and at-risk children living in shelters. The Foundation also offers a mentoring program.
Jones’ mother used to write “P.S. I love you” on her lunch bag when she was growing up and it always made her feel secure and loved. She has a degree in physiology and her first job out of college was at General Electric in Connecticut. About 15 years ago, she met a vibrant elderly woman named Millie Taylor who cleaned instruments in a hospital where she worked and one day she went to say hi to Taylor but she wasn’t there. It turned out her daughter and granddaughter went to jail and left behind five children ages 1, 2, 3, 10 and 12. Family was important to Taylor and if she didn’t quit her job to take care of the children they would have been separated and put into foster care. After working 35 years at the hospital, nobody would help Taylor, so Jones got her friends involved and started bringing them groceries, taking the kids for the weekend and helping her pay for rent. “After about three months, I realized if she can do something this grand with her life what am I doing with my life?” Jones said. “That was when I decided to start finding at-risk and abused children that get lost in the shuffle and helping them find good people who will care for them and bring them hope.”
Jones believes everybody wants to do something good; they just don’t know how. “If people adopt a child for just one day, they would be helping that child,” she said. “A donation of $25 helps a child go through the Foundation’s 12-week program.” The Foundation has created a vehicle for people to come together as a community and distribute the Foundation’s fun and energy.
BUSINESS NAME: Pacific Unified Insurance
BUSINESS CONTACT: David Leahy, President
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.pacificunified.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Oustanding Entrepreneur; Lifetime Achievement
Pacific Unified Insurance has been a Los Angeles institution since 1922. Since then a lot has changed—the company’s name, technology, and its location (from Hollywood to the South Bay)—but one thing hasn’t—a commitment to serving its customers. David Leahy took over the business from his dad and uncle in the mid-1980s when he relocated to the South Bay from Arizona, where he had been a successful restaurateur and musician. An entrepreneur by temperament, Leahy threw himself into the business—first working for another agency to learn the ropes, then taking classes and joining industry associations and advisory councils to continue his immersion.
Today, Pacific Unified Insurance is a modern, entirely paperless operation. And while technology has made the company more efficient, Leahy credits his staff with much of his success. He says that the best business move he ever made was hiring business partner John Huttinger. “Things really started to click when he came on board,” Leahy said. Even in today’s shaky financial climate, Pacific Unified Insurance has continued to thrive—giving employees raises above the inflation rate when all many companies could offer was continued employment. The company has expanded over the last 12 years by buying eight other agencies. Leahy has always looked ahead, and this includes his decision to move the agency from Hollywood—where it once insured movie directors like John Ford and actors like Gene Autry—to Manhattan Beach, because it had a “future.” Leahy has served the community in other ways as well, including as a vice president of the South Bay Children’s Health Center.
BUSINESS NAME: Paciugo Gelato Café
BUSINESS CONTACT: Brittny Tacker & Monien Ibarra
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.paciugo.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business; Outstanding Entrepreneur
Italy has been the home of inspiration for centuries. So it’s no surprise that it cast its allure on Brittny Tacker. It was during a trip to the Italian peninsula with her mom and the sampling of the unique Italian frozen treat gelato that determined the trajectory of Tacker’s business career. “I told my mom, we should open a store that sells this,” she says. Several years after that sojourn, Tacker and her mother, Monien Ibarra, introduced the South Bay to gelato by opening Paciugo Gelato Caffe. Tacker says that opening Paciugo in the South Bay made sense. Her mom has called Redondo Beach home since 2001, and Tacker likes the small town vibe in the South Bay. While not the only frozen treat establishment in town, Paciugo stands out, Tacker says, because gelato is a healthy alternative to ice cream and other frozen treats. Her product is made daily and includes a wide variety of exotic taste temptations (more than 200, in fact). She also notes that it’s not only the flavors, but the experience customers have with her product that makes Paciugo stand out. “They trust us and they have trust in our product,” she says. She recently showed her appreciation for her clientele by offering free gelato during Paciugo’s first anniversary celebration.
In the year and half she has been in business, Tacker has made Paciugo a mainstay of the community, giving back by providing product to the local PTO and participating in charity events and fund-raisers throughout the South Bay. Tacker is a regular at the weekly farmer’s market—introducing shoppers to gelato and making lasting connections. These lasting connections are becoming evident to Tacker every day. She often meets customers while she’s running errands or out for a morning run. They greet her by name like an old friend, reinforcing that small town community spirit that attracted her in the first place. She likes to think that her customers see Paciugo as a kind of second home, a place to come and gather. And, looking ahead, she sees herself firmly rooted to the South Bay: building Paciugo, being part of the community, and raising a family with her soon-to-be husband.
BUSINESS NAME: Dr. Janelle Holden, D.D.S a Pediatric Dentist
BUSINESS CONTACT: Dr. Janelle Holden
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Entrepreneur of a Distinguished Biz for Kids- WINNER
Dr. Janelle Holden, DDS specializes in pediatric dentistry, offering a full range of dental services for children in her Manhattan Beach office. She believes that each person’s smile is an important part of who he or she is and aims to preserve those smiles starting from a young age. Recognizing that a trip to the dentist is often an intimidating experience for children, she and her staff have implemented fun ways to encourage kids to have positive associations with taking care of their teeth and mouths.
Her jungle-themed office is intended to put children at ease and boasts private individual rooms for patients, uncommon in pediatric dentistry. Dr. Holden allows parents to be present for all treatments and family members can be treated together in special sibling rooms. She prides herself in being especially attentive to children’s needs. For instance, if a child is having a difficult experience, she takes the time to talk to the child. If the patient is still uncomfortable, she encourages him or her to come back another day. Dr. Holden has known since childhood that she wanted to be a dentist. She attended both U.S.C. dentistry and pediatric schools, during which time she worked as a dental hygienist in Beverly Hills. In 1995, she built her own practice in the South Bay, where she also lives. In 2004, Dr. Holden created and marketed Tanner’s Tasty Paste, a kid’s toothpaste sold in pediatric offices and private pharmacies around the country. Available in vanilla, chocolate, and creamsicle flavors, the idea is to get kids to enjoy brushing their teeth. She has seen great success with the toothpaste, especially among children with special needs. Her greatest reward has been watching her patients grow up and go off to college with beautiful smiles and healthy teeth.
BUSINESS NAME: Pediatric Therapy Network/Depot’s annual Halloween Ball
BUSINESS CONTACT: Debbie Dibiase
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.pediatrictherapynetwork.org
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Distinguished Philanthropic Event
The Depot’s 14th Annual Halloween Ball, supporting the Pediatric Therapy Network, was held on October 18, 2009. More than 700 costumed guests supported this year's fundraiser. The celebrated annual event included dancing to a live band, martini bar, costume contest, live and silent auctions and a gourmet dinner prepared by The Depot’s Chef Michael Shafer. The exciting live auction included an exotic Tahitian vacation, VIP passes to the Rose Bowl parade and game, Los Angeles Lakers Ball Boy/Girl opportunity, one-on-one workout session with Luke Walton of the L.A. Lakers, a high-performance driving experience at the Bondurant School in Arizona and a gourmet beach picnic at Portuguese Bend.
The fundraiser raised money for PTN, which provides services to children with special needs. PTN offers occupational therapy and speech therapy as well as help for parents so that they can better understand how to encourage their children’s progress. PTN services hundreds of children in the South Bay.
BUSINESS NAME: Planet Earth Eco Café
BUSINESS CONTACT: Christina Carano
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business
When Christina Carano opened Planet Earth Eco Café in downtown Hermosa Beach two years ago, she wanted to establish something more than a coffee and tea shop. Her goal was to build a community. The café has quickly become just that: a meeting place where regulars have met and married, found jobs, and invariably find Carano herself behind the counter, ready with a smile and a warm word.
Planet Earth Eco Café is an espresso and tea bar that also serves fresh juices and a menu of Earth-conscious and health-conscious foods. The café features Fair Trade coffees and an array of tasty baked treats, most of which are prepared by local bakers who have become part of the Planet Earth community. Everything sold at the café is organic. This year, the café expanded its offerings to include a menu of “raw food” by a vegan living cuisine chef. Almost all of the produce is purchased locally at farmer’s markets.
Carano was only 25 years old when she started her business. The Michigan native had come to California to study film, but after she found herself working 18-hour days in Hollywood, she longed for work with more meaning. With Planet Earth Eco Café, she was able to share her passion for high quality food, promoting a healthy lifestyle that likewise supports a more eco-friendly and sustainable way of doing business.
Carano found inspiration from her mother, who runs a hair salon in Michigan that is likewise a focal point of community. Her vision is to keep the café open for decades while opening a couple more locations, including one in Hawaii, and to start her own farm. But her more fundamental goal is simply to keep serving food that tastes good and travels lightly upon the planet.
BUSINESS NAME: Precision Tees
BUSINESS CONTACT: Suren Sagadevan
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.precisiontees.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding New Business; Outstanding Entrepreneur
Revolutionary ideas come at the most unexpected times and places. For Suren Sagadevan, it was at the driving range. It was while hitting a bucket of balls that he had an idea for a revolutionary new type of golf tee. That seed of an idea would take more than seven years to germinate. A chance conversation about missed opportunities convinced Sagadevan to take the biggest risk of his career and abandon a steady paycheck and turn his concept into a reality. The result is his company, Precision Tees Inc., and the three-and-half-year-old company is already making its mark in the golfing world. Serendipity has been a theme of this journey. He says that he wasn’t shy about asking friends, colleagues, and acquaintances for help and advice when he was starting out. This netted many unexpected results, including finding a manufacturer in China who could take his plans and turn them into a finished product.
The South Bay is the natural place for Precision Tees’ headquarters. It was at The Lakes driving range in El Segundo that Sagadevan had his moment of inspiration. He had settled in the South Bay several years earlier after finishing school in Santa Barbara precisely because the beach community replicated his the idyllic setting of his cherished school days. “It proved to be a perfect place to live,” he said. While he had once wanted to be a lawyer, Sagadevan’s passion now lies in taking new ideas to market. He says he gets a real thrill seeing his product—which started out as a two-dimensional drawing—sitting on store shelves. He hopes to bring more products from concept to market and help others do the same.
BUSINESS NAME: Purevideo Networks
BUSINESS CONTACT: Greg Morrow
BUSINESS WEBSITE: www.purevideo.com
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Entrepreneur
Purevideo Networks founder Greg Morrow’s career trajectory has been nearly as vertical as the action sports that dominate most of his seven Web sites. He co-founded Musicvideos.com, merged with another company in 1999, went public and then sold it to Yahoo! in 2001. Morrow had a vision to combine his technical expertise with his passion for entertainment and sports to create a next-generation social media experience. If the first Internet wave duplicated the experience of a magazine or television show and the second phase offered broad social experiences, now companies like Purevideo have taken social media sites to the next level. “The term I use is social destination. We’re trying to create a social experience in a very specific context, like around a surfing event. This experience is much richer than just a nice profile picture,” he says. “There was an opportunity and being an entrepreneur, I jumped on it.”
Morrow is proud that GrindTV.com is Yahoo’s official action sports web site. There, users can tune into skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, Motocross and BMX, as well as film, art and style. Other web sites include StupidVideos.com and ringTV.com.
In 2009 Purevideo solidified its dominance by merging with its competitor, Sportnet—a risk that ultimately paid off, according to Morrow, who says Purevideo has the largest action-sports footprint online.
In these tough economic times, he and co-owner Erik Hawkins have stayed the course by being adaptable and finding new revenue sources. For example, they used their technology to build CrashtheSuperbowl.com for Doritos. “The next step is to capitalize on our number-one position to continue to grow our base of advertisers and consumers, to provide value to all of our constituents,” says Morrow, a Manhattan Beach resident who appreciates South Bay living because it feels “like a small town in the big city.”
BUSINESS NAME: PV Realty, LLC
BUSINESS CONTACT: Marc Perez
CATEGORIES NOMINATED: Outstanding Real Estate Entrepreneur
While struggling in this economy, Marc Perez, controller for PV Realty, LLC, believes it’s always easier to bail out, but the company has weathered previous storms as it is doing now and the company will benefit in the long term for it. PV Realty doesn’t have any residential clients; all its business is commercial. Because of the tough market, the company has had to renegotiate some of its lease agreements, but has managed to keep all its properties occupied. Perez is not concerned about the decrease in property values right now because he knows they will come back up. The company plans to hang on to its properties until the time is right to turn them. Perez kick-started his career as an accountant for the BFI trash company. He said he learned more from another previous employer, Ron Valenta at Portosan Company, LLC, than he ever did in school.
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2009 Celebration of Entrepreneurship Nominees - MNOPQ
