To spotlight the achievements of this rarefied slice of the local business community, Long Beach Magazine would like to present profiles of a select group of these individuals and allow them, in their own words, to provide insight into the mind of a business innovator.

Photo courtesy of The ID Agency

In what can only be described as the automobile driving equivalent of freestyle snow or skateboarding, drifting is a high-skill, high-powered motorsport that has drivers controlling a customized 200-600hp car while it slides sideways at high speed through a marked course. Professional drifting is done on a closed course and judged on execution and style rather than who finishes the course fastest.

Taking a center stage at this year’s Long Beach Grand Prix was the kick-off competition of the 12-stop series of the Formula DRIFT 2009 Championship season, featuring more than three dozen professional drifting drivers powersliding their cars through the streets of Downtown Long Beach.

Formula DRIFT, Inc., co-founded by Jim Liaw and Ryan Sage in 2003, has set a goal of becoming the premier drifting championship in the world. Now in its fourth season, Formula DRIFT and its founders have been recognized by numerous national publications for their innovative business, garnering such accolades and awards as Super Street Magazine’s “10 Most Influential Figures” and Los Angeles Magazine’s “Most Influential”.

Where did the inspiration for your business come from?
Ryan: I have a passion for this work, this sport, and the people I work with, so in essence, inspiration and passion are really intertwined.
Jim: Without passion we would not have had the strength to overcome the toughest of times.

A common trait among innovators is a strong sense of realism which often manifests itself in the ability to successfully know when to stop, not just start, projects. How do you balance persisting with an idea vs. pulling the plug?
Ryan: Realism yes, but pragmatism I think is the real word I would use. A clear understanding of all the surroundings of a project and all the potential possibilities, good or bad, is key to moving forward or veering the ship in another direction. In the end, you only lose when you quit, so being a realist or pragmatist sometimes goes right out the window.

How does your original vision differ from how the business turned out?
Jim: I don’t think much differently, though the actual process to get here wasn’t exactly to script. I have always had the vision that drifting can become a legitimate motorsport that is recognized worldwide and can attract fans of all ages. After last season, and putting together the Drifting World Championship, I feel that that was one giant leap in fulfilling my vision for this company.

How do you keep innovation alive in your business day to day?
Ryan: Staying ahead of the curve means being able to predict things you can’t see, but only sense. I’m not sure that can be learned, but generally I read Long Beach Magazine to stay out the cuff. Seriously, one just needs to be taking in as much information and new technology to decipher what the next “big thing” will be.

What advice would you give to someone with what they think may be an innovative business idea?
Ryan: Do your research! Make smart, logical decisions based on the best information you can get, believe in yourself and engulf your body and spirit in what it will feel like to achieve your goal. Live in that feeling from the moment you start and never look back.
Jim: I can only recommend using realism as a foundation and using your passion as your fuel.



Photographed by Scott Smeltzer

Husband and wife entrepreneurs, Marty Cox and Louise Montgomery, founded It’s A Grind Coffee House in 1994. After embarking on a sojourn of research to learn the coffee business, including courses at the Specialty Coffee Association of America and visits to independent coffee houses in California and Seattle, the pair opened their first store the following year in Long Beach.

In the past 15 years, the business has grown from that first store at 5933 E. Spring St., to become a major player in the coffee shop industry. Today the franchise boasts more than 100 stores in 14 states. The company, now known as IAG Coffee Franchise LLC, last year was ranked in the top 500 franchises in the United States by Entrepreneur.com.

The venture has even seeped into the popular culture, with It’s A Grind receiving exposure on the Showtime cable television series Weeds through product placement deals. Featured in the show’s opening credits, It’s A Grind cups are an oft-seen onscreen fixture in the hands of the program’s characters.

What inspired you to open your first It’s A Grind?
Marty: Our inspiration came from our love of coffee and the coffee house experience. Before opening the first It’s A Grind, Louise and I enjoyed spending our mornings at the local neighborhood coffee house with a hot coffee in hand, watching the world go by. The baristas at this particular coffee house were terrific, although the owners were often indifferent or unfriendly.

We had always believed that people deserved to be treated with dignity and respect, and that this was especially true for customers who have a choice as to where to spend their hard-earned money. We knew that if we created an environment that valued customers and treated people nicely, people would come.

How did you inspire others to join in your vision? Do they need to share that vision?
Marty: We are careful to hire and keep only people that have a genuine passion to be of service to others and to help people, and that are philosophically aligned with our core values. Whether we are serving a customer their daily latte or assisting and helping franchisees with their business, our people know they are in a service role. I think this is apparent when people come into contact with our organization, which attracts the right people to us. We would rather inspire through example than try doing something purposefully inspiring.

What steps do you take to keep the spark of innovation alive in your business?
Marty: We not only pay close attention to our competitors, but we watch all of the food service industry to identify trends and to spark new ideas. We often share these ideas with franchisees and employees; and though it may not always be something that is applicable to our business, you never know when one idea will lead to another.

Additionally, we often screen these new ideas through the eyes of our customers and solicit their feedback. Many of these customers are the same people that started visiting us when we built the first It’s A Grind in 1995, and have continued as loyal customers ever since; their opinions are greatly valued.



Photographed by Scott Smeltzer

Since being founded by Caecilia Gotama in 1998, Long Beach-based Gotama Building Engineers have provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing and low voltage engineering design services to clients ranging from Southern California institutions to Emirates in the Middle East.

Located in newly renovated East Village offices set within what was originally a single-family home, Gotama has tackled projects ranging from the historic renovation of the Hollywood Bowl to a Polynesianthemed lobby bar and restaurant for the W Hotel Los Angeles to a 1000-bed hospital for the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health.

What inspiration led you to engineering?
Caecilia: I think I became an engineer mainly in response to my father, who didn’t really think it was a “feminine” thing to do…and I was good at math. I was fifteen when I had to start looking at colleges to attend. That’s a young age to decide what your lifelong career is going to be, but I also wanted to do something that was going against the grain.

How would you define your professional passion?
Caecilia: My passion (and I guess my definition of success) is to always do something ‘better’. So I am always trying to improve our product. I am also very passionate about making a difference — and this business provides a lot of opportunities to make a difference: in peoples’ lives, their experiences, their environment. The projects that we work on are designed three to ten years before someone actually occupies them — I like to look forward and create a ‘better’ experience for them. The design part is the most challenging and satisfying part for me.

When you look to bring someone into GB Engineers, do you look for someone with your own traits?
Caecilia: When I hire, I look for someone whose skills and personality fit within the dynamics of the company and the group of employees that are here. I look for harmony within the staff — where the more compulsive personality might be balanced by the more relaxed person; the more solitary employee by the more outgoing. I try to encourage the staff to put the clients’ priorities first: consider their current and future needs when designing — is there a more costeffective option? What will the long-term maintenance costs be? Is there a more sustainable solution?

How do you balance remaining innovative, which can be a longterm process, with the financial bottom-line of your firm, which is more short-term in nature?
Caecilia: All parts of a business have to be looked at from both longterm and short-term perspective. That’s why it’s imperative to have an established mission in place. It is important to have long-term goals and take on projects that satisfy these goals and your mission, all the while keeping an eye on the balance sheet. You want to be able to survive each day, so you can reach the long-term goals.



Photographed by Scott Smeltzer

For more than three and a half years, Stacia Hanley, along with her mother Nancy, have maintained their passion for the idea of a cupcake bakery in Belmont Shore. Inspired by visits to a cupcake bakery in Vancouver, British Columbia, and the well-known Magnolia Bakery in New York City’s West Village, the pair steeled themselves to the idea that Long Beach was ripe for just such a business.

Frosted Cupcakery has developed a steady stream of fans who adore the shop’s buttercream and cream cheese frostings. Located on Second St. in Belmont Shore, the shop features nearly two dozen unique frosting and filling combinations. In addition, the shop also offers seasonal flavors.

Passion seems to be a common trait among business innovators. How critical has your passion been to the success of the business?
Stacia: When we were starting our business, more often than not, people doubted the concept of our shop. Our passion for our business was the only thing that kept us motivated. Without passion, we could have easily given up when everyone was telling us, “you think you’re going to make it by just selling cupcakes?” We never wavered in our belief that our business would succeed. We’ve been committed to bringing a fun, nostalgic experience to Belmont Shore for the last three and a half years. We have never encountered a time when pulling the plug was a considered option.

Do you look for some of your own traits in those you hire? What might these traits be?
Stacia: Absolutely, we want our team to be as passionate and excited about cupcakes as we are. Attention to detail, creativity, and an appreciation of achieving goals through teamwork are traits that we look for in prospective employees. Our success is greatly due to the pride and ownership our staff has in their role at Frosted. It takes a dedicated team to accomplish the task of baking, frosting and selling 2,000 cupcakes on any given Saturday.

What keeps you going every day?
Stacia: Well, we make cupcakes every day, that’s a great reason to come to work! But besides that, we’re constantly being challenged to make our business better and we love the challenge, not to mention the wonderful group of people we get to work with every day.

What do you do to keep that passion and spirit of innovation fresh?
Stacia: We’re constantly experimenting in our kitchen with new recipes and products, such as our ice cream cupcake and our flavor of the month. We also enjoy creating new ways to promote our business, not only through our product but in our branding as well.

Any thoughts to budding entrepreneurs?
Stacia: Believe in your dream, but do your research!



Photo courtesy of Locke Weesner

When CSULB film program graduate Ken Winkler wanted to produce his first feature film Kiss the Abyss, he and his partner had to establish an LLC and a business structure that would allow private investors to participate at a reasonably low buy-in.

Winkler, who has spent the past five years working as a writer and producer for Long Beach-based production company Media 360 where he has helped create award-winning programming for Long Beach Television Channel 8, solved the problem with the formation of Risen Pictures. Founded on the principle to “rise above”, the goal of Risen Pictures is as unique as it is straightforward: create outstanding films at minimal costs to leverage the highest possible returns for investors.

What part has passion played in the development of Risen Pictures?
Ken: It takes nothing less than a series of minor miracles, sacrifices, and long hours to make a feature film, and without passion the process can swallow you whole. Passion is the thing that finds the right investors, keeps a tired crew motivated, and deadlines met. And when it’s ignited, the kid in me gets to play. That’s the most important part.

True innovators seem to be able to know when to stop, not just start projects. How do you maintain that balance?
Ken: Taking on a project is like entering a relationship. You know it’s time to reconsider your options when the love dies and neurotic behavior sets in.

How have you inspired others to join in your vision?
Ken: I think I rallied the support of my cast and crew by encouraging their input while having a fairly solid plan of attack. We also had decent catering — no joke; that’s a make-or-break item for many crew members who have suffered through ill-prepared independent film shoots on a diet of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The script also had everyone excited, so that was half the battle. The rest came down to communication and good energy.

Has the Risen Pictures idea evolved since you first thought of it?
Ken: We’re confident that [the film] will be a stepping stone to more films in the future. Currently we’re working hard to make the September submission deadline for the Sundance Film Festival. The surprising element, which wasn’t part of the original fantasy, is the amount of legal, accounting, and promotional work that must be done. Unlike a full studio that has departments for every facet of production, all of the work rests on the shoulders of a few individuals — me, my partner, Eric Rucker, and associate producer, Scott Nelson. My wife, Aline, has also been a huge source of support.

Many times innovation is a long-term process. How do you balance the short-term financial bottom line with the creative process and long-term innovation?
Ken: This is the acid test of the independent producer. Can you find the money and use it wisely, all while balancing a busy schedule? Can you leverage favors and resources while doing whatever it takes — within the bounds of equity and legality — to get a film finished? When things get rough, can you keep that spark of creative play that drove you to it in the first place alive? This all sounds dire, but every phase of production — screenwriting and pre-production, on-set production, and post production and promotion — presents a unique set of challenges for the filmmaker, who really just wants to play make-believe.

And your advice to aspiring business innovators?
Ken: Failure sucks, but fear-based paralysis is much worse…so get on with it.



Photographed by Michael Kupferstein

Eight years after being founded by Jesse Dean, Long Beach-based design agency visualade continues to move against the grain, both physically — the agency just moved to Pine Ave. while other businesses are moving away — and professionally, with its award winning work for clients ranging from South Coast Plaza to Charlotte Russe.

Jesse, a long-time downtown LB booster, was instrumental in starting the design area on Gladys Ave.

How critical has passion been to your success?
Jesse: Passion is definitely a critical component to our success. I feel strongly that everyone here at visualade is passionate about the work that we produce, and it is evident in everything we have a hand in. We thrive on creating innovative designs and business solutions which not only assist our clients in marketing their own brands but also serve to manage internal operations thereby maximizing efficiency. We are passionate about our work, our clients and our partnerships and without that passion we’d be just another one of the many agencies out there.

How did you inspire others to join in your vision?
Jesse: I have been lucky in that I continue to encounter others who already share in it. People see the work that we create and produce, and they naturally want to be a part of it.

Do you look for some of your own traits in those you hire?
Jesse: Yes, but they’re not necessarily requirements to get the job. I like diversity, and I like it when I meet people with skill sets that may differ from that of my own. As a result, I would say that I welcome any unique blend of characteristics in order to make visualade’s collective talents as diverse as possible. I don’t want for everyone here to be too much like me!

What keeps you going every day?
Jesse: I would say that the team I work with is what does that for me. I love the people that comprise our creative talent. I like seeing them get excited about great projects, and I enjoy it when we collaborate to make the best product for our clients.

How do you keep innovation alive in your business day to day?
Jesse: By asking questions. I constantly seek the best approach or strategy for every problem. If there’s a way to do something better, then I like to find that approach.

What advice would you give to someone with what they think may be an innovative business idea?
Jesse: If you believe in it, then you should not hesitate to pursue it. Even if the idea is not as innovative enough to be successful, this does not mean it shouldn’t be pursued. Learning from mistakes made along the way is a key component to the process.



Photo courtesy of The Kreisler Group

Founded in 2006 by Julie Kreisler, The Kreisler Group is a full-service advertising agency based in downtown Long Beach. Along with colleagues Rachel Stocking and Leslie Perryman, and taking inspiration from the TV classic, the three make up what the agency calls “Kreisler’s Angels” as part of a unique self-branding campaign that has attracted the firm a great deal of attention.

Beyond their own marketing, the firm has built a solid reputation in areas of service ranging from ambitious national TV advertising campaigns to strategic public relations programs. The agency’s philosophy, skill and creative approach, has attracted such corporate clients as Fisher & Paykel, DCS by Fisher & Paykel, Kluger Architects, and Executive Fitness.

What part does your passion play in your agency’s success?
Julie: You definitely have to have the passion to want something, but it is your intention that propels you to get there. I wake up every day with the strong intention to reach my goals and to also make every day count.

Innovators seem to have an innate ability to know when to persist with an idea and when to pull the plug. How do you balance these two ends of the spectrum?
Julie: When considering pursuing a project or idea, you must consider the upsides as well as the downsides. The team gets together to brainstorm and flesh out concepts to make sure they are viable. When a project gets set in motion, there are measurements in place to help us determine whether it is successful or not. We had a client recently whose internal marketing team was not ready to take on such a project, so we recommended pulling the plug until they were ready. Nobody wants to lose business; however, our overall objective is to see that the client is successful.

Do you look for some of your own traits in those you bring into your team?
Julie: Yes and no. I look for people that share certain traits as I do, as well as looking for traits that are complementary to one another. I want people that share in my vision and that can be creative in taking an idea and expanding on it. We are also in a tough prospecting climate, and I need a team that isn’t afraid to push harder to reach not only our goals but those of our clients.

How do you balance the financial bottom line against the goal of remaining innovative?
Julie: Making an organization innovative can be a long-term process, but ideas are also innovative. Many of them can yield short-term positive financial outcomes. Take our campaign for instance. “Kreisler’s Angels” came alive in one of our brainstorming meetings. Within a month’s time, we had the PR and ad campaign launched, which was directly responsible for some of our new clients that we are working with today.

Photo courtesy of Photography ©2009 freshpageimages.com

Martin Howard, by his own account, has been involved in the family contracting business that began in 1972 since he was a young boy. Martin, a former professional cyclist and now head of the Long Beachbased Howard Construction Development Management (CDM), has been a major player in the ongoing facelift to the Bixby Knolls stretch of Long Beach Boulevard since the redevelopment project began in 2001.

Howard CDM is also involved in a number of other current Long Beach projects, such as the proposed refurbishment of City Hall East.

Have you found that passion is critical to success?
Martin : I think passion is really paramount to success. If you don’t have a passion for what you do, it is going to be very difficult to be successful — I mean, you have a lot of obstacles to overcome in any given business or project, and the passion is what helps you overcome the adversity.

How important is it to temper the passion with pragmatism?
Martin : It’s wonderful to have this great momentum of passion behind you, but it is another thing to be able to harness this passion and put it into execution. It’s when you are in the execution stage that you sort of have to be very sober about the process and about the reality of executing that passion. You really have to understand your surroundings, your marketplace, your ability to execute, and all the different variables that are necessary to successfully execute the business or project. You have to really be honest about your abilities to harness your passion and execute what the project requires.

How did you inspire others to join in your vision?
Martin : I have been extremely fortunate to be surrounded by some very good people. It’s important to get the right people on the bus, but also know when to stop the bus and let those that need to, off. I also think it’s a little bit of a gift — like any great teacher or great coach — and a little bit of watching how those around you accomplish their goals. I try to take the passion and the drive for that learning and instill it in everyone around me. I try to make sure that everyone around me has the opportunity to strive for their goals.

What is your advice to someone looking to start a business?
Martin : You’ve got to pull together a cadre of business people that you respect, the kind that provide detailed insight into your business plan, and really test your idea with that cadre to see what their ideas would be. There is a lot of wisdom in people that have already gone down the path before.