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Company Profiles
#17: JOHN LAU
Lautek Corp.
Sells computers to corporations
Growing Up
Mother Teacher, garment factory worker
Father Salesman, waiter in Chinese restaurant
Hometowns Hong Kong; New York City's Chinatown
Education M.S. physics
Jobs Vice-president of global data network at Shearson/American Express
Getting Here
"I had a lot of ideas in my mind, and I wanted to do them much faster than my management, so I decided, hey, I really need to do things on my own. So I started Lautek in the basement of my house."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration "It seems I have no choice. To drive as much as possible is part of my inner self."
Family in Business Wife, cofounder and VP; brother-in-law, chairman
What's Changed "When I talk to end users -- or sometimes to purchasing people -- they don't see me as the regular white-man majority. That continues today. It's not frustrating, just part of life."
Lose Sleep Over Cash flow
Workweek 75 hours
Last Vacation Haven't taken a week since starting company
Use a PC? Yes
What's Next May go public
Footnote
"There's so much I can do; looking back at things, I could have done so much better. In work and life, too. But there's no use in looking back. I've liked the momentum. There was nothing, then something was created -- something to the best of my ability. That's probably the driving force."
#35: ERIC KRISS
MediVision Inc.
Operates 30 eye health-care centers
Growing Up
Mother Marriage counselor
Father Physician and professor
Hometown Palo Alto, Calif.
Education B.A. music, M.B.A.
Jobs Started a music magazine; wrote music books; editor at a weaving magazine; consultant at Bain & Co. and cofounded Bain's VC arm
Getting Here
"Bain studied this business for Bausch & Lomb, which decided not to pursue it; I was at Bain Capital, read the business plan we put together -- which now had no company behind it -- and decided to buy the idea from Bausch."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration Ben Franklin -- his balanced approach to life
Family in Business None
What's Changed "We spent the first two years intensely following competitive developments, organizing a strategy to make it more difficult for competitors to enter. I'm not concerned about that anymore. If a company started next week it wouldn't bother me."
Lose Sleep Over Government regulations, especially Medicare reimbursement
Workweek 50 hours
Last Vacation "I don't think I've taken two consecutive weeks off since eighth grade."
Use a PC? Yes, and also at home
What's Next Have plans to sell company by the end of the year
Footnote
"I'm not a workaholic. I never work on weekends or at night. I always spend time with the family. I'm amazed at people who say they work 16 hours a day, because you know what? I think I've probably got 4 or 5 good hours a day."
#74: ERNEST PROVETTI
Trinity Products Inc.
Manufacturer of motors for model racing cars
Growing Up
Mother Homemaker
Father Longshoreman
Hometown Brooklyn, N.Y.
Education B.A. philosophy; seminary student
Jobs Catering, rental car agency
Getting Here
"Building engines was just something to subsidize my own hobby. I didn't expect to make a living at it. Eventually I talked my mother into letting me pull the furniture out of the house, and I built a factory in our apartment. My mother still lives in Brooklyn -- with furniture."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration Donald Trump. "I'd give up half my net worth to have lunch with him."
Family in Business None
What's Changed "What mattered back then was ego. It was driving me just to win the race. Now, I read everything I can get my hands on to learn about business."
Lose Sleep Over Wondering when the racing fad will fade
Workweek 50 hours
Last Vacation September '88, to Florida and Hawaii. "My first vacation in six years."
Use a PC? Yes, a laptop
What's Next Opening a nightclub/restaurant in New York City
Footnote
"I took theology, philosophy, Greek, and Latin for 12 years; I didn't know The Wall Street Journal from a third-grade catechism. And today I hooked up my laptop into CompuServe so I could check my stock quotes. If someone had told me a few years ago that I'd be checking a few hundred thousand dollars of stock prices, I would have said you're crazy."
#125: ANDREW DOPPELT
National Investigative Services Corp.
Corporate and financial investigator
Growing Up
Mother Homemaker
Father Owned manufacturing company
Hometown Highland Park, Ill.
Education J.D.
Jobs IRS special agent; father's company
Getting Here
"Having come from a big bureaucracy and having worked for my father, I didn't want to put myself back in the position of being subordinate. The best way to avoid that was to be my own boss."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration "There are certain measurements you can use to tell whether your company is becoming a force: being invited to give speeches in places you've never heard of; getting clients you never tried to develop but who've heard of you."
Family in Business None
What's Changed "I don't do any investigations anymore. I'm strictly sales, marketing, and administration -- where I think my talents lie."
Lose Sleep Over Raising money
Workweek 60 to 70 hours
Last Vacation "Can't remember."
Use a PC? No
What's Next In process of merging with Laventhol & Horwath. Also talking with Hollywood producers about TV show based on the investigation business
Footnote
"I like the idea of a merger -- it's going to give us a million dollars of referrals every year and a lot of money to finance growth. Plus I end up becoming a partner in an international firm."
#151: SHEILA WEST
Archery Center International Inc.
Distributor of archery products
Growing Up
Mother Secretary
Father Professor
Hometown Jacksonville, Fla.
Education 30 hours of college
Jobs Inspirational speaker for homemakers; homemaker
Getting Here
"I was at the 'empty vision' time of my life -- I'd been a homemaker for 18 years, my children were teenagers. I'd shot competitive archery in high school and my husband was a hunter, so he suggested buying a compound-bow store as a stepping-stone."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration Helping other entrepreneurs: "It stimulates me to stretch more."
Family in Business Husband, cofounder; son-in-law, purchasing agent; daughter, director of marketing
What's Changed "At first it was hard to accept I was a CEO. I mean, CEOs are people who run major companies. But I decided CEO stands for catch every obstacle and create endless opportunities, and I said OK, that's me."
Lose Sleep Over Profitability
Workweek 60 to 70 hours
Last Vacation Hawaii last fall -- the first since starting ACI
Use a PC? Laptop on the road
What's Next A new company for business and personal development and seminar workshops
Footnote
"My mother raised me by herself, and she was working, so I'm a survivalist. I didn't let stumbling blocks get in my way. I learned how to cook, how to be a wife, how to be a parent, so I figured, why can't I learn how to sell archery equipment?"
#184: CAROL RUSSELL
Russell Personnel Services Inc.
Provides full-time and temporary personnel
Growing Up
Mother TV makeup artist
Father Stage manager with the Minsky Brothers burlesque show
Hometown Manhattan
Education High school. "I never finished Hunter College."
Jobs Worked way up through temporary-services industry, starting as file clerk
Getting Here
"I became a junior partner at an employment firm -- you have all the work and none of the say. I just decided the time had come to push off on my own."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration Reading everything -- from biographies to religion
Family in Business None
What's Changed "I do miss just being able to look up and tell everybody something. There's a camaraderie you miss. Also the uncertainty, which may be why we push ourselves to grow."
Lose Sleep Over Wanting to grow faster
Workweek 40 to 45 hours
Last Vacation Four days in Palm Desert, Calif. "By the fourth day I was going crazy. I couldn't stand not working."
Use a PC? No. "I'm a PC illiterate."
What's Next New offices, maybe franchising
Footnote
"I'm an extremely ambitious human being, and the more successful I become, the more ambitious I become. My anxiety is, can I get far enough fast enough? I don't want to sound grandiose, but it's kind of like being a success junkie."
#214: RICHARD H. NOVAK
N.H.S. Inc.
Manufacturer and distributor of skateboards and related products
Growing Up
Mother Beautician, store clerk
Father Maintenance engineer, construction
Hometown Capitola, California
Education One year junior college
Jobs Fisherman, garbageman, sailor, surfboard maker
Getting Here
"My partner, a friend, and I made the first precision bearing wheel and jumped into a 1950 Chevy and drove around the country selling it, and within a year or so we had a fistful of money. We only did it so we could surf most of the time."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration "My parents, a friend I sailed with for a year and a half, an older Chinese man."
Family in Business Nephew in production
What's Changed "I hate responsibility, but I have a ton of it. I don't enjoy expensive cars or houses or any of that stuff. But I like the game of business, I think it's fun."
Lose Sleep Over Dealing with employees' problems
Workweek 45 hours
Last Vacation "I've been all over the world a few times, surfing. Now, I'd rather stay here."
Use a PC? No
What's Next Maybe license off parts of business
Footnote
"When I was 18 I saw all these people retiring at 55 and their bodies were destroyed and they didn't have any money; I didn't have any money either, but my body worked, so I figured if I retired now, and went to work later, it would probably balance itself out."
#253: JERRY MEADOR
Home Grown Woods Inc.
Manufacturer of wooden gift items
Growing Up
Mother Homemaker
Father Safety engineer
Hometown Nashville
Education College night school after Vietnam
Jobs Musician; public works official
Getting Here
"My wife and I were both job burnouts -- she was a guidance counselor and I was in government in this small town near Nashville -- so with enough savings to get us by we decided we would just quit and go to Pigeon Forge, Tenn., to open our business."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration "The money. And having created the business ourselves."
Family in Business Wife, cofounder and VP of finance
What's Changed "It certainly was scary to get started up. Of course, we never considered failure as an option. It just took a lot of nerve to leave two secure jobs. It's still scary -- but today we don't have as much time to worry about it."
Lose Sleep Over Cash flow
Workweek 70 hours
Last Vacation Florida beach with family in September
Use a PC? Yes, a little
What's Next Starting another company -- "I'd rather not say what kind right now." Plan to keep Home Grown Woods for a while.
Footnote
"I guess you'd call me a redneck. Music is my first love -- I played a lot around Nashville many years ago, and it gets in your blood and won't leave you. And my roots are in the country. I like trucks and fishing and my dogs and my kids."
#282: C. RON MARTELL
Microdynamics Inc.
Provides CAD/CAM systems for apparel and shoe companies
Growing Up
Mother Worked at family business
Father Owned auto repair shop
Hometown Orange, Tex.
Education M.S. engineering
Jobs Designed weapons systems at Sandia Laboratories
Getting Here
"I had a personal goal to start a business by the time I was 30; I missed the target by a year. I grew my first company to $25 million, sold my interest, and started Microdynamics the next year."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration Father, who ran his shop with a 10th-grade education
Family in Business None
What's Changed "I used to work on the weekends on technical problems, and I've tried to disassociate myself from those. I worry about the bigger business issues now."
Lose Sleep Over Cash flow and profitability. "Since we're VC-backed, there's constant pressure to maximize profits."
Workweek 60 hours
Last Vacation January, to Colorado for a week of skiing
Use a PC? No
What's Next Grow to $100 million, then start new company
Footnote
"We're shipping a lot to Russia, and since the key to Gorbachev's remaining in power is his being able to build up consumer goods, hopefully our equipment will help do that. Because he's been the best thing for peace. I've come full circle -- and I feel a lot better giving the Russians shoe factories and apparel equipment than worrying about nuclear weapons."
#336: PAMELA KELLEY
Rue de France Inc.
Manufacturer of French lace curtains
Growing Up
Mother Homemaker; took over business when husband died
Father Owned and managed funeral home
Hometown Washington, N.J.
Education B.A. math; J.D.
Jobs Attorney for Securities and Exchange Commission; cofounded law firm in 1983
Getting Here
"My husband and I lived in Paris for a few years, and I had French lace curtains on my window. I figured that if I thought they were an attractive alternative to Levolor blinds, maybe other people would, too. I also wanted a business excuse to go back to Paris."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration New-product development. "That enthuses me, gets the brain working."
Family in Business Husband consults on advertising
What's Changed "When I started I had no resources for locating raw materials or asking questions. A lot of what I was doing was in the dark. Now, the challenges come from managing people."
Lose Sleep Over Cash flow
Workweek More than 70 hours, between this and law firm
Last Vacation Competed in an international women's sailing championship last fall (crew placed 5th)
Use a PC? Yes, a laptop
What's Next More of the same
Footnotes
"When time pressures get overwhelming, my husband asks, 'Well, why do you have two jobs?' But I like my partners in the law firm, and I don't have too many people I can complain to in my own firm, since I'm the top."
#343: MICHAEL FEENEY
Educational & Fun Ltd.
Retailer of educational toys and teaching aids
Growing Up
Mother Nurse
Father Funeral director
Hometown Reading, Pa.
Education Left 11th grade to join Army; mortuary school
Jobs Vietnam 1966 to '68; funeral director; coroner; county commissioner
Getting Here
"My wife was a teacher, but the stores she went to for good materials were always out of stuff. It was frustrating. So we opened our own store, decided to give it a try."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration Former colleagues
Family in Business Wife, cofounder and main buyer
What's Changed "The attention. With one small store, nobody at the toy show wanted to talk to me. With three stores, they're inviting me to the back room for a soda. Now, with five, they're giving me a sandwich, too."
Lose Sleep Over Cash flow
Workweek 5 hours; full-time county commissioner
Last Vacation Camping at the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania
Use a PC? Yes, at home and in both offices
What's Next Two more stores
Footnote
"Since Vietnam I haven't touched a gun. Even now, I can feel a tightness in my chest just talking about it. There's a place in a person's life to understand what a gun is and how it's used, but I don't think it should be for very young kids. So parents who want to isolate their children from that for a time know they can walk in our store and there's no evidence of violence."
#364 and #388: TERRY SHULTZ
Louisiana Business College of Monroe
Draughon Training Institute
Career schools
Growing Up
Mother Homemaker
Father Bought and managed the two schools
Hometown Alexandria, La.
Education Some business school; general aviation training
Jobs Went directly into working at the schools
Getting Here
"My father died when he was 47. I was 21 and my mother and I wanted to keep the family business. So I moved up to Shreveport and started learning the ropes."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration Being around intelligent people, the doers
Family in Business Sister, in marketing department
What's Changed "Your identity changes many times over through rapid growth. Who you are as a manager, as a person, your role in the company."
Lose Sleep Over Bringing in new students
Workweek 50 to 60 hours
Last Vacation Took their kids to Disney World last December
Use a PC? Sometimes
What's Next Recently started a software company
Footnote
"I think some of the self-discipline I learned from aviation has given me the strength to face the challenges in this business. It teaches you self-confidence. Initially one of my biggest challenges was my youth. People don't quite accept you when you're very young. I don't feel that too much anymore; a lot of it has to do with my self-confidence."
#432: RAY MARTIN
Jemson Cabinetry Inc.
Distributor of kitchen and bath cabinets
Growing Up
Mother Homemaker
Father Minister, farmer
Hometown Ephrata, Pa.
Education High school
Jobs Ran a chicken farming operation, construction company
Getting Here
"I was buying my kitchen cabinets from a local distributor, and I loved the products he was handling, but he ended up losing the line. The factory eventually offered me the distributorship."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration "I'm rather a religious person, and think there's a higher meaning in life than seeing how many dollars I can make."
Family in Business Father helped start the company
What's Changed "I've turned over the day-to-day responsibilities -- in fact, just this week a CEO was named in the company. I don't enjoy management much, and it was time to leave the business to professional managers."
Lose Sleep Over Not much, now that others run the show
Workweek 20 hours in helping new CEO
Last Vacation Week in Vermont this summer with wife and kids
Use a PC? Yes
What's Next Active investor in several small firms; public service
Footnote
"Up to half my time I'd like to contribute to nonbusiness groups; for instance, I'm on the board of a housing advocate for low-to middle-income families. And I'm in, I guess you could say, a venture capital position with some companies. That's where my interests lie now."
#447: JAMES DELANO
Lion Coffee
Coffee roaster and distributor
Growing Up
Mother Teacher and worked in family business
Father Runs wholesale distribution company
Hometown St. James, Mo.
Education B.A. art history
Jobs Worked for father, renovated historic building
Getting Here
"I studied design and had seen the original Lion Coffee trading cards from the 1880s and 1890s. The company had an illustrious career in Toledo but had ceased manufacturing; I thought having an historical brand of coffee at the coffeehouse I was building in Honolulu would make a nice tie-in."
My Company, My Self
Inspiration "I couldn't work for a stodgily managed company, and I really enjoy providing a good place for people to work."
Family in Business Father on board of directors
What's Changed "If there are things I miss, I start doing them again. I enjoy running the espresso machine at the café at our roasting plant and unloading the coffee bags -- I like the physical labor."
Lose Sleep Over Keeping shelf space in stores
Workweek 50 hours
Last Vacation New York City, Vancouver
Use a PC? Yes
What's Next Reopen the original downtown coffeehouse
Footnote
"All the outside interests that people bring to the company are important. I want people to live and breathe Lion Coffee part of the time, but I want them to have other interests that move their souls a little bit."
#485: YOUSIF GHAFARI
Ghafari Associates Inc.
Architectural and engineering services
Growing Up
Mother Homemaker
Father Tobacco company employee
Hometown Alma El-Chaab, South Lebanon
Education Masters degrees in math and in engineering
Jobs Engineer at another firm
My Company, My Self
Inspiration Japanese managers
Family in Business Wife, corporate counsel; cousin, VP of finance; sister, clerical; sister, sales
What's Changed "Bankers. Now, they're knocking on our door."
Lose Sleep Over Keeping employees happy as company grows
Workweek 50 hours
Last Vacation This fall, to Europe
Use A PC? Yes
What's Next Open new offices