Custom Made
This custom-car creator wows clients like nobody else.
Vital Stats: Ryan Friedlinghaus, 30, of West Coast
Customs
Company: Complete automotive restyling center in Los
Angeles
2005 Projected Sales: About $10 million
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Gearhead: Friedlinghaus delved into the car-show circuit
at 14 and landed his custom-built beauties on numerous magazine
covers. But he was frustrated by the intricacies of building custom
cars--specifically, the hassles of dealing with multiple specialty
shops. Friedlinghaus resolved to start his own shop offering all
components in-house.
Originators: Friedlinghaus borrowed $5,000 from his
grandfather to launch West Coast Customs in 1994. WCC thrives by
masterminding innovative creations that surprise even the car
owners, including an unprecedented Bentley limo, and attracting
high-end clients such as Kobe Bryant.
Family Business: An industry pioneer, Friedlinghaus wrote
the rules where none existed. "Don't listen to what people
say," Friedlinghaus advises other entrepreneurs. "Listen
to your heart and gut feeling, and go with it." Running his
business as a family, he shuns corporate standards like
micromanagement and timecards. When deadlines loom, the close-knit
relationships his employees share motivate them to pull
all-nighters without hesitation.
Showstoppers: As the automotive magicians of MTV's
Pimp My Ride, which transforms young adults' clunkers
into one-of-a-kind jaw-droppers, WCC has become a household name
(product branding is underway). Booked through 2005, WCC never
duplicates any of its finished rides. "There are no limits to
what we can do," Friedlinghaus maintains. "With so many
[automotive] artists inside my shop, they like it when people say,
'This is impossible.' We like challenges."