Custom Made This custom-car creator wows clients like nobody else.
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Vital Stats: Ryan Friedlinghaus, 30, of West CoastCustoms
Company: Complete automotive restyling center in LosAngeles
2005 Projected Sales: About $10 million
Gearhead: Friedlinghaus delved into the car-show circuitat 14 and landed his custom-built beauties on numerous magazinecovers. But he was frustrated by the intricacies of building customcars--specifically, the hassles of dealing with multiple specialtyshops. Friedlinghaus resolved to start his own shop offering allcomponents in-house.
Originators: Friedlinghaus borrowed $5,000 from hisgrandfather to launch West Coast Customs in 1994. WCC thrives bymasterminding innovative creations that surprise even the carowners, including an unprecedented Bentley limo, and attractinghigh-end clients such as Kobe Bryant.
Family Business: An industry pioneer, Friedlinghaus wrotethe rules where none existed. "Don't listen to what peoplesay," Friedlinghaus advises other entrepreneurs. "Listento your heart and gut feeling, and go with it." Running hisbusiness as a family, he shuns corporate standards likemicromanagement and timecards. When deadlines loom, the close-knitrelationships his employees share motivate them to pullall-nighters without hesitation.
Showstoppers: As the automotive magicians of MTV'sPimp My Ride, which transforms young adults' clunkersinto one-of-a-kind jaw-droppers, WCC has become a household name(product branding is underway). Booked through 2005, WCC neverduplicates any of its finished rides. "There are no limits towhat 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."
