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 BIZ Experiencess. "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."
