West LA 7.10.2017

Lori Dennis

My husband and I have always been immersed in design and architecture. We run Design and Construction firms that have been in the business for a combined 30 years. We share a passion for design and architecture, frequently traveling the world to study the best ancient, historical and contemporary structures, materials, lighting, furnishings and art. Read more>>

Alina Krivitsky

As long as I remember myself (probably 4 years old), I was always interested in medicine, specifically surgery. As a child I always played doctor, mixing red paint and pretending that I was drawing blood. The highlights of my childhood were the days I spent visiting doctors and hospital where I always managed to convince a healthcare practitioner to give me some medical tools or devices that I could take home with me. Read more>>

Anne Sisteron

I started by becoming a GIA graduate Gemologist and Diamond Grader. By the time I graduated, I was pregnant with my eldest son so I didn’t immediately get in to the business. Then my second son came along and again it was postponed. Once they started pre-school, I began beading jewelry at my home either during nap time or when they went to bed at night. Read more>>

Natalia Walth

This all started 15 years ago when I took a high school photography class. I learned photography on 35mm film camera my mother’s old Pentax. I developed my images in the school darkroom, I can still smell the processing agents whenever I think of it. Fast forward a few years when I became a mother and motherhood changed me in a way I didn’t see coming. Read more>>

Jamaica Crist

My husband James and I met up in Oregon while he was attending the University of Oregon. After his graduation, he moved back home to LA and a few months later, I followed him down here. He ended up getting a job, through a childhood friend, working on the FOX studio lot. After doing bakery/cake research, and not finding a good fit for my style, I ended up at a regular job, not in the cake world. Read more>>

Michiko Fujie

Following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima nuclear disaster, I was forced to close my business in Tokyo into which I had poured all my heart and soul for close to a decade. Then came divorce. The death of my beloved dog. Betrayal of a significant other. Read more>>

Kirk Green

Graduating high school, I worked in my father’s construction business for several years, I learned about the fundamentals of foundation, structure, etc. How it all worked made sense to me but it wasn’t creative enough at the time. I moved on and attended Ringling School of Art & Design where I learned the power of color, space and scale. Read more>>

Dr. Sarah Murphy

I was born and raised in San Francisco & LA. I loved dance and theatre as an adolescent and was set to pursue a career in it, but the physical demands of daily dance and the stress of the entertainment industry were grueling, ultimately making it an undesirable path for me to continue. Read more>>

Myles Lasco

I am a lifetime dog owner who has always wanted to start a business working with pets. I used to live in Upstate NY where I was hoping to open a doggy daycare, but my fiancé, Bonnie, moved us to the Seattle area for her career, and then to Los Angeles, where we are now more permanent. I have a degree in digital filmmaking, but most of my own career has been in digital online marketing with a focus in social media. Read more>>

Ben Petraglia

Solé Bicycle Company was founded in 2009 by a group of best friends who were fed up with the state of bicycles. With a shared determination and vision, we set out to introduce fashion forward yet affordable bicycles that anyone can pick up and ride. We were sick of bike shop hassle, and figured out how to ship bikes directly to your doorstep 90% assembled, for a fraction of the cost. Read more>>

Cary and Shana Tepper

In 2012 Shana, Cary and their Yorkie, Cody moved from New York City to Marina Del Rey. They immediately noticed a high demand for pet care in their neighborhood and a critical shortage of pet care providers. Cary and Shana struggled themselves to find excellent care for Cody. Finally, being loving and passionate pet owners themselves, Shana and Cary decided to take matters into their own hands. Read more>>

Erla Dögg Ingjaldsdóttir and Tryggvi Þorsteinsson

Visionaries Erla & Tryggvi are the people behind mnmMOD. Icelandic by origin, they are recognized internationally for their innovative approach which embraces contemporary design and employs cutting-edge materials and technologies, while still adhering to sustainable practices and design standards. Their work is marked by an emphasis on creative minimalism, and a passion for the future of our planet. Read more>>

Cary Odes

I started out in comedy in Chicago, first with a sketch group and then on my own. My friend Joe and I accidentally got asked to join the workshops at Second City by director Del Close. We are both still living by the insights he taught us. I got into stand-up because I wanted to see if my jokes were good enough to sell to other people. I never thought I’d do it myself. Read more>>

Nicole Sadighpour Nourian

When I was in the 5th grade, I transitioned to a new private school that was much more rigorous than the previous school I had attended. My parents noticed the difference in academics and didn’t want me to fall behind, so they hired a private tutor for me. The one on one attention I received from my tutors allowed me to not only keep up with my new education, but to quickly flourish and exceed in my class. Read more>>