A classically trained musician from an early age, Bill McRae spent many years performing and composing. He played keyboards, guitar and bass. After college, he became a music business executive, then a classroom teacher. In 2014, Bill decided he wanted to open a music school. He wanted to share his love of music with students of all ages.
Category: Southern California
Mariatu Browne, Tu Organics Salon & Spa
Mariatu “Tu” Browne discovered her passion for hair at the early age of 9. She used to braid hair in her home country of Sierra Leone. Fast forward to California in 2006, where a generous investment from a friend helped her open her first salon, Tu’s Studio Hair Design. A series of personal hardships, coupled with the onset of an economic downturn, forced her to close her doors.
Yolanda Quam, The Fuel Shack
Not even two years young, San Clemente’s Fuel Shack displays expertise well beyond its age. Not only does founder Yolanda Quam’s breakfast and lunch kitchen boast the 13th highest Yelp.com national ranking, it provides a community atmosphere where every customer feels like family.
Tam Le and Richard Lai, Tam’s Restaurant and Sandwiches
Tam Le is no stranger to making food people can’t get enough of. Her bakery, aptly named Tam’s Bakery, was already a staple for dozens of Garden Grove families, college students, and locals. The immense popularity of an off-menu item, a soup served to royalty in her native Vietnam, prompted Tam and her husband, Richard Lai, to consider opening a restaurant.
Erin Foate, Dachs 2 Danes
In January 2011, Erin Foate moved back with her parents after graduating with a degree in business. She had no job, no car, and was living off her savings. Her parents and (then) fiancé helped cover her bills. She developed a business plan for a dog daycare and pursued an initial start-up loan, but they turned her down. It was then that she was referred to the Inland Empire Women’s Business Center (IEWBC).
Jon and Gila Kurtz, Dog Is Good
Jon and Gila Kurtz launched their lifestyle brand for dog lovers, Dog is Good, in 2007. Gila, a professional dog trainer, saw an opportunity in the marketplace for fashionable clothing that expressed her love of dogs. Jon, a retired US Navy Captain was full of ideas for humorous, catchy phrases that playfully express the joy of being “with Dog”.
Dinuka Ranasinghe, Kid Works Children’s Center
Dinuka Ranasinghe studied law and passed the New York Bar exam. But after realizing law was not her passion, she decided to pursue her dream: working with young children. She began studying early childhood development and in 2008 purchased a preschool in Long Beach, California called Kid Works Children’s Center.
Cindy Greaver, Mrs. G’s
Cindy Greaver and her husband, Kent, began Mrs. G’s over twenty years ago when she started making hot pepper jellies as gifts for friends and family. Since then, her heady, homemade confections have caught fire with customers and fans across the country.
Hakeem & Remietta Dolphin, Brooklyn Deli & Mini Market
Hakeem and Remmietta Dolphin launched Brooklyn Deli & Mini Market to provide healthy menu options in a community with few fresh restaurant options.
Angel Garcia, AG Machining
Incorporated in 1999, AG Machining started as a two-person machine shop that did only milling. Now, it is a thriving family-owned manufacturer with 105 employees and a long list of machining capabilities. In 2009, owner Angel Garcia considered moving the operation to Mexico to cut costs.