Bruin Business 100 Profiles - 2022
The Bruin Business 100 recognizes exceptional UCLA alumni entrepreneurs. These alumni are founders, owners and visionaries in business that have inspired innovation and expanded the Bruin network.
3B Collective
3B Collective is a BIPOC company that creates large-scale murals and site-specific art installations. We work primarily with government agencies, educational organizations and not-for-profit organizations to provide artwork that engages viewers with visual markers of diverse peoples while ensuring that the indigenous populations who inhabited the land on which the institutions stand are recognized. All the work created comes from a culturally unassuming, community-based, and research-oriented nature which means that the work function not only for aesthetic purposes but simultaneously provide education and increased sensitivity to those that whom the works are meant to engage.
Honoree(s): Oscar Magallanes '17, Aaron Douglas Estrada '16, Alfredo Diaz '16, Gustavo Martinez '15
AFC Urgent Care of Agoura Hills
AFC Urgent Care of Agoura Hills, a part of the AFC franchise system, is a provider of urgent care and accessible primary care that was opened in July 2020, in the middle of the pandemic. The new state-of-the-art facility is seeing patients seven days a week in Agoura Hills. The independently owned location diagnoses and treats a wide range of illnesses onsite, making it easier than ever for our patients to access the effective treatments they need to overcome respiratory infections, skin rashes, allergic reactions, sore throats, cough, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, sinus infections, eye infections, and much more. We also offer compassionate treatment and care for minor lacerations, abrasions and burns, and can provide treatment for patients with minor fractures or broken bones.
Honoree(s): Svetlana Kertanova '18
Ageless Partners LLC
Ageless Partners® helps individuals decipher the anti-aging code. Our team specializes in delivering tailored biohacking techniques to accelerate our client’s ability to improve their health. We provide a wide variety of research, a biohacking platform, as well as an Ageless Lifestyle™ Guide, Ageless Coaching™ sessions, and Ageless Workshops™ to help people improve their health using new discoveries from the field of aging.
Honoree(s): Jason Mercurio MFE ’16
AIR Venture Partners
AIR Venture Partners is an early stage venture firm investing in consumer brands as well as enterprise technologies that support the customer experience, with a particular focus on the future of food, health, and wellness.
Honoree(s): Ali Guthy '21
Ardius
Access to understanding the Internal Revenue Code is reserved to a few highly specialized CPAs and firms who require expensive retainers and even higher bill rates. Our key technology integrates with any company’s existing technical and financial systems, and utilizes advanced analytical learning algorithms to automatically discover, categorize and qualify tax credit eligible expenses. Our technology then seeks to help substantiate these credits to lower the audit risk, all while not being intrusive to the company.
Honoree(s): Joshua Lee '00
ArroyoWest LLC
ArroyoWest LLC is a minority-owned management consulting firm based in the County of Los Angeles. ArroyoWest focuses on economic and workforce development projects and has a specialty expertise in small business program and disaster preparedness and resiliency. We help our clients achieve their goals by assisting with major program design and implementation, risk analysis, breaking through project barriers, key partnerships, advocacy, data gathering and research.
Honoree(s): Jesse Torres '98
Art and Vibez Lounge
Premier paint and sip lounge offering paint instruction accompanied by wine and/or cocktails.
Honoree(s): Vonnie Tatum '17
Artemis Yoga
Founded in 2015 by UCLA Anderson alumna, Elizabeth Padula, MBA '99, Artemis Yoga is a friendly, welcoming and accessible community yoga center in Watertown, Massachusetts. This local, woman-owned, independent business is known for its open, inviting and tranquil environment where students of all ages and walks of life are welcome to relax and rejuvenate through yoga and meditation. Learn more at https://artemisyoga.com/our-story.
Honoree(s): Elizabeth Padula '99 UCLA Anderson
Asolva, Inc
Asolva creates healthcare software to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which is one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity according to the WHO. Asolva's technology platform, called MEDICI, assists hospitals optimize antimicrobial therapies and enables reporting to the CDC for national surveillance. Our mission is to put all hospitals within reach of AMR technology, regardless of hospital size, geography and technology capacity.
Honoree(s): Chun Wong '92 '03
Atala Financial
Atala Financial is an independent wealth management firm providing full service asset management, financial planning and private education services to institutions and individuals.
Honoree(s): Shawn Patt '00 (B.S). '07 (MBA)
BBN Creative Management
BBN Creative Management is a boutique firm that works with diverse talent (women, LGBTQ individuals, People of Color) exclusively, helping them grow and manage their businesses and various creative pursuits. We negotiate speaking and advisory fees and help create new channels of revenue that leverage their expertise and experience. We help our clients further develop their platforms in all relevant channels to further expand their mission and message.
Honoree(s): Blair Nichols '17 MBA
Bella Notte Productions
Bella Notte Productions provides full music, sound and audio services to the entertainment industry. Composer Daniel J. Stimac and his team can create original music (scores) for feature films, shorts, TV shows, video games, advertisements and any other media. Full music production, and recording of various instruments is also available.
Honoree(s): Daniel Stimac '20
Best Delegate
Best Delegate creates a community of future leaders through Model United Nations programs worldwide for high school, middle school, and elementary school students and teachers. Since its founding in 2011, Best Delegate has reached over 5 million people through its online resources, and over 10,000 students have participated in programs such as Model UN summer camps, virtual after-school teams, workshops and conferences. Best Delegate has partnered with the United Nations, ministries of education, school districts, charter school networks, nonprofits and other educational institutions in over 20 countries.
Honoree(s): Kevin Felix Chan '08
BioscienceLA
Founded in 2018, BioscienceLA is the innovation catalyst for life sciences in the greater Los Angeles region, accelerating the growth of funding, space, and talent. The independent not-for-profit organization was seeded by LA County and has backing from Amgen, PhRMA, Richard Lundquist, Richard Merkin, City of Hope, and Cedars-Sinai, among others. Its mission is to ensure that Los Angeles has a collaborative, well-coalesced ecosystem that encompasses biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical diagnostics, bioinformatics, healthcare IT, medtech, digital health, and more. BioscienceLA aims to advance the region’s capacity and pace of innovation by harmonizing the efforts of all stakeholders, including academic institutions, research hospitals, investors, startups, mature companies, trade associations, and public and quasi-public agencies.
Honoree(s): Dave Whelan '02, Jessica Barnette, MPH '14, MBA '19 (John Wooden Global Leadership Fellow '18
Blue Pen Resumes
Résumé writing and career coaching services to healthcare professionals and jobseekers who want to break into the healthcare industry.
Honoree(s): Kimberly Cook '15
Brand Socialite
Brand Socialite, a disrupter in the experiential marketing sector was launched with a mission to help brands and marketing experts create magical memories in their celebrations, by providing the most qualified talent for their event demands and boost event ROI while decreasing SG&A costs. Brand Socialite is a social media and influencer marketing agency, and an on-demand staffing platform for brand managers, event managers, catering companies and experiential marketing agencies. Clients can book high-rated talent and manage entire events in one place, using matchmaking technology to fill shifts in real-time with promotional models, bartenders, servers, photographers and more. Think of us as Uber for events and marketing needs!
Honoree(s): Ania Puczylowska '20
Bull Oak Capital
Bull Oak Capital is a top-rated financial advisory company recognized as one of the fastest-growing firms in the nation. The firm provides wealth management services to retirees, working professionals and business owners.
Honoree(s): Ryan Hughes '14
Cadrenal Therapeutics, Inc.
Late-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a novel therapy with orphan drug designation for the prevention of blood clots in patients with end-stage renal disease and atrial fibrillation.
Honoree(s): Quang Pham '87
Caffe Luxxe
Established in 2006, Caffe Luxxe was the first cafe in Los Angeles to champion a move towards hand-crafted artisanal espresso and brewed coffee. Our dedication to serving the best, individually crafted beverages has helped LA drinkers discover what fine coffees can taste like, earning us numerous accolades by customers and journalists alike. Hand crafting every single drink is our daily passion, and we strive to make each drink better than the last.
Honoree(s): Gary Chau '90
Canvinia Inc.
Canvinia Inc. was founded in 2019 with a vision to merge the cannabis and wine industries, and to become a top 10 U.S. cannabis company. In November 2019, Canvinia acquired Sunstone Winery, a 31- year-old winery, tasting room, hospitality and event venue business located in Santa Ynez, California. Its Sunstone® wines regularly received 90+ ratings. In 2022, Canvinia will release its first cannabis and cannabis-infused beverage products under the Sunstone™ brand, thereby entering a new industry with the visibility of the 31-year-old globally recognized brand.
Honoree(s): Djamila Cabugos '09
Citadel Environmental Services, Inc, (Citadel EHS)
Citadel EHS is a 100% employee-owned (ESOP) market-leading Environmental, Health, and Safety & Sustainability (EHS&S) consulting firm that understands how the ‘built environment’ is developed, operated, occupied, and eventually, deconstructed. Citadel EHS has been involved in many of the region's most important urban infill, adaptive reuse and redevelopment projects including SoFi Stadium, the decommissioning of the San Onfre Nuclear Generating Station, the Julia Morgan-designed Herald Examiner building in DTLA and thousands of similar projects.
Honoree(s): Scott Brehmer ’95, Loren Witkin '89,
Community Up Social Impact Consultancy
Community Up is a social impact consulting practice that partners with community-based organizations, government agencies, advocate groups and philanthropic institutions to design, validate, and operationalize strategic initiatives that improve well-being and life outcomes for vulnerable Black and Brown communities. Our approach is person-centered, equity-driven and grounded in a participatory collaborative design framework that engages diverse stakeholders and impacted communities to co-design solutions to pressing social challenges. We offer the following services: • Community-Engaged Research • Strategic Planning • Equity-Centered Program & Initiative Design • Qualitative Program Evaluation • Continuous Improvement Planning • Stakeholder & Community Engagement
Honoree(s): Jermeen Sherman FEMBA '20
Cóndor Center Inc.
CONDOR CENTER is a group private practice made up of BIPOC clinicians who share similar backgrounds, therapeutic approaches and level of energy when providing services. We offer therapy, coaching, clinical supervision, consultations and more. Our services are bilingual and we work with adults in California.
Honoree(s): Joanna Amenero '09
Coolhaus
Coolhaus is the top women-led ice cream company in the nation, with sammies, cones, pints and cups (in dairy and dairy free!) in 6,000 grocery doors from Whole Foods to Thrive Market, ice cream trucks in L.A. and New York City and a flagship shop and innovation center in Culver City.
Honoree(s): Natasha Case ’08
cyberManor, Inc.
The 21st century heralds the explosion of the Internet of Things, where a home’s lights, music, TVs, thermostats, security systems, cameras, front door locks and irrigation systems can all be connected to each other and easily controlled by voice or by touch. At cyberManor, we strongly believe that network-connected entertainment, comfort, communication and security solutions enrich the lives of our clients and their families every day. Since cyberManor’s founding in 1999, we have provided professionally integrated digital home technology solutions for over 2000 homeowners in the San Francisco Bay Area. We have recently opened our National Award-winning New Home Technology Experience Center Showroom on our Residential Technology Innovation Campus behind our main Los Gatos office. You can read about our Experience Center’s innovative technology solutions for today and tomorrow’s smart homes in CE Pro Magazine, Connected Design Magazine and our New Home Technology Center Showroom Sponsor Guide, and on Control4’s Showroom Gallery. We identify innovative, reliable residential technologies and integrate these solutions into our clients' homes. cyberManor was one of the first Control4, Sonos, Kohler Konnect, sonnen and Josh.ai dealers in the country because we recognized these products as the next wave in home entertainment, security, control and energy management.
Honoree(s): Gordon Van Zuiden '83, Michele van Zuiden, UCLA Grad Years '79 (BS) and '83 (MBA)
D Vasquez Law, APC
D Vasquez Law (“DVL”) represents clients in all aspects of employment law, including matters involving wage and hour violations and compliance, Private Attorney General Act, leaves of absence, discipline, discharge, discrimination, retaliation, harassment and unfair competition. It also represents clients in a wide array of business disputes. DVL provides counseling, advice and vigorous representation to its clients every step of the way in their legal journey.
Honoree(s): Donna Vasquez '00
DERM AND REJUVENATION INSTITUTE
Dr. Tanya Kormeili is a board certified dermatologist and the founder of Derm & Rejuvenation Institute, a full service dermatology practice in Santa Monica that takes care of patients with all concerns relating to skin, hair and nails. We diagnose and treat skin cancers, acne, rosacea and a variety of rash concerns in addition to providing healthy, beautiful skin treatments. We offer quality skincare at affordable prices to patients and have used the proceeds of our sales for charity.
Honoree(s): Tanya Kormeili BS '90, MD '02, '98 BS Physiological Science '02 MD UCLA School of Medicine '03 Internship UCLA Healthcare System
Dr. Dara Goldberg, Ph.D.
Awaken Your Inner Goddess is a spiritual psychology book, created to help each individual tap into their own inner divinity for healing, connection and true authenticity. When each individual does this work, we inevitably become closer to a world full of peace, respect and care for all - and a world full of true beauty.
Honoree(s): Dara Goldberg '00
Dubb Value Creation
Dubb Value is a boutique management consulting firm focused on providing fresh and diverse perspectives in mergers, acquisitions and strategy.
Honoree(s): Jonathan Wilson '08
Edendale Capital
Edendale Capital is an asset management firm based in Los Angeles. We are focused on the energy transition that is occurring and look to invest in this theme through natural resources and industrial equities.
Honoree(s): Anthony Young '96
ELIMS
Dentist-crafted and science-based oral care products that are also sustainable.
Honoree(s): Belinda Lau '20, Dr. Casey Lau, DDS, '02
Eliqs
Eliqs was founded in 2019 with the mission of rebuilding the beverage industry for the digital world and has spent the last three years building the infrastructure for a modern approach to custom beverage manufacturing and distribution. Eliqs powers small-batch custom branded beverage and brand incubation services that cater to customers ranging from international celebrities looking to launch their own wine brand to couples looking to serve custom-designed beverages at their wedding. In line with their mission, Eliqs is launching BarrelDAO in the second quarter of this year – a community initiative to buy a distillery with the larger vision of building a decentralized premium spirits brand and community treasury governed by token holders.
Honoree(s): Dave Goldman '19, Max Berg '19, Joe Schwappach ’19
Ethiopian Legacy Professional Development & Consulting Firm
Ethiopian Legacy prepares professionals for the future of work, entrepreneurship and leadership. Our sevices include continuing education, entrepreneurship training, training and development, leadership development and career management with over 100 job listings of openings strictly within our network of hiring managers and their team.
Honoree(s): Afomia (Mia) Seleshi '11
EVOIA, Inc.
EVOIA brings the ecological benefits of fire to production agriculture in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way by using patented, proprietary technology to convert sustainable raw biomass into plant-beneficial compounds naturally produced in a fire and then transforming them into highly active, consistent biostimulant products. EVOIA biostimulants help farmers improve their production in a more volatile climate by building plant resilience and improved nutrient uptake.
Honoree(s): Juliette Mackay '21
First Draft Taproom & Kitchen
First Draft Taproom and Kitchen has three locations that support UCLA athletics. First Draft LA is located in the South Park area of Downtown Los Angeles while First Draft Denver resides in the RiNo area of Denver. Both establishments provide a location where beer, cider, wine and hard seltzer enthusiasts can meet and socialize, enjoying high quality products in an information-based environment. In LA's 70-tap environment, customers use tap card technology to individually manage their drinking and eating experience. First Draft provides a wide-ranging set of food selections, all locally sourced. Located on the northeast corner of Olive and Pico streets, just a few blocks from LA Live, Crypto.com Arena and the Convention Center, First Draft combines the self-serve technologies of Pour Your Own, amazing food selections, a great staff, several different event and party areas and an awesome heated outdoor patio and atmosphere.
Honoree(s): Kevin Slattery '77, Carol A. Pickle '77
Fit Kids America of Los Angeles County
Fit Kids America of Los Angeles County is an enrichment program specializing in after-school classes, lunch-time plays, seasonal camps, and more! Our mission is to MAKE FITNESS FUN by incorporating movement and physical activities through our programs. By incorporating movement at a young age, chances are they will stay active into adulthood.
Honoree(s): Caitlin Cunningham '19
Five Oceans Advisors
Five Oceans provides holistic wealth management, family office services and sustainability investment portfolios to entrepreneurs navigating the many challenges that come with building a business or brand and acquiring significant wealth. Rather than leading with financial conversations, however, we begin with our proprietary Life Strategy process to help clients gain clarity around their values and goals across their own "personal five oceans," which are: finances, career, health, relationships and fun. From this vantage we are able to develop strategies that align the financial resources of our clients with their underlying happiness and fulfillment drivers in a more intentional and integrated way.
Honoree(s): Marc Campbell '03
Franklin Educational Services, Inc.
Franklin Educational Services, Inc., is a non-public agency that provides special education services to children, teens and young adults. As a non-public agency, some of Franklin's services are subsidized by public school districts. In addition to providing specialized academic support, Franklin also provides remedial instruction and advocacy on behalf of students with learning differences.
Honoree(s): Daniel Franklin '96
Gem Surprise Box
Gem Surprise Box is a gemstone and mineral subscription service, founded by Gemological Institute of America and UCLA alumni, that has a strong focus on STEM education for both adults and children with the goal of introducing the world to the science of mineralogy, sparking interest in the geosciences and sharing the wonders of our natural world one box at a time. We offer monthly memberships, specialty boxes and unique gifts for everyone from kids to calculated collectors, the spiritual to the curious and everyone in between. In addition to our signature black boxes, we offer educational content like our Gemstone Faceting Theory Course through GSB Education where you can learn the foundations of gemstone cutting and get the knowledge needed to get started on your own.
Honoree(s): Christine Lopez '15, Steven Ibbotson '15
Genever
Genever is an intimate and friendly lounge located in Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown. Driven by a desire to control our own destinies and wealth, we opened a bar that would speak to women’s empowerment, while paying homage to our Filipina heritage through a culture of hospitality and flavors featured in our cocktails. We offer crafted products plus a venue for women to rise in the industry and community to gather. Genever is the only women-of-color-owned full liquor bar in Los Angeles.
Honoree(s): Roselma Samala '96, Patricia Perez '98, Christine Sumiller '98
Gerber Kawasaki Wealth Management
Gerber Kawasaki Wealth Management is a financial firm located in Santa Monica, California. We specialize in helping people from all backgrounds achieve financial freedom, whether it's through managing wealth or educating how to gain wealth. We are a leader in our industry when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Honoree(s): Ayal Shmilovich '04, Zachary Bainter, Nicholas Anduze, Robert Castillo, Bryan Miranda, and Wendy Wan Turk.
GoldCred LLC
Gold Credentials has been in business for nine years. We have done brand partnerships with artists and brands to engage with their fans. We help with brand partnerships and strategy for entertainers, event organizers to help them with brands that make sense to create a story for the consumers.
Honoree(s): Malik Adunni '98
Gorilla Marketing
We provide custom-branded merchandise to companies, organizations and institutions in order to create awareness, introduce their service or product and reward their internal employees. This includes, but is not limited to, traditional promotional products like T-shirts, keychains and pens, but often extends to awards and recognition products, as well as uniforms. In addition to this, we often assist by way of warehousing and fulfillment services for marketing initiatives and product launches.
Honoree(s): Chris Arranaga '82 BS and '85 MBA
Gray Consulting Services inc
The company provides high level mental health services to clients in New Jersey and California.
Honoree(s): Sonja Gray '84
Guildford Green Wine Company
Founded in 2020, Guildford Green is a farmer’s market for wine. Each season, we introduce new wines to pair with the season’s freshest ingredients and occasions. Working exclusively with small-production, family-owned wineries, this is our way to discover new wines, one bottle at a time.
Honoree(s): Daisy Kwoh '05 (BA) '14 (MBA)
HostGPO
HostGPO is the group purchasing organization for short-term rental operators. Our members collectively manage hundreds of thousands of vacation rental properties and host millions of guests each year. HostGPO pools its members' collective buying power to secure the best pricing in the industry and partners with leading vendors worldwide to help our members better manage their supply chain and to deliver amazing experiences for their guests.
Honoree(s): Michael Skiles MA '14, Ph.D. '19, Jeffrey Iloulian, J.D. '13
HumaniTea (Mighty Drinks Ltd.)
A proud social enterprise, HumaniTea supports wellbeing and sustainability initiatives through wholesome tea. Tackling the problem of obesity-causing sugary soft drinks, we craft the UK’s first chilled, plant-based tea lattes bottled into aluminium cans. Brewed with actual tea leaves, creamy oat milk and ethically sourced, quality ingredients, our refreshing Matcha and Earl Grey Oat Milk Tea Lattes exclude artificial flavours and emulsifiers, contain low sugar (<5%) and low calories (<70 kcal/can), and provide a boost of antioxidants and natural energy without the coffee caffeine crash.
Honoree(s): Tina Chen '14
Independence Plus
Independence Plus offers supported living services to clients with developmental disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy and intellectual challenges. We assist our clients in attending community colleges and universities such as UCLA, connecting clients with job placement and assisting them in fully integrating into the community through volunteering and participation in community-based activities. We had the honor of being recognized by CBS for being one of the most forward thinking and innovative agencies due to our implementation of technologies in order to replace or limit the need for intrusive in person supports.
Honoree(s): Kyle Cadman '07
Innotra Consulting
Innotra Consulting helps companies transform by better understanding customers, building innovative products and services, and organizing businesses to accelerate growth. We help leading companies succeed at enterprise-level organizational transformations through strategy design and implementation execution. Our services focus on expanding business capabilities that are customer-centric and growth-oriented to change the company's trajectory and realize sustainable value.
Honoree(s): Doug Touche '13
Intellect
Intellect is a disruptive provider of highly flexible compliance SaaS software that enables organizations to seamlessly comply with ISO, FDA, EPA and OSHA manufacturing standards and regulations without having to change their internal processes. Intellect offers a comprehensive Environmental, Health, Safety and Quality (EHSQ) solution built on a no-code compliance platform for mid-market and enterprise companies.
Honoree(s): Romeo Elias '97
Law Offices of Lawrence Davis
Larry is a private practice attorney specializing in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. He assists his clients in developing comprehensive estate plans incorporating tax and probate savings, asset protection strategies, business continuation planning, college education and guardianships for minor children and incapacity and care for the elderly and infirm. He brings 36 years of estate planning experience to the table along with several advanced financial planning and insurance credentials (CLU, CFP, MSFS, AEP) which distinguishes him from other estate planning attorneys and allows him to better work with his clients’ financial advisors. Larry is also a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law (one of about 1,000 in the State of California). He received his BS in Biochemistry from UCLA in 1977, his MS in Biological Chemistry from the UCLA School of Medicine in 1979, and his JD from Southwestern School of Law in Los Angeles in 1985.
Honoree(s): Lawrence Davis '77, MS '79
Linkco Inc
We are a woman-owned, boutique, executive search firm for the circular economy throughout the USA. We work cross industries, focused on middle market upper management and C-Suite placements. We provide focused search services using proprietary AI and human-powered processes that cut costs effectively and help our clients identify and secure the top talent that will help their companies thrive.
Honoree(s): Teri Cohan Link '76
Lisa PR
Lisa Elkan is the founder of the award-winning PR firm Lisa PR (LisaPR.com). Lisa's clients have been featured everywhere from the L.A. Times to the Wall Street Journal. Her clients have received numerous accolades, from Billboard Magazine and Variety to the Los Angeles Business Journal and U.S. News & World Report. Lisa, a graduate of UCLA, has over 15 years of experience in marketing and public relations for professionals and small businesses, with specialties that include public relations, marketing, advertising, social media marketing, business development, and brand management. “At Lisa PR: Our Business Is Getting You Business.”
Honoree(s): Lisa Elkan '03
Magellan College Counseling
Magellan College Counseling has a team of 16 trained, professional college counselors who help high school students and their families navigate the college search and application process. Magellan’s counselors help students identify their priorities, research "best-fit" colleges, find their authentic voice and articulate what they have to offer their new community - all while ensuring mom and dad don't have to push at every step.
Honoree(s): Evelyn Jerome-Alexander '12
Martin Brattrud Inc
Martin Brattrud is a leading manufacturer of hand-crafted seating and tables for the contract market and is renowned for our banquettes and benchmade upholstery. The health of our team and the environment drives the Martin Brattrud manufacturing ethos. Thoughtful design, low environmental impact manufacturing and product longevity combine in each piece Martin Brattrud creates.
Honoree(s): Allan Stratford BA '72, MBA '73
Mathnasium Learning Centers
My wife and I own and operate three Mathnasium Learning Centers in Southern California. We help K - 12 students catch up or get ahead in math, and develop a passion for math and other STEM-related fields. This year we were nominated as Mathnasium Top Performers for our success in growing our locations and helping foster a love for math in our local communities.
Honoree(s): Asif Meghani '98
MiJa Books
MiJa Books is a mission-driven, multicultural children's bookstore and gift shop. We sell books for ages 0 to teen and assorted multicultural gifts/stationery. All of our books must feature a protagonist of color, celebrate a diverse culture in some way, or be bilingual or Spanish-only.
Honoree(s): Stephanie Reed '10
MindfullyFit LLC
MindfullyFit has been dedicated to the health and well-being of society through holistic healing and preventative health techniques for the past 20 years. We help people permanently eliminate/prevent back and joint pain and tension by showing them how to find their "natural alignment" based on a 30-year longitudinal study of people in developing countries who have no back pain and can carry huge loads on their backs into their old age. We teach people how to heal themselves by teaching posture (sitting, standing, bending, etc.) as well as offer alignment-based MindfullyFit Yoga® classes to improve flexibility and mobility, dance classes, Pilates, mindfulness, meditation and spiritual healing.
Honoree(s): Andrea Saliba '91
Moyal Enterprises LLC
Moyal Enterprises is a sports marketing and business development firm that provides marketing, PR, digital, post-career and philanthropy services to professional and collegiate athletes, as well as works alongside sports agencies, sport teams and all other sport properties to be the destination for bridging strategy and execution for unique solutions. The firm establishes the strategies, content and experiences to supply professional sports players with success and overall prosperity in endemic and non-endemic deals, and all other ways of branding support services. Along with player client work, Moyal Enterprises is an expert in strategies for teams, agencies and sports brands on how to navigate the athlete space and develop the right kinds of player driven programs, with additional advisement for companies in business development strategy for growth in the sports market, imparting solutions to issues that can arise, providing neutral management direction, and all other needs included among the sport ecosystem.
Honoree(s): Arielle Moyal '09
MurCal, Inc.
MurCal provides reliable and rugged solutions for instrumentation, control, and monitoring problems for stationary and mobile off-highway equipment. These solutions include wire harnesses, displays, discrete instrumentation, custom control panels and remote monitoring solutions. We are active in the energy, agriculture, marine and municipal markets.
Honoree(s): Bob Murphy '18
Oorcas LLC
The Green NFT platform is used to create, mint and track digital assets. The platform wraps digital assets with patented technology for authentication validation and ownership proof. It can be used to assign and enforce viewing rights of GNFTs, collections of which can include physical assets. The GNFT private Blockchain technology does not use cryptocurrency and is a clean, green technology.
Honoree(s): Joy Sargis '82
Ownwell
Ownwell helps property owners reduce the costs of owning real estate, and we've started with property taxes. Ownwell markets directly to real estate owners we know can save money and manages the end-to-end process of reducing their property tax bills. Ownwell saves property owners $2,622 a year on average.
Honoree(s): Colton Pace '21
Patterns Behavioral Services, Inc.
For the past 26 years, my companies have provided services and supports to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As one of the largest providers and market leaders in California and Washington, we daily served hundreds of individuals in their homes, our 24/7 licensed residential homes, at schools and in the community to learn life skills, find and keep jobs, learn social skills and to improve their behavior.
Honoree(s): Ihab Shahawi '84, '10
Performance Power
Performance Power provides personal and professional development through tailored and bespoke executive coaching and training. We empower individuals and organizations to achieve their goals, create stronger connections and lift productivity.
Honoree(s): Shannon Dolan '78
Playa Vista Counseling & ShrinkSync
Playa Vista Counseling provides individual, couples and family therapy. Services are geared towards treating mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, postpartum issues, relationship struggles and overall wellbeing. This year we have focused on expanding our reach to empower more people to access mental health and empowerment content through the use of social media, newly published books and launching a free online community for therapists.
Honoree(s): Rachel Thomasian '06
Popl
Popl is the leading digital business card platform for teams and individuals. Professionals use Popl's hardware and software products to make instant digital connections with potential clients they meet in person. Popl utilizes NFC and QR code technology to allow its users to share and receive info instantly.
Honoree(s): Jason Alvarez-Cohen '18
Powless Performance LLC
I provide cycling coaching services for athletes of all ages and levels. I am a USA Cycling certified coach and professional cyclist with a passion for sharing my cycling knowledge with others to help them reach their fitness and racing goals.
Honoree(s): Shayna Powless '12
ProHow
ProHow empowers homeowners with quick, actionable advice from experienced tradespeople. Whether you're trying to DIY or comparing contractors, ProHow puts a pro by your side through a video call so you can get insights and confidence while saving money.
Honoree(s): Mark Epelbaum '21, Mariya Entina '10
Purlin Co.
Purlin Co. designs, creates and provides advanced AI solutions for the real estate market. Major brokerages, agencies, lenders and other companies involved in real estate transactions can use Purlin’s AI platform to expand their businesses and create superior client experiences.
Honoree(s): Giorgi Chigogidze '04, Christopher Steege, '04
Rafayel Law Firm, APLC
We are a personal injury law firm with a focus on serving underserved communities with quality legal representation.
Honoree(s): Rafayel Mgdesyan '08
Ready, Set, Food!
Ready, Set, Food! makes products to help parents prevent food allergies for their babies. New medical guidelines recommend that all babies eat allergenic foods like peanut and egg regularly, starting at 4 months of age, to help prevent food allergies. Ready, Set, Food! has already helped over 30,000 babies get the best chance at an allergy-free future by helping them follow the new medical guidelines.
Honoree(s): Daniel Zakowski '12
Resilientsee: Life Coaching for Athletes
Resilientsee: Life Coaching for Athletes provides 1-to-1 coaching, speaking engagements and group coaching sessions to athletes and athletic-minded individuals. She focuses on helping clients find and pursue their passion(s) at a healthy pace, in a safe space, and focuses on transferable skills from sport to life after sport. Lucy also provides mentorship and community service to her clients and with her clients.
Honoree(s): Lucy Tseng, '12
Revolve Impact & Tepito Coffee
Revolve Impact is an award-winning creative agency that utilizes radical imagination, art and culture to communicate ideas, connect brands with causes, and advance social change. Founded in '14, Revolve Impact offers strategic and innovative solutions that combine policy advocacy, grassroots organizing and broad-based communications strategies to advance long-term systemic change. Revolve Impact has played a significant role in a number of the largest policy victories and cultural shifts of the last 20 years and has become a leading creative agency at the intersection of arts, culture and justice. From farm to cup, Tepito Coffee is building a bridge between México and East Los Angeles, one origin, one person, one coffee at a time. Founded by Emmy-nominated actor Richard Cabral and activist entrepreneur Mike de la Rocha, Tepito Coffee is more than a coffee company; we are a global community rooted in our indigenous traditions of love and generosity. Alongside our partners at Pecora 'º09’, a premier coffee company in Boca del Monte, a small farming town in Veracruz, México, Tepito Coffee is producing one of the finest coffee experiences imaginable.
Honoree(s): Mike De La Rocha '00
ROAMING HUNGER INC.
Roaming Hunger is a booking marketplace for anyone to find and book the best food trucks, carts and popups across the U.S. With over 18,000 craft culinary businesses, we make it easy to feed groups of people for corporate events, weddings, parties and promotions.
Honoree(s): Ross Resnick '14
Safe Harbor Therapy
As a licensed bilingual marriage and family therapist, I understand that the Covid-19 pandemic has shattered one's sense of safety and security by making one feel helpless in a world that risks emotional and mental well being. The crisis created insecurity in all cultures and all socio-economic levels. It challenged relationships and children, and increased suicides and domestic violence of elders, various race and genders. Gambling has increased and I am a provider with the UCLA Gambling Studies Program, CalGETS.
Honoree(s): Gloria Lakin '77
Six Taste Food Tours
We are considered LA's No. 1 rated walking food tour company and the only AAPI female-owned food tour company in California. We have a team of local tour guides that lead walking food tours of different neighborhoods of L.A. where guests get the unique opportunity to explore our city on foot while visiting up to six local restaurants for generous tastings. The experience includes historic sightseeing, teambuilding or bonding, and lots of food and fun for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Honoree(s): Sally Tiongco '04, Jonathan Tiongco '05
SmartTec Inc
970 million people worldwide suffer from mental health issues and every 10 minutes 15 people die by suicide. We are on a mission to transform mental health assessments and anyone can use our technology to build mental health-focused solutions. With Okaya’s API, our customers harness the power of A.I. to assess people’s mental health in seconds just by paying attention to their voice and face.
Honoree(s): Gregory Menvielle '97
Soapbox Engage
We provide online engagement software for nonprofit organizations, helping organizations raise more money and boost their supporter base. This includes online donations, event registrations, advocacy and more!
Honoree(s): Ryan Ozimek '99, '02
Sound Mind Live
Sound Mind Live’s mission is to end the stigma surrounding mental health and mental illness through the power of music. Our programs build empathy and increase access to and awareness of critical mental health resources by bringing together influential musicians affected by mental health issues with a coalition of leading mental health organizations. Music holds an unparalleled ability to connect to a broad audience, reach people in an authentic voice and catalyze change — it strengthens community, builds empathy and inspires action.
Honoree(s): Ashish Sharma '10
South LA Cafe
South LA Cafe is a Black-owned, family-owned, community coffee shop, market and cultural center, located in the heart of South Central Los Angeles. The South LA Cafe team exists to serve the community, fight racial and economic inequality, and provide equal access to food.
Honoree(s): Celia Ward-Wallace '98
Spreo Capital Partners
Spreo Capital Partners is a non-bank real estate lender focused on bridge, renovation and construction loan solutions for investors and developers of both residential and commercial properties.
Honoree(s): Daniel Frankel '19
Stellar
Goldstar is an online live entertainment marketplace that was started by three UCLA alumni in 2002, bootstrapped from $1,000 in capital to more than $100 million in GMV annually and recently sold to TodayTix Group. Goldstar has sold more than $1 billion in live entertainment tickets in its history and created an entire industry of third party channel marketing for live entertainment. During the pandemic, we kept the company alive, built a new company called Stellar designed to enable organizations to produce online digital live entertainment. In the successful sale to TodayTix, we also spun off and funded Stellar, which is now an independent company building the best platform for digital live entertainment in the world.
Honoree(s): Jim Mccarthy '99 (FEMBA), Robert Graff, UCLA undergrad '92; Rich Webster, FEMBA '99
Streets Ahead Productions
Streets Ahead Productions is a full service video production company and creative collective. We work on narrative productions (film, short film, television, web), music videos and music content, and corporate production including commercials, social media advertising, sponsored content and videography. We can do everything from writing/creating a concept to budgeting and coordinating production to providing gear, crew, and actually shooting to editing and delivering.
Honoree(s): Trevor Wilson '13, David Gomez '14, Alex Regalado '14, Jonathan Coria '15
Tagnos
Our mission is to assist clinical care teams by optimizing and facilitating operational workflows in order to empower healthcare staff to focus their time on delivering high-quality patient care. The TAGNOS workflow orchestration software assists care teams, patients and their families by orchestrating important but dispersed and tedious aspects of the care delivery process. Our platform brings system data together within healthcare facilities to illuminate, automate and orchestrate results within operating rooms, emergency departments and asset management systems. The byproducts of our technology are real-time intelligence and automation that work together to enable hospitals to reduce cost, generate revenue and empower clinicians with the patient at the center.
Honoree(s): Neeraj Bhavani '04
Tequila Cabal LLC
Tequila Cabal is a multi-award winning tequila headquartered in Los Angeles, with roots tracing back to 1911. The word Cabal is rooted in the Spanish word for gentleman, caballero, which compels the idea that one must aspire to their full potential. The inspiration behind the horsehead bottle design is derived from the Charreria and horse culture in Jalisco. This ties into the very essence of Jalicense culture. We raise our horses and agave much like we raise ourselves, nurturing from a young age with passionate resolve to become both a noble steed and noble in spirit. It is our belief that the spirit in your glass should only be matched by the spirit of your company.
Honoree(s): Benjamin Gordon '19
The Bouqs Company
Bouqs deliver farm-to-table flowers that are fresh, premium and sustainably farmed to recipients nationwide. Through ecommerce and subscriptions the company spreads love and a message of sustainability and responsibility.
Honoree(s): John Tabis '06
The Lollipop Tree LLC/La Petite Maison
The Lollipop Tree offers interior design services, consultation and education focused on healthy and sustainable home environments. We emphasize wellness and environmental stewardship. We design with - and teach about - responsibly sourced and non-toxic furnishings, materials and finishes to improve indoor air quality, lessen potentially toxic chemical exposure and still create a beautiful space with less harm to the environment.
Honoree(s): Michelle Pollak '90
The Oganyan Agency
The Oganyan Agency, headquartered in Huntington Beach, Ca, is the #1 business law agency for premium brands. Founder and CEO Tatev Oganyan, Esq. has a strong track record of licensing and permitting the largest cannabis companies in the world from seed to sale since 2016. Tatev is passionate about protecting the rights of cannabis consumers, women, and Veterans to provide equal access to science-backed products, services, and education. Tatev started as a community organizer at fourteen for the Armenian American community in Los Angeles and now serves as a legal and political advisor to grassroots organizations throughout California to focus on protecting human rights.
Honoree(s): Tatev Oganyan '11
Treehouse Partners
Treehouse Partners is a recruiting firm focused on providing top-quality search services. As a full-service recruiting shop, we work with our clients from start to finish to identify, screen and on-board talent for a variety of business functions (ranging from strategy to accounting to finance to marketing to sales to legal and everything in between). Our goal is to provide a different perspective on human capital and to match our clients with candidates who not only fit the bill résumé-wise but who will be value-adds culturally and beyond.
Honoree(s): Kate Pletcher '07
TruAmerica Multifamily
TruAmerica Multifamily is a vertically integrated, value-add multifamily investment firm based in Los Angeles. Since its founding in 2013 by Robert Hart, TruAmerica has been one of the country's most active multifamily investors and manages a portfolio of approximately 54,000 units across prime locations throughout the U.S.
Honoree(s): Robert Hart '83
U-LABO Co., Ltd.
Our mission is to create the future where Japanese students can freely challenge themselves and become successful in this global society. We provide comprehensive support for our clients who seek an opportunity to study at top-ranked universities in the world, including the University of California. Our services start from preparing for enrollments and include academic support throughout the school years and career support after graduation.
Honoree(s): Ryosuke Koizumi '16
UNest
UNest is a purpose-driven fintech company empowering parents to invest and save for their kids’ future. Since launching in February of 2020, UNest has helped thousands of families give their children a financial head start and road map. Opening a UNest Investment account for kids requires no paperwork and takes just five minutes to set up through its award-winning app.
Honoree(s): Ksenia Yudina '14
Urban Yogini/Life Skills Yoga Program
Through my website, I offer personalized online yoga therapy services, meeting the individual where they are both physiologically and psychologically. The goal is to help establish a personal yoga practice that meets the needs of the individual, in support of creating a lifestyle that works for that person and how they choose to live, as opposed to dictating to them a pre-packaged program, which may not. I also offer group classes in the form of a chair yoga class, as well as an all-levels class at a price that most people can afford.
Honoree(s): Elisa Dias Sweigart '00
Vassolo Law
Ruben Vassolo is an experienced business and tech savvy California transactional attorney specializing in analyzing, negotiating and drafting complex contracts, including business, corporate, real estate, entertainment, technology and construction. In private practice and as head of three in-house corporate legal departments, including a public company’s, Ruben successfully handled numerous corporate and real estate transactions, often as lead attorney. He has formed multiple companies and provides them with ongoing general counsel and transactional legal services. Ruben thrives using his legal skills and business acumen to maximize the business objectives and legal rights of clients, minimize their risk and legal obligations and help them develop, execute and improve key business strategies. He is very comfortable with numbers and has a strong business, math, economics and accounting background. Ruben greatly enjoyed teaching multiple Business Law courses at UCLA Extension and has native proficiency in English and Spanish.
Honoree(s): Ruben Vassolo '83
Village Eyes Optometry
We are an optometric office practicing in Westwood Village for 50 years. We provide one-stop convenience for eye care services including eye examinations, optical dispensing of eyeglass frames and lenses, treatment of eye diseases, as well as fitting contact lenses for healthy and disease-compromised eyes. In addition, we treat dry eye issues and provide myopia control programs for children and adults.
Honoree(s): Jon Vogel '67, Dr. Lorin Vogel
VoLo Earth Ventures
VoLo Earth Ventures is an early-stage climate tech Venture Capital fund that invests in the next generation of leaders in the energy transition away from fossil fuels. We invest in companies that not only can scale and decarbonize the global economy this decade, but also offer cost competitive products or services. At VoLo Earth, our goal is to leverage profit-seeking capital to help the planet reach its decarbonization goals.
Honoree(s): Chris Tullar '98
Watson Living
Watson's mission is to make rent rewarding. We enable landlords to offer their residents cash back rewards for things like paying rent on time, renewing a lease or engaging in a community event, along with deals from local and online merchants.
Honoree(s): Andrew Firestone '15
White Oak Family Dentistry
For over 25 years, Dr. Robert Luszczak ("Dr. Bob"), D.D.S.'90, and his team have provided general and multi-generational family dentistry along with cosmetic and restorative procedures to patients in the greater San Fernando Valley.
Honoree(s): Robert Luszczak, DDS '90
Yellow Brick Consulting Inc
Yellow Brick Consulting, Inc. is a woman-owned healthcare consulting firm established in 2018. We specialize in operations planning, project management, licensing and regulatory preparedness, and transition and activation planning services for healthcare facilities with new construction projects. At Yellow Brick, our mission is to deliver unparalleled project management expertise to the healthcare industry.
Honoree(s): Kelly Guzman '94
YOSD Consulting
YOSD provides highly customized sales training and coaching solutions for B2B sales teams based on the Tiny Sales Habits Process™. Our process starts with understanding the most important business goals, and impacting the key behaviors that lead to achieving those goals through customized and flexible training programs. We work with clients across a range of industries including SaaS, financial services, commercial real estate, healthcare, technology, and professional services among others.
Honoree(s): Nitya Kirat '03
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