Carlsbad Machining & Design is a growing North County machine shop and mechanical design company aimed at offering high quality, competitively priced prototype and short-run production machined components.
Executive's name: Tammy Lyttleton and Brian Wolowsky
Title: Co-founders/Co-owners
Company name: Carlsbad Machining & Design
Address: 5933 Sea Lion Place, Suite 109, Carlsbad, CA 92010
Phone: (760) 603-9374
Web site: www.CarlsbadMachining.com
Founded: October 1, 1997
Prior experience: Brian was the supervisor of an in-house machine shop for an international manufacturing company located in Carlsbad. Tammy was a designer/drafter in the engineering department of the same company.
Source of starting capital: Home equity loan and credit cards
2003 revenues: $609,000
2004 revenues: $875,000
Average hours worked weekly: 40 to 60
Number of teammates: Depending on workload. It varies between 6 and 16 over 1 to 3 shifts.
Residence: Tammy lives in Oceanside and Brian lives in San Marcos
Family: Both Brian and Tammy are unmarried.
Hobbies: Brian likes motorcycle riding, hang-gliding and traveling the globe. Tammy is passionate about her horses.
What got you into this business? We wanted to use our skills and stretch ourselves to see how much we could accomplish. We have a desire to be independent and to make our own decisions in life.
What makes your business a standout? We started a small business that partners mechanical design with machining specializing in prototype and short-run production work.
Drawbacks to your line of business: The amount of capital expenditures that are ongoing to stay competitive and the high cost of doing business here in California. We are losing more and more business to other states and countries.
Why is your company located in Carlsbad? Because it's beautiful here! And we're centrally located between customers and vendors.
How do you plan to grow? By seeking out new and varied customers.
Toughest career decision: Starting this business and keeping at it through the good, the bad and the ugly.
Ongoing challenges: Cash flow and quality teammates.
Best way to stay competitive: Do the job right and deliver it on time.
In five years, where would you like your business to be? Doubled. Everything doubled. Double revenue, double square footage, double the number of machines.
What does your company contribute to the Carlsbad community? We provide jobs. We are a quality supplier to other Carlsbad companies. We also contribute to some local organizations including ArtSplash and Carlsbad High School's Boys Soccer program.
What are your guiding principles? We can do it! If we can't, we'll find somebody who can!
What's one thing other people do not know about you? Tammy actually knows what she's talking about.
What would you change if you could do it all over again? If we only knew then what we know now!
Choice for a second career: Tammy thinks it would be fun to be the head of logistics for UPS. And Brian's second career is retirement!
People you look up to and why: Other business owners who have the strength and sense of humor to persevere even through the tough times.
Favorite quote: "The dog barks but, the caravan moves on."
Advice for new entrepreneurs: It's going to be hard. Do your homework. Don't give up on an idea because of fear. Go ahead and do what you think is right no matter what anyone else says. Only you can decide if something is worth doing or not.
Executive's name: Tammy Lyttleton and Brian Wolowsky
Title: Co-founders/Co-owners
Company name: Carlsbad Machining & Design
Address: 5933 Sea Lion Place, Suite 109, Carlsbad, CA 92010
Phone: (760) 603-9374
Web site: www.CarlsbadMachining.com
Founded: October 1, 1997
Prior experience: Brian was the supervisor of an in-house machine shop for an international manufacturing company located in Carlsbad. Tammy was a designer/drafter in the engineering department of the same company.
Source of starting capital: Home equity loan and credit cards
2003 revenues: $609,000
2004 revenues: $875,000
Average hours worked weekly: 40 to 60
Number of teammates: Depending on workload. It varies between 6 and 16 over 1 to 3 shifts.
Residence: Tammy lives in Oceanside and Brian lives in San Marcos
Family: Both Brian and Tammy are unmarried.
Hobbies: Brian likes motorcycle riding, hang-gliding and traveling the globe. Tammy is passionate about her horses.
What got you into this business? We wanted to use our skills and stretch ourselves to see how much we could accomplish. We have a desire to be independent and to make our own decisions in life.
What makes your business a standout? We started a small business that partners mechanical design with machining specializing in prototype and short-run production work.
Drawbacks to your line of business: The amount of capital expenditures that are ongoing to stay competitive and the high cost of doing business here in California. We are losing more and more business to other states and countries.
Why is your company located in Carlsbad? Because it's beautiful here! And we're centrally located between customers and vendors.
How do you plan to grow? By seeking out new and varied customers.
Toughest career decision: Starting this business and keeping at it through the good, the bad and the ugly.
Ongoing challenges: Cash flow and quality teammates.
Best way to stay competitive: Do the job right and deliver it on time.
In five years, where would you like your business to be? Doubled. Everything doubled. Double revenue, double square footage, double the number of machines.
What does your company contribute to the Carlsbad community? We provide jobs. We are a quality supplier to other Carlsbad companies. We also contribute to some local organizations including ArtSplash and Carlsbad High School's Boys Soccer program.
What are your guiding principles? We can do it! If we can't, we'll find somebody who can!
What's one thing other people do not know about you? Tammy actually knows what she's talking about.
What would you change if you could do it all over again? If we only knew then what we know now!
Choice for a second career: Tammy thinks it would be fun to be the head of logistics for UPS. And Brian's second career is retirement!
People you look up to and why: Other business owners who have the strength and sense of humor to persevere even through the tough times.
Favorite quote: "The dog barks but, the caravan moves on."
Advice for new entrepreneurs: It's going to be hard. Do your homework. Don't give up on an idea because of fear. Go ahead and do what you think is right no matter what anyone else says. Only you can decide if something is worth doing or not.