PORTERHOUSE BISTRO
Alvin Cheng (310-659-1099) was an owner of a successful steakhouse in Taiwan with a dream of taking his business to the United States. He met his business partner Bobby Burton and they opened Porterhouse Bistro in Beverly Hills. However, they had to make drastic changes to survive in the competitive industry. First, Alvin had to alter his recipe to better suit the American taste. Then, he and Bobby were forced to change their marketing strategy after their initial promotion failed. They ultimately found success with letter marketing and competitive prices. Alvin and Bobby also gained a loyal clientele with their commitment to providing value. Currently, the owners of Porterhouse Bistro are working to expand their business to other cities.

1STWINDOWS.COM
Doug Lopez (www.1stwindows.com) revolutionized the construction supply industry when he started 1stwindows.com. His company enables customers to compare prices and designs, and order online. 1stwindows.com is also the first supplier to deliver products to customers directly from the manufacturer, thus cutting shipping costs. In fact, Doug’s business model was so effective that his company became profitable in only four months. However, his success attracted animosity from his competitors. They felt so threatened by 1stwindows.com that they tried to shut down his company. Fortunately, Doug overcame the adversity and continued to improve his business. Specifically, he devised a marketing strategy that integrated his company’s information into the architects’ computer assisted software, driving more customers to 1stwindows.com. Doug’s company continues to grow and is expected to reach $5 million in 2005. In the future, Doug wants to diversify his business by selling other construction supplies.