Like many of us, Jane Skeeter and Virgil Walker had an innovative idea for a business – but they actually acted on it. They say it’s their key to success because having a good idea is one thing but you need to make the best use of them. You also need to keep the ideas flowing if you want to be innovative – especially in manufacturing. Skeeter is founder and CEO of architectural glass and tile manufacturer UltraGlas, and Walker is founder and president of motorized television lift maker Auton Motorized Systems. “If you’re going to be successful in the long haul, you need to think about ‘What kind of market am I in?’, ‘What kinds of things can I do?’ and ‘What kinds of products can I bring to either meet that market or expand that market?’” said Steve Tannehill, director of the Small Business Development Center in Santa Clarita. Chatsworth-based UltraGlas’ textured and designed glass installations can be found today in hotels, museums, casino, theme parks, retail establishments and other types of venues. Skeeter is known for pioneering the glass-molding, or heat “slumping,” process used to make the glass in the United States after discovering the process in Europe. Skeeter had been running a stained glass making business and wanted to branch out into new methods. “We pioneered it (in the United States) on a larger, more industrial manufacturing scale,” said Skeeter, adding that the kilns allowed her to replicate her designs and manufacture her products at a broader capacity. “We really took it nationwide.” Eventually, Skeeter realized glass tile was going to be a big business. She did research and learned that a drawback of glass tile was that the backs of the tile pieces were visible through the glass. That led Skeeter to use a technology from another industry, which she wouldn’t name, and apply unleaded glass pigments to the back of the tile surface. “We made it opaque on the back so that installers weren’t concerned about seeing through it, and we offered a range of colors and textures of molded glass which was not in the market at the time,” she said. “We had a great response.” More recently, UltraGlas came up with another innovation – its’ environmental glass called UltraGlas-e. The concept, developed in 2009, creates architectural pieces out of glass diverted from landfills, particularly architectural glass scrap. Even now, Skeeter still has new concepts in tow. With several pieces of new equipment that UltraGlas will soon obtain, the company will eventually be able to encapsulate printed film, fabric and other materials within her product pieces. The company will also be able to make switchable glass – or the glass that can change back and forth between clear and translucent – and photovoltaic glass that generates energy. “There are a lot of people that have gotten into the business since we started,” Skeeter said. “We’re always evolving and changing. People are always on our heels, but we keep mutating.” The owner of Alorisa Enterprises, a dealer for UltraGlas, said the company is a market leader in the industry. “There’s a uniqueness to their processing,” said Lorraine Carlson, president of the Oakland-based glass design fabrication and installation company. “You end up having a work of art that’s both structural… but at the same time it’s beautiful.” Auto Motorized System Virgil Walker is another entrepreneur whose business sprouted from an innovative idea. Walker, founder and president of Auto Motorized System, started the electronic television lift manufacturing company in Sylmar in 1955. At age 86, he still runs the company, which is now located in Valencia. The company sells high-end electronic television lifts that emerge out from places like cabinets, ceilings and under the bed. The high-end product has been featured in cable television shows such as “Esquire’s Ultimate Bachelor Pad” on the DIY Network and other home-makeover shows. The lifts can also be found in the homes of financially well-off consumers in Los Angeles. Walker, who had a background in engineering electronics, was in his mid-20s when he started Auton Motorized Systems. He had an electronic drapery control system business and noticed how difficult it was to move the furniture, particularly the televisions. He developed the lifts and worked through trial and error, and he advertised his new business by delivering flyers door-to-door. “We did everything we could to reach the public and tell them who we were and what we were doing,” Walker said. One of the company’s first major jobs was providing the lifts for more than 500 hotel suites at the Mirage resort and casino in Las Vegas about 30 to 40 years ago, Walker said. The company has since provided lifts in several other Vegas resort hotels. Changes to the product have included adding more powerful motor systems and accommodating to larger-screen televisions. The company has grown from having two employees in the beginning to a having about 20 employees. The company reached a high of about 38 employees a couple of years ago, but it had to cut staff due to the recession. Walker’s goal is to build the company back up to pre-recession revenue levels.
A Good Idea Can Actually Become a Successful Business
