Developing a start-up is quite like running for office. You shake plenty of hands, make friends of strangers, and venture into unknown territory in hopes of either conquering or turning it friendly.
Since my departure from the film business in 2006, my changing social circle and professional ambitions have lured me away from one very prominent Southern California industry, Hollywood, toward another one, less prominent yet deeply rooted in Los Angeles lore.
Though perhaps not as glamorous as the film business, the Southern California aerospace community offered me a glimpse into the world that I am now proud to call friendly territory, for both personal and professional reasons. And frankly, a photo of my younger brother and I next to Lockheed's famous F-117 Steath Fighter is much cooler than even the most notorious movie star, but, naturally, I might well be biased.
In a word, aerospace. Fortunately, as a Pasadena native, I may have an unfair advantage.
Before I was old enough to ride a bike, I knew what Lockheed was. I knew that my great-uncle Frank (always Tio, to me), worked long hours for them at Burbank, later Palmdale. I knew he could never talk about his work, like he never talked about his service in WWII, but I also knew that he was good at his job. Lockheed paid him well, and in turn, Tio later paid for my tuition at USC, though I think he would have preferred I attend Caltech, like he did.
Before I knew how to drive, I knew my uncle Eric was not like most other uncles. He traveled the world, working for NASA, his calendar at home had names like KEK and Ames scrawled on it, and he wore his hair very long (my cousins refered to him as Doc, in homage to Christopher Lloyd's Doc Brown from the movie Back to the Future). Uncle Eric's frequent flyer miles were generously passed around for various trips and vacations, and I was their grateful recipient on more than a few occasions.
Over the past year, while developing my start-up company, I cannot help but reflect with a sense of gratitude my early introduction to the world of aerospace, science, and technology.
Though perhaps not as glamorous as the film business, the Southern California aerospace community offered me a glimpse into the world that I am now proud to call friendly territory, for both personal and professional reasons. And frankly, a photo of my younger brother and I next to Lockheed's famous F-117 Steath Fighter is much cooler than even the most notorious movie star, but, naturally, I might well be biased.
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