California, Brazil, Greece and China: This group came to the producer's attention because they keep winning awards from their local community. The folks at KOCE-TV (PBS-affiliate in Orange County) just love them! Yet, on closer inspection, the producers found that their ROI (return on investment) per square foot was off the charts -- way, way beyond their industry standards.

From Huntington Beach to Laguna Beach, then to Santa Ana – in this episode of the show, Small Business School goes to the U.S. International Surfing Competition; and in addition to seeing the best surfers in the world, you'll meet surfers who are building this great chain of surfer food joints, Wahoo's Fish Taco. There are now over 40 other locations.

CONTACT:
Wing Lam-Lee, Ed Lee,
Mingo Lee, Steve Karfaridis
and the team at Wahoo's Fish Tacos
2855 Pullman
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Tel: 949-222-0670
Email: Click here.
URL: http://wahoos.com

• GO FURTHER: Spend some time with each of the key points of the case study guide (just above in the green box) and each of the related transcript segments.

• SELECTION: The people of Wahoo's were recommended to us by the KOCE-TV leadership (the Los Angeles-Orange Counties PBS-member station). They were also recommended by their national trade association; Mingo serves as the president of the local chapter.
  
  We select those who come up on everyone's list as a business that is "... loved within their community and respected by their industry."

• SOCIAL CAPITAL: As a result of their social capital within their community, the fellows of Wahoo's came to the top of the KOCE-TV lists. Learn more about social capital.

• We invite your questions and your comments about this episode.

The Rest of the story

Follow the insights of these people and you and your business will be prosper. There's something truly special happening here. First, there is a blend of talents and respect for each others gifts. The founders are three brothers, immigrants from Brazil, whose parents are from China. Then to add to the diversity, they adopted a fourth partner, a Greek immigrant who managed five-star restaurants in Greece.

New Americans continue to introduce new insights and fresh ideas. A beacon to creative people around the world, this country is a place to actualize dreams; and in this television show, you meet four new Americans who are changing the look of restaurants around the country.

They have been at it since 1988 and today they are hitting their stride.

In Southern California we find some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, but inside Wahoo's, it's different. It's noisy. It's friendly. It's chaotic. But the food is delicious. And, it's healthy. Though each place feels like a one of a kind, there are a lot of similarities within all of them. Here it feels like the people in charge are just doing this for the fun of it and the customers and staff blend in some sort of free-form dance. This is the new America. More like the Wild West. More intimate. More tribal . . . it is where people really know your name. These people do not want the pristine and predictable, they want a little Baja and the romance of an endless summer.

Meet the boarding tribe, people bonded by common experiences based on surfboards, snowboards, skateboards, and boards of any kind.

It is a joint. A dive. And, it is one of the places that helps to make the restaurant industry the nation's largest private-sector employer, providing jobs for 11.3 million individuals. And, about 78% of us get our first job and learn a little about the nature of work in a restaurant. But Wahoo's is no Burger King. Here you'll see lines out the door and smiling faces of surfers just up from the beach. Yes, lines out the door.

Customers come back twice a day, several days a week. One surfer said, "I eat this food every day." Another comments, "It's embarrassing how much I come here." So we must warn you now, this place is contagious, and it is not business as usual.

Surely, this is another classic story within the Small Business School family. It is truly the Miracle of Main Street. And, there are businesses just like this one in most every community in the USA. Who needs Wall Street? Big businesses tend to homogenize where small business diversifies.

• LET'S GET STARTED! STEP 1: I'm Going to Start a Business.

• National Restaurant Association : There are many other episodes about restaurants including the French Laundry, considered by many to be the best French restaurant in the world. It's in Napa Valley! Also, you might enjoy this interview with the president of the National Restaurant Association.
  
  The National Restaurant Association says, "There are over 844,000 restaurant locations in the United States, with $1 trillion in sales." Over 54 billion meals are eaten away from home every year in the USA. Males 18-24 are the leading consumers of commercially prepared meals; they average 5.9 meals at a restaurant per week. There is more at http://Restaurant.org
  • The leadership of Wahoo's is active within their state restaurant association, California Restaurant Association (CRA). If you are going to be in this industry, find your state organization and even a regional chapter in which to participate. Ed Lee serves on the Board of Directors of the Orange County chapter of the CRA. In the beginning, you'll learn. At the end of your career, you'll teach.

• Other NATIONAL TRADE ASSOCIATIONS. There are national trade associations for every industry and business sector. These associations are the most relevant resources for continuing education and networking for small business owners. We are not alone.
  
  RECOGNITION. These four men have been recognized by their peer groups, professional associations, and press/publications for their contributions to their community and their industry. The show just touches on two: the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (EOY) award and an article in Riviera magazine.

• Want to see an episode of the show on TV? There are over 40 different episodes that air in a given week.
  1. Next episode to go up on the satellite
  2. Today's episodes (up to three within a given day are displayed and only PBS-member station's are in this dynamic listing; someday other public television stations will be.)
  3. Look up your state and station
  
  The people in Wahoo's watch SmallBusinessSchool on KOCE-TV in the Los Angeles - orange County markets.

• CASES BY BUSINESS TYPE. Click on the heading to find all the business types and then click on your type of business to check out those case studies.

• FIRST PRINCIPLES: Starting a business is the road to economic independence for most of us average people. Read a little more to see why incorporating a business keeps the passion of the American revolution alive!

• First Principles of Capitalism. There are very key first principles of business – capitalism and democracy

• JOIN, JOIN, JOIN: Your professional associations in your industry are your key to continuing education, market research, collaborations, strategic partnerships, capital and so much more ... often you'll find that you enjoy like-minded people and many will become friends for life.

• SUPPORT PUBLIC TELEVISION:
  Become a member of your local station. If you are already, great. If not and your business is doing well, consider joining the Producers' Club ($1000).