Movie stars aren't born, they're built. And more often than not, the person responsible for guarding the gate to fame and fortune is a casting director, someone whose job is to spot talent and shepherd it to the right place at the right time. It's an important job but can ... More

"What's successful today is not necessarily successful tomorrow,” says Gary Friedman, the chairman and CEO of RH. “So it’s more in the journey than it is where we land.” Given the hockey-stick growth trajectory of the home-furnishings company formerly known as Restoration Hardware, whose new-antique aesthetic is adored by everyone from baristas ... More

Daymond John knows something about selling a lifestyle. Back in Queens in 1990, before anyone could imagine an urban streetwear industry worth more than $70 billion, John was in his early twenties working at a Red Lobster. The hip-hop community was making millions for fashion labels it had incorporated into ... More

We live in a golden age of start-ups. But a great idea, a big influx of VC cash or fantastic name recognition is no guarantee for success. For every Spanx, Zipcar or Flickr, there's a Pets.com, kozmo.com or theglobe.com (remember those?) that crashed and burned. For his terrific new book ... More

As the Executive Director of a major LA-based nonprofit, Deborah Marcus regularly finds herself speaking before large groups of influential people. Her role at CISLA (Communities In Schools, Los Angeles)—the country’s top high school dropout prevention organization—requires presenting at A-list galas, raising funds from donors and running meetings ... More

It would be a stretch to say Joan was an accidental real estate investor—no one buys buildings in New York City by accident. But it would be fair to say it wasn't on her list when she was first thinking about careers. "I thought I would teach forever," says Joan, ... More

If you've ever felt tired, stressed or just generally rundown while at work, you're not imagining the fact that your out of sorts attitude is affecting your office performance. According to leadership expert Claudia Chan, one of the best ways to get ahead in the workplace is ... More

"L.A. has been the home of dreamers since the 1800s," muses Mike Jones, CEO of Science Inc, a technology studio located two blocks from the Santa Monica Pier that acquires and builds technology startups. "From gold to oil to Hollywood, entrepreneurs have always flocked to Los Angeles." He speaks the ... More

Sitting on a makeup chair in his dressing room at ABC’s studios on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Michael Strahan suddenly bursts into song.  “Out in the West Texas town of El Paso! I fell in love with a Mexican girl!” Strahan—who just minutes before wrapped an episode of Live! with Kelly ... More