When Newton Luu was finishing college, he needed a plan; a business plan, that is. One of his class requirements was to write a detailed plan so he created one for a friend’s nail salon concept, financed it with a credit card and opened the salon in 1990. Newton also began experimenting with nail care products and invented, among other things, the powder gel nail system. In 1994 he and his wife, Jackie Truong, opened Le Chat, a wholesale nail care products business.

Le Chat has seen exponential growth and now distributes its products to nearly 40 countries. Newton has worked with Bay Area Development on three projects totaling more than 8,000 square feet and has more than 80 employees working in his three facilities. Running the company takes time but Newton is still an inventor at heart and loves dreaming up an idea for a new product, taking it to the chemists in his lab and making it a reality.