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Rightlook Creative
Meet the Rightlook.com Team
One of the things that sets Rightlook.com apart in this industry is our staff of friendly, knowledgeable professionals. Rightlook.com team members believe in putting the customer first. From your very first phone call or visit to our facilities, you’ll see a difference in the way you are treated by our staff. Whether you’re looking for recommendations for specialized equipment, professional advice on a technical issue, or just need help tracking your shipment, our sales, customer service, and technical support teams have the answers you need.
Again and again, our students and customers tell us what a great experience they had working with Rightlook.com employees. Just read below what some of our customers are saying about the outstanding members of the Rightlook.com team…
“ It is rare to find ‘real friendly’ people in today’s corporate America. Well, I found it at Rightlook.com…Thank you for your school, your online store, your helpful staff and your great trainer.” Bob McIntosh
McIntosh Auto Body
“ I just wanted to say thanks for the assist the other day. Your support got me through the job a lot more efficiently and your explanation of the process was very helpful.” Tom O’Keeffe
Tom’s Mobile Detail
“ I wanted to take a moment to thank you and all of the staff at Rightlook.com…From the first phone call all the way through the class you were all professionals. I did a lot of research before deciding on Rightlook.com, you are definitely a cut above the rest…This professionalism has made a long time customer out of me.” Robert Ward
The Dent M.D.
Stephen Powers, President and Founder
Stephen Powers has over 25 years of professional experience in the Automotive Reconditioning industry, and a proven track record as a successful entrepreneur and business owner.
Always driven to succeed, Stephen owned his first auto detailing business at the age of 17. Over the next several years, he owned and operated two successful retail auto service centers in the Midwest before going to work for an Automotive Reconditioning company. As an executive there, Stephen was responsible for growing the company from a start up to millions in annual sales.
Stephen’s perseverance and determination as an entrepreneur were truly demonstrated in his next business venture. In 1998, armed with years of industry experience and a determination to improve the Automotive Reconditioning industry, Stephen established Rightlook.com, Inc. in San Diego, California. Stephen provided all start-up costs from his own modest savings and did not seek outside funding.
Stephen is the quintessential entrepreneur. He is a forward thinker, an innovator, and a creative problem solver, and is renowned as such in both the Auto Reconditioning industry as well as in the greater business community. HGTV recognized Stephen as a leader in the Auto Reconditioning industry, and solicited him to help produce consumer car care spots for their Simple Solutions show. After launching Rightlook Radio, the company’s podcasting program to provide free online educational resources for Auto Reconditioning professionals, Stephen was interviewed by Ted Demopoulos, an expert in the field of podcasting and blogging. Mr. Demopoulos featured Stephen in What No One Ever Tells You About Blogging and Podcasting, his book about corporations who use these tools successfully that was published in October 2006.
Stephen is a very dynamic and hands-on leader, who personally charts the course of the company on a daily basis. His high standards for himself and the company are evident in his tireless work ethic and his dedication to excellence. Under Stephen’s guidance, Rightlook.com has become a leader in the Auto Reconditioning industry. The company has garnered numerous awards for its fast and successful growth, including the 2007 and 2008 Inc.com 5000 lists, the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 2005 Emerging Business of the Year, and the San Diego Business Journal’s List of the Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. In 2006, Stephen was named Detailing Person of the Year by MobileTech News, a well-respected industry trade publication.
Catherine Henry Piepenbrink, VP of Operation
Catherine Piepenbrink is an accomplished operations professional with over 10 years of experience in management, marketing, public relations, and non-profit development.
Catherine has been involved with Rightlook.com for over 9 years. She began her work with the company in 1999, providing free-lance contributions to marketing and advertising projects. She assisted in the development of the content for the company’s website - www.rightlook.com - and helped to shoot, edit and complete post-production work on the Rightlook.com video training programs that are still best-sellers for the company today.
Catherine joined the Rightlook.com team full time in July 2001, and immediately began working to develop the company’s internal operations and procedures to keep up with the fast growth Rightlook.com was experiencing. She was the driving force behind the creation and implementation of standard operating procedures and internal policies for the company. She worked to develop the employee handbook and benefits package, institute corporate parties and special events, and was instrumental in recruiting and hiring most of the company’s talented staff members. Catherine also played a key role in the development of Rightlook.com’s marketing, communication and public relations efforts and corporate branding, writing the company’s marketing materials and starting the corporate blog. Catherine also worked to help the company achieve important recognition and awards in the Auto Reconditioning industry and the San Diego business community, as well as nationally. Her attention to detail and strengths in organization, planning, writing, communication and leadership have made her a natural fit as a key player in this fast-paced company.
Catherine’s professional experience is broad, and includes work for non-profit organizations as well as privately held corporations. Before joining the Rightlook.com team, Catherine spent several years working in non-profit development and fundraising, serving as a professional grant writer, corporate giving specialist and donor relations manager for the San Diego Performing Arts League, Lamb’s Players Theatre, and other San Diego area performing arts organizations. She also taught junior high and high school theatre and directed theatre and musical productions for some of San Diego County’s youth arts programs. Catherine’s broad-based experience in liberal arts and the non-profit sector allows her to bring a fresh, creative, and flexible outlook to her work in the corporate world.
Catherine graduated summa cum laude from Abilene Christian University with Bachelor of Arts degrees in both English and Theatre. During her undergraduate work she completed a study abroad program in Oxford, England and traveled extensively. Catherine is currently pursuing an MBA in Organizational Leadership at Ashford University and will graduate in 2009.
Joseph Babbey, VP of Sales
Joseph (Joe) Babbey is a skilled executive with over 10 years of experience in management, sales, banking and finance, investing, negotiation and international business.
Joe joined the Rightlook.com team in 2002 to help grow the sales department and increase inside sales. He quickly moved into a management position, and was responsible for building and developing Rightlook.com’s inside sales team of business consultants. This business consultant team has increased sales each of the last five years, which has helped Rightlook.com achieve numerous awards and recognition for growth in the process. Joe has been responsible for recruiting, hiring and training the team, as well as developing and managing the sales cycle and the internal sales procedures and processes.
In addition to leading the business consultant team, Joe works to foster and develop relationships with international clients and distributors, and helps Rightlook.com reach additional markets outside of the Auto Reconditioning industry. During his tenure at Rightlook.com, Joe has helped the company initiate and develop new revenue streams and develop new products and services to increase profits. Joe was also instrumental in launching and maintaining Rightlook.com’s financing program with SLM Financial, a division of Sallie Mae. The financing program has been an integral key to the success of Rightlook.com’s training program.
Prior to coming to work at Rightlook.com, Joe served as Jr. VP of Sales for Pacific-Cycle, LLC. There he helped manage and support an outside sales team for national distribution, as well as international distributors in over 10 countries. At Pacific-Cycle, Joe was part of the team responsible for managing the companies largest account with Wal-Mart, and introduced the Schwinn line of cycles into the Wal-Mart mass retail product line. Joe was also involved in helping with Pacific-Cycle’s acquisition of Schwinn/GT. Joe has experience working with other international businesses, as well as in the investment, banking and finance industries. His broad business experience and expertise in international markets has proven extremely valuable to Rightlook.com.
Joe graduated from the McLaren School of Business at the University of San Francisco with a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business and an emphasis on Japanese language and culture. During his undergraduate studies, Joe was accepted into a competitive study abroad program at the prestigious Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. There he studied international business under professors from business schools and universities of many different countries, including South America, Europe and Eastern Asia.
Sandy Cockrell, Controller
Sandy Cockrell is an experienced financial management service executive and has over 20 years experience in all aspects of business, financial and accounting management, accounting systems implementation, financial reporting, cash management, budgeting and development of financial policies and procedures.
Her expertise includes strategic planning, design of financial reporting systems, budgeting, development of accounting and administration infrastructure, and preparation of a company for an IPO.
She is well-rounded and has extensive additional experience in all aspects of human resources management including employee benefits, training and development, recruitment, insurance, labor law policies, policy manuals, job descriptions, safety programs, review processes, investor relations, regulatory filings, stock, and ESOP’s.
Sandy has served in the capacity of chief financial officer/controller and human resources manager for companies in a variety of industries, including Internet, healthcare, service organizations, product distribution, publishing, real estate and a CPA firm. She has managed the finance and human resource departments for Tehabi, Thegolfer.com, INC Research and Advanced Access, all of which were pre-IPO start-up companies.
Sandy is familiar with the needs of fast-paced, limited resource companies who need an individual who can develop policies, procedures and systems quickly and economically. While working for a large CPA firm, she was responsible for all of the small business clients, providing assistance in development of their accounting, human resources and IT systems, policies and procedures while ensuring they met with current legal regulations and requirements.
Sandy graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a MBA, and MAED. She has additional courses in human resources management, labor law, recruitment and development. She has extensive knowledge of several accounting software packages, spreadsheets, word processing software, time and billing and payroll systems.
