Lucky Breaks

Brad Klein knows what it's like to be in a hurry. As the father of two young children and owner of two businesses--a valet parking business and a company that supplies bartenders and servers for parties and events--Klein is always on the go. That's what gave him the idea for yet a third business: Oil Valet, a Houston mobile oil-change company.

"We're in a society where everything is instant," says Klein, 36, explaining the appeal of his newest venture. "There's drive-thru food, e-mail and faxes, and everyone's putting in longer and longer days [at work]. Speaking for myself, I don't have time to waste a Saturday in a garage waiting for an oil change."

Klein, who uses a mobile trailer to transport equipment and mechanics, began by offering the service to customers of his valet parking service, which serves several office buildings, in July 1997. "The response has been tremendous," says Klein--so tremendous, he now also offers mobile oil changes to tenants of select high-rent apartment complexes in the Houston area.