14-year-old Thomas wanted to get a job, but no one would hire him, because of his age and small stature. So he and his younger brother, Evan, chose to quarry the site their father had originally staked out in Idaho, calling themselves Star Stone Quarries.

With more than 200 employees, Rama Arts & Exports of Kaladwas, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India, has secured a reputation as a leading manufacturer of semi-precious slabs and customized stonework, as well as other exotic material.