VENTURE WIRE -- Aug 8 -- HotOrNot.com, launched in 2000, became an Internet sensation, providing an early example of viral marketing and online advertising revenue before Google AdSense. The company never took any funding and sold earlier this year to Avid Life Media for a rumored $20m. Many entrepreneurs bootstrap their start-ups, going without outside investment and using their own resources. Other successful bootstrapped technology companies include Craigslist, AdventNet and PlentyofFish. FULL ARTICLE @ WALL STREET JOURNAL
Hi Mark - you might want to add WhiteLabelDating.com to that list as well. Entirely self-funded from the directors' credit cards in the early days, now doing around US$20million annualised revenue after a few years.
Now we've proven our model, we're open to investment for scaling but are doing well with our own funds - it's the way it should be done, much more fun ;)
Posted by: Ross Williams - WhiteLabelDating.com | Aug 11, 2008 at 07:48 AM