Ylisela understood Ball's decision. The two had approached the magazine realistically in January 1999 and talked openly about the problems facing it. Ylisela knew it might be years before the magazine turned a profit. As the economy began to slump and the projected numbers from the newsstands didn't add up, Ball decided the magazine was no longer a safe investment. Forking over the dough is another.
Clout does have alternatives.
Ylisela maintains control of the name and the URLs for the Web site, but Ylisela says he never envisioned Clout to be strictly an Internet magazine. Now Clout is dormant while Ylisela tracks down other financiers. Still, Ylisela believes Clout has a chance to succeed despite its bad luck. His dream may be up in the air, but Ylisela's feet remain firmly on the ground.