A weakening economy could even be a plus for this business. She also recently announced a strategic partnership with Microsoft. While other new technology companies were buying Super Bowl ad time in 1999, eBay hung back and waited until December 2000 to launch a big ad campaign. Revenue, by the way, rose 92 percent in 2000. Look for eBay's auto, real estate, and business-services categories to expand.
Acquisitions now come cheap.
Toy Story Whitman used to manage Mr. Potato Head for Hasbro. Last year, some questioned whether the relatively untested Whitman should have even made our list. Her performance over the past 12 months should establish her bona fides. She launched regional versions of eBay to allow local buyers and sellers to more easily exchange cars and other big-ticket items that can't fit in a shipping carton. She acquired Billpoint, an electronic billing service that enables buyers and sellers to pay one another with credit cards.