In the go-go era, small Net businesses looked quaint. Now, they battle the giants of their industry. Someone happening upon one of the Websites of Wilson Internet Services for the first time might imagine an army of writers and editors working behind the scenes, all fed by venture capital millions. Wilson Internet Services is largely the work of one man. Ralph F. Wilson, a Baptist minister, runs the site, handling ad sales and nearly all of the writing, with the help of just two link editors and his daughter, Ann, as subcontractors.
Net businesses have some powerful advantages in today's economic climate.
They can change directions and respond to market trends on a dime. They can build depth and loyalty in narrow but profitable niches. And they can chug ahead in the black without having to please investors who suddenly lose their stomach for risk. If I'm at a conference, I can have new information in the hands of my loyal audience within minutes, whereas anyone else will take at least a day. When a press release comes out on a hot topic, I'll interview key executives and put together a story long before the larger media have woken up.