By the winter of 2001, the GBFs began dying out like the lumbering dinosaurs of old. Because of their gargantuan size, they couldn't adapt to the suddenly frigid funding climate. Yet this was not the end of life on the Internet. As the thundering footfalls of the GBFs died away, millions of survivors could finally make their voices heard. The truth is, there are millions of profitable Web sites.
Small businesses have lower overhead, greater flexibility, and faster time to market.
Small businesses and sole proprietors can make decisions quickly and turn on a dime, unburdened by the need to carry out yearly business plans or fixed budgets. Executives at a women's site that I had contact with actually rejected a deal because they didn't want to amend their six-month operating plan. In this rapidly changing market, six months is an eternity. You have to be able to shift in six days, or even better, in 60 minutes. Small businesses are also more creative.