Best of Bootstrapping: Bootstrapped an E-commerce Venture to $50M

When we spoke in 2018, SmartBuyGlasses Co-CEO David Menning had bootstrapped a global e-commerce venture from Hong Kong to $50M. Splendid execution! Sramana Mitra: Let’s start at the very beginning of your journey. Where are you from? Where were you born, raised, and in what kind of background? David Menning: I grew up in Sydney. I’ve

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Blue Nile, WebMD Seeing Success With Mobile Apps

According to Forrester, online retail sales in the United States will increase 16% over the year to $52 billion this holiday season. In a survey of 4,700 U.S. online consumers surveyed for the report, 37%said they expect to make holiday purchases on the Web this year, compared with 30% in 2009. Mobile phones are also

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1Mby1M Deal Radar 2010: Blacksocks, Zurich

Blacksocks is an e-commerce site that delivers high-end socks for men by “sockscription.” Customers can select the quantity and frequency to receive socks automatically or order individual pairs from a selection of five styles: calf-length business socks, business light (made from a lighter cotton), knee socks, sport socks, or cashmere socks. The company also carries

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The 1M1M Deal Radar 2010: DollarDays, Scottsdale, Arizona

DollarDays International is an online wholesaler that helps small businesses compete against larger enterprises by offering more than 80,000 high-quality goods at closeout and wholesale prices close to those at which large chains purchase the same merchandise.

The 1M1M Deal Radar 2010: SitStay ,Lincoln,Nebraska

SitStay, Inc. started as an online mom-and-pop dog supply store that has become one of the largest dog supply retailers on the Internet, defying conventional wisdom about the viability of selling pet products online. Readers may recall the failure of Petopia and the collapse of Amazon-backed Pets.com, which raised $82.5 million in an IPO in

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Forbes Column 2010: These Companies Are Built To Enjoy

Compelling opportunities for angel investors and entrepreneurs lie with companies like these. Read more in this week’s Forbes column, These Companies Are Built To Enjoy.

1Mby1M Incubation Radar 2010: La Grande Dame

[Note: We’re launching The 1M/1M Incubation Radar with La Grande Dame today and will be featuring many more sub-$1 million revenue companies that we believe can reach the prized $1 million mark. We will be bringing the series to the attention of seed stage investors for those entrepreneurs looking for financing. And we hope it

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1Mby1M Deal Radar 2010: ShopForBags.com

ShopForBags (SFB) is a women-owned apparel and handbags distributor that targets small-town salons, boutiques, and retail outlets. It also has its own private label, Katydid. The company sells handbags, messenger bags, laptop bags, belts and wallets, and apparel for women, men, and children.