On the Web: The New World of Direct Marketing

I had breakfast with a couple at a conference recently. The woman was the founder of a business that sells beads to home hobbyists for bracelets and necklaces. Her partner runs the back-office operations for the business. I asked how they started their business.

"I've always enjoyed making bracelets and necklaces," the woman began. "But most craft stores don't stock the really interesting beads or take the time to offer patterns and instructions. It's just too specialized. I saw an opportunity to start a company for people who shared my passion. I began out of my home. Now we ship about 30,000 orders a year, have a warehouse and are 
adding staff."