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Growing a Company in ’09

I’ve been thinking a lot about growing a company in the ’09 environment.  Who hasn’t?  Yesterday I was speaking with Peter Wylie (Fierce Online Video) about the year, the technology the challenges, etc.  I guess two things that really stood out for me (after verbalizing them…thanks Pete).  Our industry is still populated with lots of very small companies, and these small companies need to withstand this year’s economic onslaught.  Small industries like ours, with new technologies and efficiencies, have always depended upon the support of both the venture community and the larger business community.  The venture community provides cash in front of the growth and the business community provides the growth.   While these two pillars are certainly still supportive, they have become more selective, even cynical.  In what universe was our industry supposed to have a better collective balance sheet than Lehman and AIG?  So what’s my point?  This year is fraught with opportunity.  We have the opportunity to grow our businesses, wean our VC appetite and consolidate to profitability. As many of my college friends were able to stuff 4 years of education into 5 or 6 years of attendance, we can stuff 3 or 4 years of change into 1 or 2.  I think that is enormously exciting for all of us.

- Mark P.