Centerfield

Business.com's story begins in 1999, a period buzzing with the .com boom. Founded by Jake Winebaum, former chairman of the Walt Disney Internet Group, and Sky Dayton, the visionary behind Earthlink and Boingo Wireless, the venture was ambitious from the outset. They made headlines by purchasing the 'Business.com' domain name for a then-staggering $7.5 million from Marc Ostrofsky. This move was met with some skepticism, but Winebaum and Dayton saw it as a sound investment in a powerful brand name that would require less marketing spend to establish. Early funding of $61 million in 2000 from prominent names like Pearson PLC, Reed Business Information, and McGraw Hill further solidified their launch. Initially, Business.com aimed to be the premier search engine for small business and corporate information.

The journey wasn't without its challenges. The bursting of the Dot-com bubble hit Business.com, leading to significant layoffs and a strategic pivot in 2002. The company refocused, developing a pay-for-performance ad network model, a move that proved successful, leading to profitability by April 2003. This resilience attracted further investment, including $10 million from Benchmark Capital in late 2004. Over the years, Business.com evolved, expanding its scope from a business directory to covering business news and eventually transforming into a comprehensive resource for entrepreneurs and startups. The company saw several ownership changes, including an acquisition by R.H. Donnelley Corporation in 2007 for approximately $345 million, and later by Purch Group in 2016. Most recently, in February 2021, Centerfield acquired Business.com. Today, Business.com is dedicated to supporting the millions of U.S. small and medium-sized businesses, providing them with the knowledge, resources, and tools needed to navigate every stage of the business lifecycle, from growth and expansion to maturity and even exit strategies. Their mission is to empower these businesses to thrive in the ever-changing modern landscape.