Being owned by eBay was making StumbleUpon sleepy, Garrett Camp concluded. He knew how to fix that.
Dale Ball took his company public, lost control of it, then was shown the door. He talks about his lessons learned.
14 Tales of Unexpected Success
Fourteen company builders talk about their successes, their failures, and the lessons they learned along the way.
Remo Belli shares how he went from playing the drums to selling them to musicians (and nonmusicians).
How I Did It: Eileen Gittins, Founder of Blurb
In spite of digital platforms, Blurb has found success letting customers design and publish professional-quality books.
Fashion’s un-diva never forgets what her customers want: simple, timeless styles.
How I Did It: John Vechey, Founder of PopCap
How a small company is capturing a big audience in the casual gaming market.
How I Did It: Bob Moore, Bob's Red Mill
Bob Moore was a middle-aged retiree when he launched his second career. He nurtured it into a $70 million business -- and then gave it away to his employees.
How I Did It: Jerry Murrell, Five Guys Burgers and Fries
Along with his sons, Jerry Murrell of Five Guys Burgers and Fries built a 570-store chain that enjoys a cult following.
How I Did It: Omniture's Josh James
He built a Web analytics company into a powerhouse, then sold it to Adobe for $1.8 billion.
How I Did It: Arianna Huffington
The founder of the Huffington Post on the business of creating a platform of 4,000 opinionmakers.
Rob Dyrdek of MTV's Fantasy Factory chronicles his rise from a teenage skateboarder in Ohio to a "skatetrepreneur" now at the helm of an entertainment and fashion empire.
How I Did It: Ralph Braun of BraunAbility
Bound to a wheelchair but not confined by it, he built a $200 million empire.
How I Did It: Stan Lee of Marvel Comics
The creator of Spider-Man, the Hulk, and the X-Men talks about how he has stayed creative for more than 60 years.
The famed chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck of Spago in Hollywood reveals how he built his culinary empire
How I Did It: Alden Mills of Perfect Fitness
A Navy SEAL's search for the perfect pushup leads to an entrepreneurial medal of honor
How I Did It: Matt Johnston of Workway
Two years ago, Workway's largest customer was Countrywide Financial. How did the company survive--and thrive?
