Alex Reid

My project-turn-empire “New Winnipeg” celebrates its sixth year this week.

I remember when people laughed at me for starting an “internet” business six years ago. Perhaps it was because they didn’t understand what the Internet was. Maybe they didn’t have faith in me. Or maybe it was simply because it was mere weeks after the infamous stock-market bubble burst of 2000.

Ironically, my initial investment money was my profit from the IPO bubble. I held stocks in about.com and I jumped ship less than two weeks before the market crashed. While many lost money – a friend tells me her dad lost a quarter million dollars from the bubble – I made off with $4000; roughly four times what I had invested. All of that went to the business that would change focus after I made a second investment in 2002, after I quit my job at shitty hall (which was one of the best decisions I ever made).

Sure I worked lots and I sacrificed more, but the real thanks goes to everyone I do business with. From large partners to the little guy with a $9 account; I say happy birthday to you!!

I think when clients are prepaying into the next decade, you know business is good.