business.com
An American digital media and B2B marketing company serving small and midsize businesses with business information, vendor discovery, and performance-marketing services.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
business.com is an American digital media and business-to-business marketing company focused on the information and purchasing needs of small and midsize businesses. Its platform combines editorial content, business advice, product comparisons, vendor and service directories, and marketing products designed to connect B2B suppliers with prospective customers. Its commercial offerings have included pay-per-lead and pay-per-click advertising, display advertising, email marketing, content marketing, demand generation, and sales-ready lead generation. The company was founded in 1999 by Jake Winebaum, formerly chairman of the Walt Disney Internet Group, and Sky Dayton, an entrepreneur associated with EarthLink, Boingo Wireless, and other technology ventures. The business was built around the valuable business.com domain, which Winebaum's eCompanies Ventures acquired from Marc Ostrofsky for $7.5 million. Early institutional financing included a reported $61 million raised in 2000 from Pearson, Reed Business Information, McGraw Hill, and other investors. Initially, the company sought to become a leading search destination for small-business and corporate information. Like many internet companies founded during the dot-com era, Business.com encountered difficult market conditions and substantially changed direction. Beginning in 2002, it reduced its workforce and shifted toward a performance-based advertising model. That restructuring eventually produced profitability in April 2003, followed by a further $10 million venture investment from Benchmark Capital in November 2004. The company subsequently broadened its web presence, including the launch of Work.com in 2006, a community-oriented site offering business how-to guides. Work.com was sold in 2012 and later became associated with Salesforce's corporate performance-management products. Business.com changed ownership several times. R.H. Donnelley announced a $345 million acquisition in 2007 after competing with several major media and internet companies, and the transaction closed that August. R.H. Donnelley's later bankruptcy and reorganization led to the emergence of Dex One Corporation. Resource Nation acquired the Business.com brand and related assets in 2011 with financial backing from JMI Equity. Tony Uphoff became chief executive in 2013, during a period that included a redesign, a new logo, expanded products, and investment in content-management, analytics, and big-data systems. Purch Group acquired Business.com in 2016. When Future acquired Purch's consumer properties in 2018, Business.com was excluded from that transaction and was treated separately from the acquired consumer portfolio. The brand's operating model has continued to center on B2B content and performance marketing: helping business users research products and services while giving vendors measurable ways to reach decision-makers. Its audience includes growth companies, entrepreneurs, and the wider B2B community, and its content operation had published more than 15,000 pieces by November 2014.
History
Business.com was established in 1999 by Jake Winebaum and Sky Dayton. Winebaum had led the Walt Disney Internet Group, while Dayton was known for founding or helping establish several internet and communications companies. The venture was organized around the business.com domain, purchased from Marc Ostrofsky by Winebaum's eCompanies Ventures for $7.5 million. In 2000, Pearson, Reed Business Information, McGraw Hill, and other investors provided approximately $61 million in early financing. The original concept was a search engine and information destination for small businesses and corporate users. The company faced the severe conditions of the dot-com downturn. Beginning in 2002, it carried out large layoffs and reoriented its business toward performance-based advertising. Rather than depending primarily on a general search model, Business.com developed ways for advertisers to pay for measurable user actions and commercial leads. This repositioning helped the company report profitability in April 2003. Benchmark Capital supplied an additional $10 million in venture financing in November 2004. Business.com expanded its editorial and community ambitions through Work.com, launched on October 9, 2006. Work.com offered business how-to material contributed by members of the small-business community. The property was sold in March 2012 and subsequently became associated with Salesforce's corporate performance-management platform. The main Business.com operation continued to develop its directory, editorial, advertising, and lead-generation activities. On July 26, 2007, R.H. Donnelley announced that it planned to acquire Business.com for a reported $345 million. The buyer had competed with Dow Jones, The New York Times Company, IAC/InterActiveCorp, and News Corp. The transaction closed on August 23, 2007. R.H. Donnelley's financial difficulties culminated in a Chapter 11 filing in 2009. The company emerged on February 1, 2010, as Dex One Corporation. In February 2011, Resource Nation acquired the Business.com brand and associated assets, with JMI Equity supporting the transaction. Tony Uphoff's appointment as CEO was announced in January 2013. Under the renewed leadership, Business.com introduced a refreshed website, new visual identity, and a broader set of products in March 2013. In August 2014, it added new content-management, analytics, and big-data platforms. These investments supported a model combining editorial resources for business users with data-driven marketing services for B2B advertisers. By November 2014, the site was reported to host more than 15,000 pieces of content. The company launched LENS in December 2014 as a lead-expansion and nurturing service. Its broader commercial toolkit included display advertising, pay-per-click and pay-per-lead programs, email marketing, content marketing, demand generation, directory listings, and lead generation for sales-ready prospects. Advertisers cited in company descriptions included large B2B technology and services companies as well as smaller vendors. Purch Group acquired Business.com in June 2016. In 2018, Future acquired Purch's consumer properties, but Business.com was not included in that acquisition and was instead separated from the consumer portfolio. The brand's documented role is therefore distinct from Future's consumer media assets: it operates as a B2B-oriented digital destination combining business information, product and service discovery, and performance marketing. Current ownership and executive details are not established by the supplied reference material.
- 2018
Business.com excluded from Future's Purch acquisition
[1]Future acquires Purch's consumer properties, while Business.com is separated from the transaction.
- 2016
Purch Group acquisition
[1]Purch Group acquires Business.com.
- 2014
Platform modernization and LENS launch
[1]Business.com introduces content, analytics, and big-data platforms and later launches LENS for lead expansion and nurturing.
- 2013
Website and product refresh
[1]The company introduces a refreshed site, new logo, and expanded product suite after Tony Uphoff becomes CEO.
- 2011
Resource Nation acquires the brand
[1]Resource Nation acquires Business.com and related assets with JMI Equity funding support.
- 2007
R.H. Donnelley acquisition closes
[1]R.H. Donnelley completes its reported $345 million acquisition of Business.com.
- 2006
Work.com launches
[1]Business.com launches Work.com, a community-oriented site featuring small-business how-to guides.
- 2004
Benchmark Capital investment
[1]Benchmark Capital provides an additional $10 million in venture financing.
- 2003
Business.com reaches profitability
[1]The company achieves profitability in April after its strategic repositioning.
- 2002
Business model restructuring
[1]Following layoffs and pressure from the dot-com downturn, Business.com shifts toward a pay-for-performance advertising model.
Products and positioning
A practical information, discovery, and demand-generation platform for small and midsize businesses and B2B marketers.
Digital business media · 1999
Business.com editorial platform
The core platform publishes business advice, industry news, trend coverage, and practical guidance for entrepreneurs, small companies, growth businesses, and B2B professionals. Its editorial role complements the site's commercial functions by helping users research operational needs and potential suppliers. The site was reported to contain more than 15,000 pieces of content by November 2014.
B2B discovery
Vendor directories and product comparisons
Business.com provides directory listings and comparison-oriented resources that help small and midsize businesses evaluate products, services, and vendors. These listings also function as a commercial acquisition channel for providers seeking qualified business prospects.
B2B marketing · 2002
Performance advertising
The company has offered measurable advertising formats including pay-per-click, pay-per-lead, display advertising, and related demand-generation programs. The model was central to Business.com's post-2002 restructuring and was intended to connect advertisers with business audiences while tying expenditure to traffic, inquiries, or leads.
Lead nurturing · 2014
LENS
Launched in December 2014, LENS was described as a lead-expansion and nurturing service within Business.com's demand-generation portfolio. It was designed to extend the value of initial prospect acquisition by supporting continued engagement with potential customers.
Business education · 2006
Work.com
Work.com was a separate site launched by Business.com in 2006. It featured business how-to guides contributed by the small-business community. Business.com sold the property in March 2012, and it later became associated with Salesforce's corporate performance-management platform.
Brand decisions
2016
Acquisition by Purch GroupM&ABackground
Business.com had changed ownership several times since its acquisition by R.H. Donnelley and subsequent purchase by Resource Nation.
Action taken
Purch Group acquired Business.com.
Aftermath
When Future later acquired Purch's consumer properties, Business.com was excluded and treated separately.
2014
Launch of LENSProduct launchBackground
Business.com was expanding its demand-generation services for advertisers seeking qualified B2B prospects.
Action taken
The company introduced LENS as a lead-expansion and nurturing service.
Aftermath
LENS became part of the documented suite of demand-generation products.
2013
Digital platform and product refreshStrategyBackground
After a change in executive leadership, Business.com pursued a stronger and more modernized B2B media and marketing proposition.
Action taken
The company launched a refreshed site, new logo, and expanded product suite, followed by new content-management, analytics, and big-data platforms in 2014.
Aftermath
The investments supported expanded editorial operations and data-driven advertising and lead-generation products.
2006
Launch of Work.comProduct launchBackground
Business.com sought to broaden its utility for small businesses beyond search, directories, and advertising.
Action taken
It launched Work.com with community-contributed business how-to guides.
Aftermath
Work.com was sold in March 2012 and later became associated with Salesforce.
2002
Shift to pay-for-performance advertisingStrategyBackground
The original search and information model was under pressure during the dot-com downturn and was accompanied by major layoffs.
Action taken
Business.com restructured around a performance-based advertising network, including commercial models tied to clicks and leads.
Aftermath
The company reported profitability in April 2003 and continued developing measurable B2B marketing products.
Sources2 sources
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