The Big Bang

While much controversy exists around the big bang theory of life, looking at the genesis of life for a business is slightly less contentious.

Creating a successful new business is all about addressing needs, having good timing and rapidly leveraging successes when they come. Above all, one common strain in the success DNA of businesses that hit it big is that when they started they addressed a very specific niche market; got it right here and then moved onwards and upwards. This should serve as good advise to anyone starting out on their own.

The case studies listed below are all very interesting in their own right. Thanks goes to the blog Start-Up Review.com

MySpace: Not a purely viral start

Facebook: Offline behavior drives online usage

Newegg: Sense of community amongst users

Digg: Why techies are an important audience

Craigslist: Culture of trust

iStockphoto: How to evolve from a free community site to successful business

YouTube: Widget marketing comes of age