Spinning

Bigge

One of the largest
Internet providers
acquires Detroit-based
Online Marketing

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LYNNE MEREDITH COHN

Staff Writer

>=C

I t was bigger than they had ever
dreamed it could be.
In 1995, brothers Jonathan
and Jeff Dwoskin and child-
hood cronie Scott Segal got together
to form Online Marketing Company
with zero dollars, no investors and a
lot of hope. Fast forward a few years,
and they're sitting on a multimillion
dollar business that caught the eye of
one of the biggest Internet providers,
USWeb Corporation, which has more

than 40 offices in North America.
On Sept. 30, 1997, Santa Clara,
Calif.-based USWeb purchased Online
Marketing Company for about $1
million, according to filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
That means that the Dwoskins and
Segal are still running the company
they created, but with a lot more cash
in hand.
The three are still partners in the
Detroit office, said Jon Dwoskin, who
wasn't surprised by the buyout.
Online Marketing worked with
companies to determine and imple-

surprised because it was always our
ment business solutions using Internet
intention to create a company with a
technology. To date, the company has
strong niche, become the largest in
about 200 active clients and has done
Michigan and go international.
more than 300 projects. Since its cre-
"What was so convenient
ation, the company has grown
was
USWeb found us. They
Jeff
and
Jon
at a rate of about 500 percent
had
been
pursuing us for
Dwoskin
and
a year, according to Jon
Scott Segal, seat- about a year, and then it just
Dwoskin. He declined to give
ed, have just
all worked. It was a perfect
further financial information.
"I always knew — because been bought out. marriage."
The Dwoskins and Segal
of the passion and dedication
now
focus on sales, bringing
and persistence that Jeff, Scott
in
new
business,
"the rainmakers if
and myself and every single person on
you
will,"
Jon
said.
our team put forth — that we would
Geoff Kerr, partner, corporate rela-
grow as we did," he said. "I was never

1/9
1998

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