The Florida Times Union
February 6, 2006

Serving the SMB community, one Web site at a time
Website Pros, once a struggling business, has turned itself around by redefining its services.
By Mark Basch

Five years ago, Website Pros Inc. was a company on the verge of going out of business.

The company had only been in business for about a year after acquiring the assets of Jacksonville-based Atlantic Teleservices. But its owner, Norwest Venture Partners, decided it couldn't succeed in its main business of designing Internet Web sites. So the owner was ready to shut the company down.

David Brown, President and CEO of Website Pros, Inc. in the server room of the Gran Bay Parkway offices. Brown brought the company back from the brink of failure.

"They had already written off their investment," said current Website Pros President and CEO David Brown.
Brown founded Atlantic Teleservices and retired after selling it to the venture capital firm. But after meeting with the firm's officials, he decided to come back and run the company with a new management team.

"We decided, let's just see if we can't survive and get the business back on its feet," Brown said.

"In a very short period of time, we had a company that was cranking," he said.

The company went public in November to position itself for future expansion, selling 6.8 million shares of common stock at $10 each.

Website Pros offers Internet development services to small and medium-sized businesses. With a target market of about 22 million U.S. businesses, it sees a great opportunity for growth.

"Small businesses do need help getting on the Internet," said Brown.

The difference between Website Pros now and in 2000, when it was ready to close, is that the company now offers more than just Web design. It also "optimizes" Web sites, creating a site that potential customers can find.

"It's not just about having a Web site anymore. It's about having a Web site that does something for your business," Brown said.