midPhase + Dan Ushman + Zak Boca

If you're looking to host a small business website, any good shortlist is likely to include at least one of these: midPhase, Autica Hosting, or AN Hosting. All 3 of these are midPhase brands (Autica and AN were purchased in 2004). They currently host about 75,000 sites.

midPhase was started three years ago by Dan Ushman and Zak Boca. Both had previous experience with managing online ad networks. The web hosting business is a crowded market so being able to stand out is key. Flexing their online marketing muscle they've amassed a network of 10,000 affiliates (including Yahoo) which has contributed to their 75% grown over the past year. And recently they launched SingleHop to offer managed dedicated servers.

Dimensions:  36 people x 3 years x $6.5 MM (2006 projection)
Funding: $1,800 in credit card debt
Customers: Any small business with a website, and mid-size companies who need dedicated hardware
Location: Chicago [Loop] + Ukraine + www.midphase.com