Small Biz

Nathaniel Stevens, 24

Yodle
New York

A few years ago, Wharton undergraduate Nathaniel Stevens was home trying to help his parents drum up prospects for their car dealership but became frustrated with the lead generation companies he contacted. He knew plenty of customers ventured online to shop but thought it was too difficult for small businesses to develop a presence there. So Stevens took a leave of absence from Wharton and started Yodle, an advertising services company that serves local businesses that lack the time or expertise to advertise online.

Stevens says the 55-employee company, which uses the tagline "Clicks Are Great, Calls Are Better,” makes money from clients who pay Yodle when their advertising results in customer phone calls. He says the company, which launched in August, 2005, expects to have approximately 1,000 customers by end of the year. Stevens received venture funding in November, 2006, and plans to open six to eight additional offices around the country within the next 12 months.