Small Biz

Adegga

Launched: October, 2007
Founded by: André Cid, André Ribeirinho, and Emídio Santos
Number of employees: 3
Traffic: n/a
Founders' favorite wine at the moment: Cortes de Cima Reserva 2003

What it does: Social network with profiles, watch lists, and price comparison
How it makes money: Paid listings and referrals to wine retailers and producers

Three Portuguese entrepreneurs launched a beta version of Adegga in October. Billed as "social wine discovery," the site allows users to create watch-lists to see what their friends, wine producers, or shops are tasting and talking about. Users can also search for wines and compare prices. The trio's biggest challenge was sticking to their original concept while listening to suggestions from potential investors and people in the wine industry. "We could be tempted to change our project to please everyone. Thankfully, we have listened to everyone, but ended up doing what we thought was the right path for our project."

Secret to success: "Have an idea, make a plan, and stick to it. There will always be people who tell you that you're wrong," says André Ribeirinho. "Listen to everyone [as they may have good advice], but stick to your plan if you think you're right."