Jonathan Davis, 30
Portland, Ore.
Laid off from: First Franklin Financial Corp., May 2008
New venture: GreenPosting.org
Last year's profile
Where he is now: After less than a year selling subprime mortgages at First Franklin, Jonathan Davis knew the troubled lender was tanking. Before he was laid off, he decided to start an online venture that connected consumers devoted to sustainable living with businesses in the Portland area that wanted to trumpet their "green" bona fides. The site caught on within the community. Davis says he now has about 20 regular advertisers and revenue is double what it was last year—and is on track to continue to grow at that rate. He is also expanding into "sustainability consulting," essentially evaluating waste streams and helping implement changes. His first client was the California Alumni Assn., which hired him to make its summer camps greener. Davis says he earns enough money to support himself and isn't planning to go back on the job market.
