Back in 1995 the same question was on everyone's lips – how could money be made from the Internet?

Advertising banners didn't seem to work well, and traditional media saw time and time again that repurposing their content for the online market didn't bring the bucks rolling in. Businesses were just about resigned to using the net as a sort of supplemental ad billboard. That is, before one company changed everyone's ideas of what could sell online.

That company was Amazon.com and it inspired an online retail revolution. Suddenly, businesses realized products could move over the net. They just had to find the right product and the right way to sell it.

That's when Jed Smith made his move. He'd seen Amazon.com's success and knew that an online retail outlet could work. But what to sell? Amazon had the book market sewn up. Smith took a look around and saw the billion dollar drug industry begging for an online solution. Customers wanted information and the convenience that comes from online shopping, and there was no company jumping on this need.

Smith jumped. He secured VC funding, got his team in place and started to grow. He knew there was limited time to grab what market share he could before the drugstore big boys wanted a piece. He knew, like other businesspeople do, that the net's wide-open opportunity wouldn't last forever. He knew that the time was now.

Don't Be Afraid to Grow Quickly

Drugstore.com went from 8 to 170 employees in just a few months and Smith wouldn't have it any other way. A business that's going to grow needs the employees to grow on and it needs them right away.

"At Drugstore.com there's not a lot of focus right now on culture building or things like that," Smith said. What there is focus on is just getting the job done. To build a world class brand in the drugstore space, takes $50 to $100 million just to get out there. You have to grow fast. You have to stay ahead of competition. You have to be smart. You have to add new features and make happy customers."

Smith credits Drugstore.com's savvy recruiter for building its team.

"Having a world class recruiter that can find the right people and help leverage and grow the company was an early incredibly smart move," Smith said. "People here are action oriented and totally focused on making happy customers. Our recruiter looked for smart people as the number one thing. Smart people looking to make a long-term decision instead of a short-term quick hit can add value to the company. They don't just come in for the job that they're being hired for. They grow with the opportunities that are going to evolve here."

Build Your Team Around the Customer

It's not enough to instruct your team to serve the customer. That's an easy call. But as Smith put it, the successful manager will actually use customer feedback to build a team that meets their needs perfectly.

"You try to find the people that have the experience, the ability to satisfy the distribution needs of those customers, the financing needs of the market," Smith said. "So you start with the customer, understand who they are, then find a world-class team for them."

Be Ready for Ups and Downs

It happens time and time again: a good business model or idea is stymied by a company that gives up or runs out of funding too quickly. How did Smith forestall doubts and economic downturn?

"It's a lifestyle decision. It's not just an economic or career decision," Smith said. "If you're actually going to start your own company, you just have to be prepared for high ups and low lows. It's a ride. Most entrepreneurial ventures fail and you need to be prepared for that."

"Keep an even balance," Smith advised. "Don't get too excited when something goes great and don't get too down when something doesn't. Learn from the successes and the failures. You take those lessons and you're able to do it."

Will you be able to do it? With a good idea, a good team and financing in place, the odds are with you. But if you lack courage, vision and decisiveness, all bets are off. There are a lot of opportunities out there - go find your own.