A Big Net

A mid-level manager for AutoTrader asked entrepreneur Jesse Biter a simple question about his future business plans one day while the duo chatted in an Atlanta office building.

At the time, Biter's company, Sarasota-based HomeNet Automotive, did a small amount of work for AutoTrader, a global leader in Internet car sales. HomeNet sells and installs proprietary inventory software for the auto industry.

But Biter had grandiose, not simple, plans. He thought HomeNet's full range of products would be a hit with top AutoTrader executives. “Their system had become antiquated,” says Biter, “while ours changes every week.”