One of its most successful early businesses was scraping message boards to find mentions of brand names for corporate clients.

WSJ: 'Scrapers' Dig Deep for Data on the Web

Puris has knitted together a network of 32 new-media agencies to offer their services to the kind of big-brand clients he took care of for decades.

FORBES: Magazine Article

The direct sales model also lends itself to fostering personal relationships between sales associates and their clients, creating brand loyalty and opening up opportunities for expansion through networking and word of mouth.

FORBES: The Future Of E-Commerce: Bridging The Online/Offline Gap

Instead of just approaching potential sponsors with his list of racing awards, he now comes to them with a business plan--counting the hours of TV coverage in Europe and how much it would cost to advertise in such channels, for example, to show potential clients that an investment in his brand would be a wise move.

WSJ: Racing to a Goal -- on Track and Off

Backed by financial partners who include Gateway's Theodore Waitt, he recently ponied up an undisclosed amount for the near-defunct Pony sneaker brand, with the intention of having his hip clients appear in the shoes.

FORBES: Dog-and-Pony Show