The Internet's First Entrepreneur

Alan Meckler was the first person to create a commercial Internet business venture back in 1990. This was several years before the introduction of the World Wide Web (1993). How did this come about? Meckler recounts how his publishing and business experiences prior to 1990 prepared him to venture into the commercial Internet arena. This book is the first to cover the "wild west" days of money flooding into venture capital, IPOs and the beginnings of Internet creative destruction of media, commerce and technology operations that continues today. The author recounts one on one meetings with the likes of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Sheldon Adelson, Mark Cuban, Robert Kennedy and many others. Meckler also provides hard learned lessons for up and coming entrepreneurs on fund raising and managing start ups and personnel. This is also a very personal book as it delves into Meckler's battles with dyslexia, family bankruptcy, military training and financial wins and losses.

It is hard to believe that the Internet, World Wide Web, WiFi and social media were not part of our lives in 1990. There were very few so-called Internet Pioneers who foresaw so much of our present day use of the Internet thirty years ago. Alan Meckler is an Internet Pioneer. Meckler was the first person to start a venture in the commercial Internet space (October, 1990). There was no World Wide Web. There were few means to connect to the Internet back then. Yet Meckler anticipated that the Internet would be a "black swan event" and that it would revolutionize all aspects of personal and commercial life. The author uses over 100 vignettes to relate his experiences as at first a library technology publisher working with microfiches and microfilm and then evolving into CD-ROM, Virtual Reality and then the Internet. The book is a history, but also a very personal memoir of a career entrepreneur and all the difficulties one encounters with raising funds, dealing with cash flow shortages, personnel and getting people to believe in the next big thing. Meckler also recounts overcoming dyslexia, military experiences, and incredible one on one meetings with the likes of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Cuban, Jerry Yang, Sheldon Adelson and even Robert F. Kennedy. Meckler's memoir is also a must read for up and coming entrepreneurs as he offers valuable lessons learned in a 50-year career.

Alan Marshall Meckler is an Internet Pioneer and started the first commercial Internet venture in 1990 prior to the launch of the World Wide Web. His company, Mecklermedia, produced the trade show Internet World in 20 countries (1990-1998). Meckler has been at the forefront of technology developments such as recorded books, CD-ROM, paid search, 3D Printing, Quantum Technology and more. This memoir recounts meetings with the likes of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Cuban, Sheldon Adelson and Jack Ma and Robert F. Kennedy. Meckler provides numerous lessons for those interested in starting a business and for those operating an enterprise and fund raising. Meckler also discussed his dyslexia and how it affected his early days and later in business and personal life. This is not only a powerful business memoir, but also a highly personal guide for future entrepreneurs.