<i>"... If you were to begin a start-up today, make sure to begin with a strong business model and comprehensive technology. Google is a great example. Early on in their development, they focused on their technology and business model. ..."</i><p>Cobblers.<p>What you read sometimes is such tripe. Google focused almost exclusively on their technology from the start at Stanford in '97 to 2000. AdWords which generates most of Googles revenue was an afterthought bolt-on ~ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AdWords#History" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AdWords#History</a> AdSense was created from a Startup purchase in 2003 ~ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AdSense#History" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AdSense#History</a> Up till then Google had no real revenue but lots of users.
It has been mentioned again and again that some of the best companies were born out of economic slowdown! Perhaps difficult times makes you wise spender (True).