Catherine & Dave Cook Internet entrepreneurs Country: USA

Internet Entrepreneurs
Catherine and Dave Cook, also known as the Cook siblings, are successful internet entrepreneurs. They created the website myYearbook.com six years ago when they were still in high school. Initially, the website was a small tool for classmates to communicate online. However, over the years, the website has grown into an impressive project with approximately 32.7 million registered users and 2.4 billion site visits per month.

Support from Older Brother
The Cook siblings received support from their older brother, Geoff Cook, who had prior experience in the online business industry. Geoff had already earned a substantial amount of money from his own start-up ventures while studying at Harvard University. To support his siblings, he allocated $250,000 from his earnings, which helped launch the website. The Cook siblings did not expect this level of success, and they are currently ecstatic about the outcome.

Merger with Quepasa.com
Quepasa.com, a Florida-based media group, recognized the potential of myYearbook.com and acquired it for $100 million. The merger will not significantly change Catherine's life, as the new owners do not plan to shut down the project. Therefore, she will continue working on the website with the same level of dedication. Dave Cook, who is about to finish his studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder, will also continue working on the website after completing his planned tasks. The goal of the myYearbook.com team is to make their site the best place for people worldwide to find new connections.

Unique Features
While there are already numerous social networking websites on the Internet, the Cooks do not intend to compete with giants like Facebook. Unlike Mark Zuckerberg's creation, myYearbook.com focuses on helping users find new acquaintances rather than connecting with existing ones. The website will offer standard social features, such as multiplayer games and video chats. Additionally, the company is working on transitioning to mobile platforms.

Future Plans
Currently, myYearbook.com and Quepasa.com will remain separate entities. However, there are plans to merge them gradually. Initially, users will be able to access both sites with one login and password. Eventually, the integration will reach a deeper level. Quepasa.com was not the only company interested in the Cook siblings' project, but they chose it due to its compatibility with myYearbook.com. Out of the $100 million deal, the Cooks received $18 million in cash and $82 million in Quepasa shares.

Life after the Deal
With their newfound wealth, Catherine plans to buy a Mustang and explore the world. She also plans to purchase popular artworks for her apartment.