e-Lobbying: A presidential sex scandal got their nonprofit off the ground. Now their 300,000 politically conscious members keep it going

Entrepreneur, Nov, 2001 by Peter Kooiman

VITAL STATS: Wes Boyd, 41 and Joan Blades, 45, of Berkeley, California-based MoveOn.org

COMPANY: Online nonprofit political advocacy group started in 1998

2001 NUMBERS: 300,000 members

MONICA, MONICA, MONICA: "MoveOn started in the middle of the Clinton impeachment scandal, when we were sick to death of hearing about Monica Lewinsky." says Blades.

SNOWBALL EFFECT: "We decided to post a petition online, saying Congress must censure Clinton and move on," says Blades. "We sent it to 100 of our friends and family, and within a week, we had 100,000 signatures. Once we had those names, we let representatives know how people felt. Since then, we've learned a lot about politics. We raised more than $2 million [during] the last election...to bring Congress back to the people."

THINKING LOCAL: "We're looking for new ways every day to help people connect with their leadership and with the political process. And the Internet's a great tool for helping people participate," says Boyd.

TECH ROOTS: "In 1987, we started Berkeley Systems, which was best known for the flying toasters screensavers and a game called You Don't Know Jack," says Boyd. "We sold [Berkeley] in 1997, after we had grown it to 160 people and $30 million. Now we mostly volunteer our time. We get a lot done with not a lot of money."