Rollup, Spinout

Earlier this week, I received an email from Alissa Pinck, a PR representative for Etoys Direct. In the email, she included a timeline of the company’s history — and I found it quite interesting.

1998 eToys.com launches

May 1999 eToys Inc. announces IPO

June 1999 KB Toys launches online site

March 2001 eToys Inc. files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and shuts down

Summer 2001 KB Toys purchases most of eToys’ assets and launches an “eToys” store

October 2001 New eToys site launched by KB Toys

May 2004 Company becomes eToys Direct after separating with KB Toys, and management partners with D.E. Shaw to purchase KB Toys’ online assets

Today eToys Direct, a privately held company, reports EBITDA profit for fiscal 2004

I was intrigued by two things. One, the experience of being rolled up into a larger organization and then later spinning out to become a more successful standalone business. And two, the timeline format of considering a company’s history.

Were you to make a timeline for your business — or your career — what would it look like? Might be a neat approach to a short-form business bio.