Ah, the early 2000s. A simpler time when your biggest business decision might’ve been “Should we put the website URL on the fax cover sheet?” and when LimeWire was a viable (albeit legally questionable) file-sharing solution. If you were running a business back then, chances are you were juggling floppy disks, AOL CDs, and a whole lot of blind faith.

Let’s take a quick (and slightly cringey) stroll down memory lane and look at 5 everyday business tasks and how they’ve evolved—from “Clippy” to cloud.

1. Sending Files: Burned CDs vs. Cloud Storage

Then: Need to send a client a batch of photos? Burn them to a CD, write “Important!” in Sharpie, and pop it in the mail. Bonus points if you included a Post-it with “Let me know if it doesn’t open 😬.”

Now: We drag and drop to Google Drive, Dropbox, or heck—just send a Canva link with edit access. 

2. Building a Website: DIY Chaos vs. Custom Sites That Actually Work

Then: You either knew a guy who “did websites,” or you cracked open Dreamweaver and hoped your cousin’s roommate could teach you HTML over AIM. Your homepage might’ve had a scrolling marquee and—if you were really fancy—a hit counter.

Now: At GoWeb1, we build custom Shopify sites that look amazing *and* convert—whether you're launching an online store or revamping your digital storefront for a better customer experience. Not selling products? No problem. We also design and develop non-eCommerce websites, from complex multi-page builds to sleek, high-impact landing pages that drive traffic and leads. Bottom line: if your website still says “under construction,” we should talk.

3. Getting Paid: Paper Invoices & Checkbooks

Then: You typed up an invoice in Microsoft Word, printed it, maybe even faxed it (!!!) or snail-mailed it with a return envelope and hoped for a check in 6–8 weeks.

Now: Online tools like Stripe, QuickBooks, and Square make getting paid faster than ever. Auto-reminders and payment links are the new paper trail.

4. Marketing: Mass Emails and Spray-and-Pray

Then: You'd BCC 150 people from Outlook, hit “Send,” and pray it didn’t bounce or land in a spam folder abyss. If someone replied “UNSUBSCRIBE,” it meant manually deleting them from your contact list. Oof.

Now: You can segment, automate, and analyze like a pro with tools like our very own GoTime360 platform! 

5. Customer Support: Phone Trees and Sticky Notes

Then: Customer service meant someone (you) answering the landline with a headset, scribbling messages on sticky notes, and digging through email chains for order details.

Now: CRMs can organize your customer data, automate responses, and let your team follow up faster than you can say “No, Karen, we don’t have your order from 2004.” Again, GoTime360 is where it's at for customer organization. 

Feeling a Little… Retro?

If any of this hits a little too close to home—maybe you still have an AOL email lurking on your business card, or you’re keeping a fax machine “just in case”—don’t worry. GoWeb1 is here to help you ditch the digital dial-up and step confidently into 2025.

Let’s modernize your business tools, streamline your workflows, and make technology work for you (not against you). Drop us a line—no CD-ROM required.

👉 Contact Us Today