Jonathan Davis, 29

Portland, Ore.
Laid off from: First Franklin Financial Corporation, May, 2008
New venture: GreenPosting.org

After less than a year selling subprime mortgages at First Franklin, Jonathan Davis knew the troubled lender was tanking. Before he was laid off, he decided to start an online venture "that made me feel good about myself—where I was helping others." The result is GreenPosting.org, a community site that targets consumers in the Portland area devoted to "green living." The site, which went live in October 2008, makes money selling ads to local businesses that want to trumpet their sustainability efforts. David says the venture is still gaining traction but hopes to make a living from it by the end of 2009.