David J. Moore releases book on surviving the dot-com crash

David J. Moore’s new book, “The 24/7 CEO,” is out now through Forbes Books and available on Amazon and major booksellers. The memoir recounts how he helped steer 24/7 Media through the dot-com collapse and distills leadership lessons for today’s executives.

Why it matters: - The book turns a dot-com era survival story into a leadership playbook for founders, executives and managers facing market shocks. - Moore’s experience at 24/7 Media shows how fast growth can reverse when capital dries up and ad spending collapses. - The release arrives as business leaders are looking for lessons that apply to the current AI platform shift.

What happened: - David J. Moore released “The 24/7 CEO: The Battle for Survival That Helped Build Digital Advertising” with Forbes Books. - The book is now available on Amazon and at major booksellers. - Forbes Books, operated by Advantage Media Group under license, posted the release on Moore’s behalf. - Moore co-founded 24/7 Media in 1997, when the commercial internet was reshaping advertising. - The company grew to 52 offices across 29 countries within three years. - 24/7 Media reached a market capitalization of $1.8 billion before the dot-com bubble burst.

The details: - As the internet boom unraveled, many online companies disappeared and advertising spending evaporated. - 24/7 Media’s stock fell below $1. - Hundreds of employees were laid off. - Auditors issued a “going concern” opinion. - Senior leadership began discussing bankruptcy. - Moore decided against bankruptcy and continued trying to keep the company alive. - The book draws on more than four decades of Moore’s experience in media, technology and advertising. - Moore says the story shows that resilience has to be paired with adaptability, strategic thinking, disciplined execution and the ability to rally people when confidence is fading.

Between the lines: - The book is positioned as both a business memoir and a survival story, which broadens its appeal beyond advertising insiders. - Jonathan Hsu, Google Business Finance Officer and VP, said the book highlights optimism and perseverance and offers timely lessons for the current AI transition. - Moore’s career arc underscores how digital advertising evolved from an early internet experiment into a major industry. - Moore later served as Global President of WPP Digital and helped build Xaxis into a programmatic advertising leader. - His path from near-bankruptcy to a $649 million acquisition by WPP gives the book a concrete endpoint, not just a crisis narrative.

What’s next: - Readers and industry leaders can now use the book as a reference point for managing volatility and organizational pressure. - Forbes Books is continuing to publish business and thought leadership titles under the Forbes Media imprint. - Moore remains active in the industry through his work with the Interactive Advertising Bureau board, the IAB Tech Lab, the Advertising Education Foundation’s Finance Committee and the Ioanna C. Moore Foundation.

The bottom line: - Moore’s message is that survival in a collapsing market depends less on optimism alone and more on disciplined leadership under pressure.