Netscape to ChatGPT
30 Years of Navigating the Internet
I. Introduction
(Click on the player above to listen to my Cloned Voice read the introduction)
In the fall of 1995, I sat in a small computer lab at Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids, Minnesota where I had enrolled in their Business Administration program. Little did I know that a simple PowerPoint assignment would shape the next three decades of my life.
My digital curiosity had actually started a few years earlier, in 1992, when I bought a Tandy desktop computer from a friend. I dabbled in text-based chat systems like CompuServe and early AOL. But this new thing called the "World Wide Web" instantly captured my imagination.
That PowerPoint assignment asked us to present on any topic using text and images. Naturally, I chose to explore the World Wide Web—soon to be known as the Internet. While working in the school's computer lab, I discovered Netscape Navigator. Though it looked plain and basic, it opened up a whole new world of information, communication, and creativity.
I even learned how to view and edit web page source code, amusing my classmates by swapping out images on copied FBI "Most Wanted" lists with pictures of our teachers.
I titled my presentation “Navigating the Internet.” Afterward, my instructor said, “Henry, you know more about this than anyone on campus. You should teach this.” I didn't think I was qualified, but thanks to his encouragement, I began teaching Internet basics at Anoka-Ramsey’s Continuing Education Department—and later at North Hennepin Community College in Minneapolis.
After that is when I started building my first web consulting business.
GTA Business Solutions (1995–1997)
I founded GTA Business Solutions in Elk River, Minnesota, offering website development, hosting, and online marketing services. My early clients included The Bank of Elk River, the City of Chanhassen, and Cash Register Sales, Inc.
Archived Link: https://web.archive.org/web/19970209153124/http://www.elknet.com/gta/hpgta.html
Client List: https://web.archive.org/web/19970209153639/http://www.elknet.com/gta/clients.html
WhoIsHenry.com (2006–2012)
I later launched WhoIsHenry.com to share my expertise in online marketing. The idea actually came from my friend Jeff Mills, who said, “Everyone needs a Henry to help get their business going.”
Archived Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20080812021124/http://whoishenry.com/
Together, Jeff and I traveled around the U.S. (and even to Tel Aviv, Israel) producing live-streamed Internet Marketing events. I served as his affiliate manager and video production team leader from 2008 to 2012.
Mission Springs Marketing LLC (2008–2022)
In 2008, I founded Mission Springs Marketing, helping clients with WordPress websites, social media marketing, podcasting, and live-streamed events. This business grew for 14 years before I officially closed it in December 2022 to explore new opportunities.
Archived Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20220830134325/https://missionsprings.net/
Reflecting on My Journey
Over the years, I saw the Internet grow from static pages and dial-up modems to dynamic social networks and fiber connections. I wasn’t just watching it happen—I was building it, one website at a time.
Now let’s look at what was happening in the wider world of technology while I was navigating my own path.
II. What the World Was Building (1995–2010)
While I was starting my journey, the rest of the world was waking up to the Internet’s potential.
In the mid-90s, Netscape Navigator ruled the web. Search engines like Yahoo! and AltaVista helped people explore the handful of available websites.
Microsoft soon jumped in with Internet Explorer, bundled with Windows, sparking the first "browser war."
In 1995, I used Microsoft FrontPage to build my first client website for The Bank of Elk River—on a dial-up modem, no less.
Archived Link: https://web.archive.org/web/19970117011500/http://www.the-bank-er.com/
The late 90s brought the first wave of online shopping with Amazon and eBay, along with online banking. The dot-com boom (and bust) taught the world that while not every idea would succeed, the Internet was here to stay.
Then came Web 2.0—ushering in social platforms like MySpace and Facebook, and video-sharing through YouTube. These tools transformed the web from a digital billboard to a global conversation.
My work with Jeff Mills from 2008-2012, live-streaming conferences and leveraging YouTube for marketing, placed me right in the middle of that shift.
III. The Mobile and Cloud Era (2010–2020)
As smartphones took over, the Internet left the desktop behind. Social media moved into our pockets with apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Apps changed how we did everything—from banking and shopping to team communication on platforms like Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.
Cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox made collaboration easier than ever. Streaming services like Netflix and Spotify redefined entertainment, putting movies and music on demand.
During this time, I continued working with clients through Mission Springs Marketing, helping them adapt their websites for mobile users and leverage social media as a sales tool.
By 2020, digital life had become mobile, social, and cloud-powered. But as I soon discovered, an even bigger shift was just beginning—driven by AI, artificial intelligence. Watch for my next post, The AI and Automation Revolution.
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