[antisthenes]

Many successful small internet businesses actually arose from the era before internet advertising.

They simply took their product expertise and brought it online and expanded their reach to more customers through advertising.

As for housewives selling cupcakes - that business is just as not viable offline as it is online. It simply doesn't scale and shipment/delivery will eat your entire profit margin. It might make some beer/fun money, but it's not a business, it's a hobby.