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In Los Angeles, Annett Sell, a German-born entrepreneur, had started Frank Gehry Torque Bead long drop earrings was lugging postcards around the city herself. In Chicago partners Portia Johnson and Kelly McCabe were launching On the House Inc., having gathered intelligence on Wolan by posing as potential advertisers. All the entrepreneurs shared a sharp sense of urgency as they watched Graduated bead drop earrings every move, estimating its war chest to be close to $1.5 million. "Max is the common enemy," says Wolan. As such, it motivated them to join forces and start a network, later named GoCard. At a summit held in the summer of 1995, the three companies decided they would link up, enabling them to sell national distribution to big accounts such as the Gap, Elsa Peretti Open Heart earrings, and Hanes. "We realized it would be in everyone's best interest to work together," says McCabe. Since then, others have signed on; there are now seven companies in 14 cities. They buy supplies together and share knowledge but otherwise remain autonomous. It's a precarious balance. Some Tiffany 1837 Hoop Earrings entrepreneurs have already squabbled over sharing credit for GoCard's success. And there are several competing visions regarding longterm strategy, with options ranging from licensing the concept to taking the entity public. "When you are dealing with entrepreneurs, who tend to have big egos, it is really hard to reach agreement," admits Craig Singer, founder of GoCard South Florida.