Class of '77 We aren't the only business that's taking a look back at its first quarter-century.

If today's entrepreneurs could travel back in time and starta business in 1977, they would hardly recognize Stephen B.Holben's world.

Sure, some of what they'd find would feel familiar-the newStar Wars movie coming out, and, hey, this is the year Elvisdies?-but what would seem strange is starting your company the wayHolben, now 57, did. You would be without the aid of e-mail, a cellphone or a fax machine. There's no Staples or Office Depot.FedEx delivers to only a handful of cities. There aren't even adozen business incubators in the country (today, there are over900). With the exception of your fresh copy of the debut issue ofEntrepreneur, you'll have to go through this mostlyalone.