How Nick Denton led Gawker Media from his living room to its $135 million sale

When Nick Denton started Gawker Media out of his living room in SoHo, he probably didn't envision what would ensue in the following 14 years: a massive internet readership, several spin-off sites, and one very high-profile lawsuit that simultaneously bankrupted the company and Denton himself.

Denton, who currently serves as managing editor of Gawker.com, followed a traditional path into journalism before starting his own venture in 2002. Since then, he's made millions of dollars (and likely plenty of enemies) in his pursuit of truthful but scathing journalism.

Here's how Denton grew Gawker from a tiny startup to a million-dollar company and became one of the most controversial figures in media.