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From the beginning, Peter Weinstein knew the contract with Microsoft was both a blessing and a curse.
Now, after the collapse of his promotional merchandise company, Zebra Hill Marketing Inc., Weinstein is left to ponder what might have been.
When Weinstein founded Zebra Hill in 1996, 100 percent of his firm's business was with Microsoft Corp.
Seven years later, the software giant accounted for 50 percent of Zebra Hill's revenue - between $7 million and $8 million this year.
Then, last month, Microsoft suddenly canceled its contract, says Weinstein. Within three days, the Bellevue company - which had been experiencing cash-flow problems and had recently cut expenses by $75,000 per month - lost its line of credit and was forced out of business.
A month later, Weinstein says he...