Successful web-based small businesses that generate profits are precious. If you are one of these, stay one of these. There is no requirement that web start-ups, when successful, have to be sold to publicly-traded [large] companies. The reason your small web company is successful and profitable is you; your awesome products/services and customer support exist because of you. Losing you would be destructive to your what your company does and is known for.
Slicehost is an awesome VPS hosting company; they’re a small web business offering support which is second to none. I use Slicehost and they’re the only hosting company I would recommend (I’ve used my fair share of hosting companies over the years).
Guess what just happened; Rackspace, a publicly-traded hosting company, has acquired Slicehost. Now I’m a little worried…