While scores of high-tech firms failed during the dot-com bust and the ensuing recession, taking numerous consulting firms down with them, Lante has managed to remain standing, though its outlook remains precarious. Thanks to a large cash reserve, strong relationships with strategic clients and a thorough corporate restructuring, the Chicago-based e-consultancy has survived the worst and, despite layoffs and severe profit losses, even managed to expand, buying another IT consulting firm, Luminant, in January 2002.