Back in 52,
What you are decribing may have nothing to do with DMOZ. Your friend with the crappy site, is it a poker site? Does he go out to play poker in casinos and chat up everyone at the table, and pass out business cards with his site on them? You can drive a LOT of business personally if you go to places that have your target audience and sell. I know a poker teacher that makes good money just sending students through their site.