Indholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2025 i Inc. Magazine

If you’re like most founders I know, you live and breathe your company. And building it, though stressful, is energizing and even fun. So when an employee seems less than happy at work, you may feel a sense of injury. Why would someone waste their time (and yours) by being checked out? Jevon Gondwe, an executive communications coach and consultant based in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, says the majority of CEOs he advises “complain about significant disengagement.” “One common theme I’ve been hearing,” Gondwe continues, “is how many organizations lost their culture during the pandemic and are really trying to figure out how to get it back or embrace a new culture.” In one instance, he cites a client who had 2,500 employees and was undergoing an extensive transition to modernize. “The…

It’s no secret that online scams are rampant, frequently seen on hiring platforms, social media, email phishing, dating apps, and more. In 2024, people in the U.S. lost $1 billion to romance scams alone, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Historically, online identity verification has been ineffective, expensive, or slow for the average person or business. Fuzzy founder Kalie Nitzsche, and Jaqi Saleem, founder and CEO of Fuzzy’s partner agency, Qualified Digital, wanted to change all that. “After being deceived on the dating apps, I started looking around, and I realized there was no quick, affordable way to validate somebody online. And so Fuzzy was born,” Nitzsche said during an Inc. Founders House panel at SXSW 2025 on International Women’s Day. A multipurpose tool for safe connection Powered with…

Jason Blum doesn’t scare easily. When the famed film producer began making horror movies on shoestring budgets more than a decade ago, he had every reason to believe he’d fail. “Everyone used to ask me, ‘Why don’t more people do what you do?’ ” The answer, which would become his mantra: “I don’t make low-budget movies to try to make bigger movies. I make lowbudget movies, and that’s always what I’ll do.” Constraints, the 56-year-old entrepreneur reasons, “force you to think more creatively and more constructively.” He may well be right. Blum and his film studio, Blumhouse, have produced hit franchises like Paranormal Activity, Insidious, and The Purge, as well as critically acclaimed films includ ing Jordan Peele’s Get Out and Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash. Altogether, his movies have grossed over…

On the morning of November 19, 2019, federal agents—at least 15, according to reporters on the scene—swarmed Mary Mahoney’s Old French House, perhaps the most prominent restaurant in Biloxi, Mississippi. A confidential informant had told investigators that a local seafood company was passing off imported shrimp and fish as premium, local product—including red snapper, the star of several iconic dishes at Mahoney’s. The Old French House is a brick residence featuring parapet gables, a cast-iron railing across its four front bays, and an ancient live oak in the courtyard. The building, constructed around 1835, is one of Biloxi’s oldest documented structures, a fact the restaurant incorporates into its mythology. The place was meant to be Old South classy and entirely local. Eventually, though, the restaurant would be charged with wire…

To be clear, even with the market volatility earlier this year, which briefly removed $5 trillion worth of value in three weeks, the U.S. is not yet in a recession. That can’t be declared until we’ve seen at least two consecutive quarters of declining economic output. But Wall Street analysts are keeping an eye on things. J.P. Morgan puts the odds of a recession at under 50 percent, while Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, says there’s a 40 percent chance of one. Just in case they’re right, here are four ways to prepare. GET CREATIVE WITH CUSTOMER ACQUISITION “You need to pay closer attention to your cost of acquisition,” says Charlie Goetz, a professor at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. “Frequently, marketing costs go down during recessions as…

To grow fast and scale on a reasonable timeline, avoid these mistakes that cause many otherwise brilliant, intuitive consumer innovations to underperform or fail. —James Richardson 1. Not having enough cash 2. Not setting annual revenue targets 3. Not setting competitive pricing 4. Avoiding your fans 5. Not asking fans why they keep buying your product "Before asking for more head count and resources, teams must demonstrate why they cannot get what they want done using AI.”…

A mid an uncertain economy, entrepreneurs are doing what they do best: protecting their bottom lines. To do so, some are wading into derivatives markets to mitigate risk, lock in pricing for key commodities, and get some protection against tariffs. Derivatives are financial instruments that draw their value from an underlying asset, and they can get complicated quickly. The investments are generally factored into four categories: forwards, futures, options, and swaps. Business owners can use derivatives to hedge against a direct cost by buying into commodities that offer a complement, direct or otherwise. Think: buying natural gas futures to offset a cold snap affecting an orange crop, since the demand for heat increases as temperatures fall. Businesses might also use derivatives to offset future price hikes. Here’s how. OPTIONS Gary…

PRIVATECLIENTLEASING.COM Pivate Client Leasing is proud to be the leader in point-of-sale (POS) financing, dedicated to serving the merchant services industry with speed, integrity, and personalized care. With more than 17 years of industry experience, we understand that every deal matters—to you and to us. That’s why we go above and beyond to understand every business’s unique needs, ensuring your deals are approved and funded quickly and effi iently. Trusted by leading companies worldwide, Private Client Leasing has built a reputation for reliability and results. The company’s success is rooted in its unwavering commitment to honesty, transparency, and ethical business practices. We operate with a clear focus on fairness and integrity, treating every client with the respect they deserve. When you partner with Private Client Leasing, you’re not just getting…

ABDATA.COM For more than four decades, A.B. Data has exhibited a commitment to integrity, creativity, transparency, and results. Our company executes best-in-class communication and administration strategies that connect our clients to their target audiences. A.B Data delivers a range of services, including class action settlement administration, grassroots fundraising for nonprofi ts and advocacy organizations, global direct marketing and data and list services, and innovative new reaches like data breach management and cybersecurity. From a single list to a global presence, A.B. Data’s story is a testament to the enduring power of connection, innovation and shared purpose, not to mention our talented team’s dedication to excellence and our clients’ trust. Our co-managing directors Bruce Arbit and Chuck Pruitt lead the organization with excitement about the future and remain committed to growing…

"If you’re not listening to the people who are experiencing your product in real time, then you’re missing a really big opportunity.” 56% The share of consumers who, instead of complaining, will quietly switch to a competitor after a negative customer service experience. Source: Zendesk Many entrepreneurs are drowning in numbers—metrics, ana lyt ics, charts, you name it. They have all the data, but it isn’t enough, because numbers don’t tell stories. People do. In the quiet, unmeasurable moments when customers and employees speak their truths, we find what our competitors overlook—the raw insight that sparks innovation. Here’s how to make those conversations useful. TALK TO COMPLAINERS If you talk only to happy customers, you’ll get only a certain type of answer. You have to speak to everyone— the engaged…

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It all started with a rock climb ing trip. Like many companies, Omlie—a consulting firm based in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania— often organizes team-building activities for its employees. Last summer, a climbing excursion ran into a minor snag: An employee had a fear of heights. For Omlie founder and CEO Sarah Burlew, that offered a moment of clarity. What was the point, she wondered, of a team-building exercise that not everyone enjoyed? “There’s certainly value in challenging your comfort zone and doing things out of your mindset, but to what degree is that actually adding value?” asks Burlew, 43, who has to shape company culture at a business for which most employees work remotely four to five days per week. In January, Omlie launched Crew Connect, a program that gives every employee…

“When we launch a product, I’m always trying to hit that trifecta of matching timing with luck with preparedness.” Apothékary’s Shizu Okusa “You have to find the right balance between getting to market first and getting to market best, which are two very different things.” Qualified Digital’s Jaqi Saleem “When you’re first starting to build, you need to surround yourself with zealots who believe this can be a thing and are ready to make sacrifices for it.” Bonobos’s and Pie’s Andy Dunn So you have a great idea for a new product or service. Congratulations! You’ve taken a major step, but you’re still a long way from getting it out into the world—and even further from doing so successfully. You’ll need to build, iterate, time your launch just right— and do all of…

This is real—everything I’m about to tell you is real,” said Ben Lamm. The billionaire serial founder known for his grand pronouncements and wavy mane of brown hair sat at the edge of a sofa in the posh Austin Proper hotel, located in a down town high-rise across from Meta’s local headquarters in one direction and a soaring Google skyscraper in another. He fired up a presentation on his laptop. The news he was set to announce—that his Dallasbased company, Colossal Biosciences, had resurrected a seemingly mythical species known as the dire wolf, extinct for 10,000-plus years—was an entrepreneurial mic drop. Lamm, whose previous companies made everything from restaurant chatbots to satellite control technology, went on to make the case that his biotech breakthrough could revolutionize conservation by restoring biodiversity.…

Get group of business owners together, and they are apt to one-up one another. In the recent past, this might have been over how much they sold, how much they raised, or how many employees were on their payroll. But nowadays, you are just as likely to hear them brag in a new way: about their absolute favorite, most surprising, and most timesaving AI hack. We talked to more than a dozen founders about AI, and here’s the takeaway: They are getting more done than ever, and are absolutely loving it. Every AI hack is unique to the business it helps, but here are some of the best we’ve heard so far. You may be just a few short prompts away from living your best life as a founder. —Jake…

Getting a patent is often a years-long process. But what if you could secure one in just a few months? There are good reasons to fast-track your application, including protection against copycats (see “Operators Are Standing By,” page 72), stronger positioning in licensing deals, and international IP protection. Patent agent and inventor Steve Katsaros, founder of Patent Engineering, has successfully expedited 68 patents for his clients—at an average of just six months until allowance. That’s fast. His insights: THE FAST LANE The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office offers multiple programs for fast-tracking. The most widely used is a petition submitted through Track One Prioritized Examination. To participate in Track One, the applicant must file the petition when they file their application, include fewer than 30 total patent claims and no…

Almost 50 years ago, I, Ted Benna, birthed the first 401(k) plan from a new section of the IRS tax code called the Revenue Act of 1978. While the 401(k) has become the foundation of retirement savings, it is not without its flaws. One trend I’ve seen—particularly among hourly workers and younger employees— is the temptation to cash out their 401(k)s. Employers need to educate and encourage their workforce to save, even if it’s a small weekly amount. Here are my tips to help employees with financial wellness. —Ted Benna Teach employees about budgeting, credit- building, emergency savings, the value of long-term investment, and the risks of cashing out early. Give liquidity to employees who might need money now, to protect them from dipping into their savings or long-term investments.…

VIRTUALSUPPLY.COM For nearly a century, the Virtual Supply team has been behind the scenes of tech brand success stories ranging from Motorola Solutions to Starlink to Ring, while supporting retailers like Walmart, Costco, Target, and Best Buy. Specializing in directto-consumer (D2C) and business logistics, fulfillment, and strategic support, we manage every aspect of the relationship from in-store product launches to e-commerce and all aspects of omnichannel retail. Supporting more than 7,500 retail locations in the U.S. market, one of Virtual Supply’s key secrets to success is building long-term partnerships with clients by understanding their businesses. “We earn the opportunity when the mega distributors can’t deliver,” says Chuck Taylor, CEO of Virtual Supply. “Our focus is simple: we do all we can to take care of the customer first. Providing a…

Now more than ever, companies need to think about how they’re being perceived, especially when their values are challenged. Companies that panic and flip-flop on their values when ordered by politicians—or that don’t know what their values even are—will scratch a short-term itch and create long-term damage. As a crisis communications expert, I’ve been in the trenches with companies when their principles are put under the spotlight. The trick to navigating this situation is to have a decision framework in place that guides your response long before you find yourself under scrutiny. Here’s how to create one. DEFINE THE WHO Too often, companies waste valuable time trying to figure out the basics, including who actually needs to be involved in making a decision versus who just needs to be informed.…

The principle behind stay interviews is simple: Identify the elements that drive motivation and contentment among your top employees and then consistently support those elements. Ask these 10 questions. —Peter Economy 1. The last time you went home and said, “I had a great day. I love my job,” what happened that day? 2. The last time you went home and said, “That’s it. I can’t take it anymore,” what happened that day? 3. What is really different here that makes you proud to be an employee? 4. Is your manager effective? If so, what do they do that you value the most? If not, what do you wish they would do more of? 5. What do you like most or least about working here? 6. What might tempt you…

NEON16 $8.6M 2024 Revenue 44 Employees 54% Year-Over-Year Growth HQ Miami, FL NEON16.COM In 2019, after 22 years in the entertainment industry, Lex Borrero was ready to retire. But when the former music executive arrived in Miami to begin the next phase of his life, he spotted a business opportunity he couldn’t resist. “I worked in Hip Hop for most of my career where I saw companies build culture-based businesses,” he says. “There was nothing like that in Miami that could represent the coming wave of urban Latin music.” During the next six years, Borrero proceeded to fill that void. He partnered with prominent music producer Tainy to promote and elevate Latin culture and talent. The collaboration led to the creation of NEON16, an entertainment media company that has its…

$2.4M 2024 Revenue 35% YOY Growth 28 Employees HQ San Diego, CA IAMINHARMONY.COM In 2016, Dominic Carnevale called Craig Goldberg to share something exciting—a new relaxation device he had just created. It was a piece of relaxation furniture fitted with custom tactile transducers designed to recreate the feeling of being in the front row at a concert. What Carnevale didn’t know was just how perfect his timing would be. Just months earlier, Goldberg had been lying on the floor between his surround-sound speakers, attempting to recreate the live sound-healing experience he had recently attended. “Talk about the universe knocking on your door with the right opportunity,” he says. After experiencing the device, called the Sound Lounge, Goldberg was all in. Carnevale and Goldberg joined forces to launch inHarmony Interactive, a…

Ben Goodwin always knew he wanted to offer a robust package of benefits to employees at his functional beverage brand, Olipop, but having never worked for a big company with generous benefits himself, the CEO and chief formulator didn’t know what that would look like. It was 2021, and Oakland, California-based Olipop, which Goodwin co-founded in 2018, already offered comprehensive health insurance with lower-than-a verage premiums and a personal development stipend for things like meditation, therapy, and professional development. One of the questions on Goodwin’s mind was: “How do I work together with the team to create a place that is actually, genuinely enriching?” he says. When several employees expressed an interest in fertility and family planning benefits, Goodwin thought he might have his answer, but wanted to know more.…

At Barker, a New York City-based creative agency, staff diversity is viewed as a competitive advantage, not just a social justice concern. The company, with average annual revenue of $14 million over the past five years, partners with Building Leaders and Creators, or BLAC, a nonprofit that aims to increase Black representation in marketing through 12-week paid internships. For participants, it’s a foot in the door of an industry that in the past has struggled with diversity. For Barker, it offers a wellspring of new ideas and sensibilities that flow straight into client projects. “It really makes the workplace better, which then makes the work better,” says Barker CEO Mary Beth Weil. “Especially in a creative industry, you have to be able to find your inspiration in your culture and…

As a company grows, so do the needs of its employees. Just ask ButcherBox founder and CEO Mike Salguero, whose Water-town, Massachusetts-based meat-subscription service skyrocketed from $300,000 in annual revenue in 2015, the year it was founded, to more than $500 million by 2024. Salguero, 44, knew that unless he could find a way to ensure his workers were growing alongside the company, he’d lose them. “I’d prefer to work with people for a long period of time, versus just cycling through people every two or three years,” he says. “We want to radically support our best people and make sure they have all the resources, have great compensation, have equity upside—have every reason to stay at the company.” In 2021, ButcherBox partnered with coaching platform BetterUp to provide professional…

“I was on line at Dunkin’ Donuts, and there was a young girl in front of me. She had no wallet, just a teeny tiny slot on the back of her iPhone,” says Lucy Wallace Eustice, 60, co-founder of the handbag and accessories brand MZ Wallace. “I came over to her friends and was like, ‘OK, who’s carrying wallets?’ and they take out wallets this big,” she says, pinching her thumb and forefinger together in the universal gesture for “teeny tiny.” Wallace Eustice thought, “Should we be addressing that?” This laser-sharp focus on customers’ needs has kept MZ Wallace popular—and profitable—for nearly 25 years, with the brand crossing over $100 million in sales in 2024. Even if you’re not familiar with the name, you probably recognize the brand’s signature quilted…

CLASSIFY GOODS PROPERLY You and your customs broker must know exactly what items you’re importing and where they’re made. Imports get coded according to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule—a detailed list of the tariffs on each type of good, maintained by the U.S. International Trade Commission. If you’re wrong, you could overpay. If you underpay, you could face fines. And Customs can charge up to five years of back taxes. It’s wise to retain a trade attorney to negotiate with Customs and Border Protection in cases of misclassification: “Your broker doesn’t know your business the way you [do],” says Angela Gamalski, a trade attorney based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. GET USMCA-CERTIFIED Goods compliant with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement are generally not subject to tariffs. The agreement, negotiated during Trump’s first term as…

NO 40 2025 Inc. Regionals Ranking 2020 Year Founded 151% 2-Year Growth 6X Total Revenue Increase STEVENSCAPITALPARTNERS.COM Wealth is not the only measure of success. Rarely does money alone create happiness. David Stevens, founder and president of Stevens Capital Partners, saw this firsthand during his nearly two-decade career as an advisor at a national financial services company “Six months after retiring, many clients weren’t excited about life anymore. They’d spent decades building something meaningful. But once that was gone, they felt lost. I started introducing them to nonprofits and mentorship opportunities, and I saw how having a purpose beyond wealth started to transform them,” Stevens says. He founded Stevens Capital Partners, an SEC registered investment advisor (RIA) providing wealth management, estate planning, retirement planning, financial planning, and tax planning services…

Tech company Vivant quietly grew after people started talking about its solution to one of the internet’s biggest problems. 75 Employees $6.2M 2024 Revenue 30% YOY Growth HQ Dallas, TX VIVANTCORP.COM Two decades ago, Hamed Mazrouei worked in computer sales. It felt like the end of the world, he recalls. But looking back now, it was a blessing in disguise. “That’s when I started my entrepreneurship journey,” he says. Ever since he lost that job, the founder, owner, and CEO of Dallas-based Vivant, has embraced innovation and the idea that a great business helps solve people’s problems. When he launched the company in 2012, the challenge was simple: help businesses stay online even when their primary internet goes down. To do that, he repurposed an existing router designed to connect…

NO 24 2025 Inc. Regionals Ranking 2020 Year Founded 324% 2-Year Growth HQ Long Beach, CA HERSADVISORS.COM Recruitment is a challenge, and one Christy Moore and Deirdre Hudson have been solving for more than 20 years. In 2020, after thoroughly observing the staffing industry’s strengths and weaknesses, they founded HERS Advisors (Honest, Ethical, Responsible, Solutions), a mission-driven recruitment firm specializing in the legal and information technology sectors. To thrive during the pandemic required agility. The team navigated evolving safety guidelines, company vaccination requirements, and shifts to remote work to place qualified candidates with reputable organizations. Today’s challenges include a changing labor market, employee expectations at odds with company policies, a turbulent economy, and stiff competition from industry competitors—many unafraid to make a quick placement knowing that a candidate isn’t a…

NO 22 2025 Inc. Regionals Ranking NO 418 2025 Inc. 5000 2010 Year Founded HQ New York, NY RAHMANLAWPLLC.COM Moumita Rahman did not intend to build a top-rated immigration law firm. When she started her career in 2010, she actually avoided immigration cases. “The main reason why I didn’t want to do immigration law was because I had a negative impression of immigration lawyers based upon what I had seen in the community,” says Rahman, who immigrated to the U.S. from Bangladesh at age five. Because Rahman was part of the immigrant community, people kept referring her cases related to immigration law. Finally, she decided to try one, which changed the trajectory of her business. Winning her first bond motion, which resulted in a man who was seeking asylum being…

$75,000 The average salary startup founders paid themselves in 2024, down 43 percent, from $132,000 in 2023. Source: Pilot Pricing strategies for earlystage companies are a unique problem. Most lack enough data about what will work for potential and future customers to make a sound data-based decision. But what you lack in data, you can make up for in understanding your value proposition and how your pricing can set the tone for potential customers. When you set the right tone, you set yourself up for better customer retention. Here are some tips and best practices for setting prices as an early-stage company. DEMONSTRATE VALUE Customers are increasingly looking for products and services that provide a clear and tangible value proposition. This means that businesses need to focus on delivering a…

I spent the first decade of my career in New York City, which was quite a cultural education for a girl from suburban Boston. By the time I left, I felt I had earned the title of New Yorker, with the requisite mix of self-confidence and swagger. It wasn’t until years later, when I took my preteen daughters to the city, that I realized how different that person was from normal me. They started calling me “New York mom”—and not in a good way. In the years since, I’ve wondered if it’s a good thing that we can manifest different versions of ourselves for different purposes, whether consciously or not. At work, must a person who takes pride in being fair to employees find a pugnacious alter ego for tough…