America’s 5,000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies Revealed

Inc. yesterday ranked PostcardMania #3130 on its annual ranking of the 5000 fastest-growing private companies in the country.  The list is the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy – America’s independent-minded entrepreneurs.  Taken as a whole, these companies represent the backbone of the U.S. economy. 

“Our second annual Inc. 5000 continues the most ambitious project in business journalism,” said Inc. 5000 Project Manager Jim Melloan. “The Inc. 5000 gives an unrivalled portrait of young, underreported companies across all industries doing fascinating things with cutting-edge business models, as well as older companies that are still showing impressive growth.”

PostcardMania is a full service postcard direct mail marketing company which includes graphic design, printing, highly-targeted mailing list acquisition and mailing services with FREE marketing advice.  They help businesses all over the country expand through the use of direct mail marketing techniques.

The 5000 companies that made the list reported aggregate revenue of $185 billion and median three-year growth of 147 percent.  Most important, the 2008 Inc. 5000 companies were engines of job growth, having created more than 826,033 jobs since those companies were founded. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and a list of the fastest-growing companies that can be sorted by industry and region can be found at www.inc5000.com.  

Hottest Regions for Fastest-Growing Companies

The New York metro area tops the Inc. 5000 list with the most companies of any city with 355.  Washington, D.C. comes in a close second with 300 companies on the list; Los Angeles comes in third with 244 companies, and Atlanta (194 companies) and Chicago (189 companies) round out the top five.  Interestingly, only 62 companies on the Inc. 5000 are not based in metropolitan areas. 

Grand Rapids, Mich. leads the list with the highest median revenue of any metro area ($26.2 million, 16 companies), followed by San Antonio, Texas ($21.3 million, 25 companies), Baton Rouge, La. ($18.8 million, 14 companies), Houston ($17.1 million, 97 companies), and Kansas City, Mo.-Kan. ($16.5 million, 39 companies).

Hottest Industries for Fastest-Growing Businesses

The most notable median growth categories among the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing businesses are in the Energy category (which grew by 298%), followed by Government Services (which grew by 220%), Security (200% growth), IT Services and Software (both grew by 187%), and Consulting (which grew by 182% on average).

The largest business category is IT Services, with 579 Inc. 5000 companies.  Business Services (532 companies), Construction (459), Manufacturing (405), and Advertising & Marketing (361) complete the top five industries ranked on the 2008 Inc. 5000.

Industries reporting the highest median revenue are Travel ($38.8 million), Financial Services ($16.3 million), Logistics ($15.4 million) Government Services ($14.2 million), and Energy ($14.2 million). 

Methodology

The 2008 Inc. 5000 list measures revenue growth from 2004 through 2007.  To qualify, companies must be U.S.-based and privately held, for profit, independent – not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies – as of December 31, 2007, and have had at least $200,000 in revenue in 2004, and $2 million in 2007.

Companies can apply for next year’s Inc. 5000 by registering with “IncBizNet, Business Network for Private Companies,” at www.incbiznet.com.

About PostcardMania

PostcardMania is a full-service postcard direct mail marketing company which includes graphic design, printing, mailing list acquisition and mailing services with free marketing advice.  PostcardMania has seen positive expansion every year since its inception and has won many awards for creativity and marketing farsightedness, best business practices and expansion, including both Inc 500 and Inc 5000 lists.  Joy Gendusa began PostcardMania in 1998 with zero investment capital.  By 2007, PostcardMania revenues reached nearly $19 million and the company now employs over 160 people, prints 4 million and mails 2 million postcards representing more than 31,000 customers in over 350 industries each week.  Visit www.postcardmania.com 

About Inc.com

Inc.com, the daily resource for entrepreneurs, delivers how-to guides, advice, tools, breaking news, and rich multi-media to help business owners and CEOs start, run, and grow their businesses. Inc.com offers dynamic marketing solutions to help advertisers effectively reach Inc.com's audience of business leaders.  Visit www.inc.com

About Inc. 500|Inc. 5000 Conference

Each year, Inc. magazine and Inc.com celebrate the remarkable achievements of today’s entrepreneurial superstars — the privately held small businesses that drive our economy. The Inc. 500|Inc. 5000 Conference brings together members of the Inc. 5000 community—both a new class of Inc. 5000 honorees and the list’s alumni—for three days of powerful networking, inspired learning, and momentous celebration.  For the first time ever, this powerful networking event is open to all.  It will be held September 18-20, 2008 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Washington, D.C.  For more information or to register, visit www.Inc500Conference.com or call 877-211-0489.

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