Inc. 5000


Recent Inc. 5000 Articles

Last Question Before You Jump

By Karl Stark and Bill Stewart |  Apr 10, 2012

Be honest. Are you confident that the market for your new business is attractive and the capabilities you bring will be unique?  Read more

CardCash: The Cure for Unwanted Gift Cards

By John McDermott |  Apr 9, 2012

Inc. 5000 Applicant of the Week CardCash.com has been growing fast by providing an online marketplace for unwanted gift cards.  Read more

Epic Fail: 3 Ways to Come Back Stronger

By Karl Stark and Bill Stewart |  Apr 9, 2012

Failure is part of risk-taking for any growing business. It’s what you learn from those missteps, however, that determine future success.  Read more

Business Meeting Etiquette: 8 Pet Peeves

By Janine Popick |  Apr 9, 2012

Do your days consist of meeting after meeting? Master these eight don'ts to stay focused and distraction-free.  Read more

What Really Makes Apple Sexy

By Curt Richardson |  Apr 6, 2012

Some elements of running a business seem downright dull ... until you see the payoff.  Read more

How India Can Surge Ahead

By Naveen Jain |  Apr 5, 2012

For India to cultivate an entrepreneurial environment its successful entrepreneurs need to support start-ups and there needs to be a renewed focus on technol...  Read more

3 Rules for Building Business Relationships

By Karl Stark and Bill Stewart |  Apr 5, 2012

Are you generating the most value from your professional relationships? Here are three ways to quickly inject some life into your network.  Read more

Find Your Perfect Business Buyer

By Mike Handelsman |  Apr 4, 2012

There are numerous routes for how to sell your small business. Here's how to determine which route is best for you.  Read more

How SEO Can Shape the Presidential Race

By Jeremy Dearringer |  Apr 4, 2012

How sound keyword research and strategically placed web content can shape your desired reputation.  Read more

Partner or Not: How to Decide

By Karl Stark and Bill Stewart |  Apr 3, 2012

Bringing in partners to help launch a new business is the ultimate risk and reward proposition. These questions will help to ensure that the relationship is ...  Read more

Best Way to Silence Critics: Offer Them a Job

By Glen Blickenstaff |  Apr 3, 2012

In life as in business the best way to silence a critic is to involve them. Sometimes they surprise you, but usually, they realize they don't have a better w...  Read more

The Candy Man

By Abram Brown |  Apr 3, 2012

Rob Auerbach, founder of Louisville-based Candyrific, knows what kids want.  Read more

Marketing Lessons From the ‘Little Guys’

By Janine Popick |  Apr 2, 2012

Big businesses need to lighten up, get creative and take a few cues from small business owners.  Read more

Project 101: Don’t Fumble Your Pass

By Karl Stark and Bill Stewart |  Apr 2, 2012

Every new business initiative needs a champion--someone who takes responsibility for driving its success forward. But be careful how you assign that accounta...  Read more

How My Business Idea Grew Into a Social Mission

By Erin Kim |  Apr 2, 2012

Inc. 5000 Applicant of the Week Sure Prep Learning is taking it's tutoring services global and expanding help for underserved communities.  Read more

Prepare Your Exit Strategy Now – Just in Case

By Karl Stark and Bill Stewart |  Mar 30, 2012

Here are four things you can do now to increase the value of your business-and give you a smoother transition out when the time is right.  Read more

Why Timing is Everything in Hiring

By Curt Richardson |  Mar 30, 2012

Like the Broncos signing Peyton Manning, getting the right person in the right role at the right time is key to the success of any organization.  Read more

Why Nice People Will Sabotage You

By Kevin Daum |  Mar 30, 2012

How to keep quiet politeness from killing your sales, marketing and probably your business.  Read more

Essential Reading List for New Entrepreneurs

By Matthew Swyers |  Mar 29, 2012

Everything you need to know to become a successful entrepreneur is in these six essential books.  Read more

Who Are Your 'Pilot' Customers?

By Karl Stark and Bill Stewart |  Mar 29, 2012

Before investing heavily in a new line of business, it’s important to identify customers who can help you learn quickly about what works and what needs twe...  Read more

Do You Know Your SWOT?

By Eron Zehavi |  Mar 28, 2012

The key to survival—whether it be in the "real" world or the business world—is to know your SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats).  Read more

Keep Your Customers Coming Back

By Jeremy Dearringer |  Mar 28, 2012

While results and ROI may be critical to keeping clients, building positive relationships proves to be the most important.  Read more

4 Stages of Business Commitment

By Glen Blickenstaff |  Mar 28, 2012

So you're ready to start a business but how committed do you want to be? Use these four examples as your guide.  Read more

Selling Your Business? Don't Fool Yourself

By Mike Handelsman |  Mar 28, 2012

Sometimes your wants, needs and motivations are in conflict when you're selling your business. Setting priorities will help you focus on what's most important.  Read more

You Were the Founder. Now What Are You?

By Karl Stark and Bill Stewart |  Mar 27, 2012

As a business grows, the founder’s job description will inevitably change. Here are seven roles a founder can transition into to ensure continued success.  Read more

Honest Tea's Seth Goldman Addresses Congress

By Seth Goldman |  Mar 27, 2012

Does the U.S. government help, or hinder entrepreneurship? I spoke with Congress to let them know how they did, and didn't help Honest Tea's growth.  Read more

When Trademark Enforcement Goes Too Far

By Matthew Swyers |  Mar 26, 2012

You can always enforce your trademarks, but should you? Here are three tips to help you decide when it's worth it.  Read more

How to Capitalize on Your Lack of Focus

By Karl Stark and Bill Stewart |  Mar 26, 2012

Lack of focus can be a core competency. Here are six principles to encourage innovative thinking, lots of experimentation, and an entrepreneurial spirit.  Read more

50 Years in Business and Still Growing

By Caitlin Berens |  Mar 26, 2012

The dual focus of making signs and exhibits has helped Inc. 5000 Applicant of the Week Color-Ad grow over the last five decades.  Read more

4 Steps to Closing the Deal

By Karl Stark and Bill Stewart |  Mar 23, 2012

Do you have a high-stakes RFP? If so, it’s important to follow a systematic approach to identify how you can best add value for your customer.  Read more

C-Suite Smackdown: When Your Top Execs Can’t Get Along

By Glen Blickenstaff |  Mar 22, 2012

A story of how bad communication and big egos can drain precious productivity, resources and dollars from the bottom line.  Read more

Teen Entrepreneurs Win Big

By Janine Popick |  Mar 22, 2012

A growing number of young entrepreneurs are launching serious businesses with great potential--and many of them aren’t even old enough to drive.  Read more

Are You Wasting Your Interns?

By Karl Stark and Bill Stewart |  Mar 22, 2012

You may be surprised by the value that an intern can provide to your business's growth strategy.  Read more

What's Motivating You to Sell?

By Mike Handelsman |  Mar 21, 2012

You’ve decided to sell your business. Taking the time to examine your choice and the factors that led to it will help you throughout the sale process.  Read more

The Moose Lodge for Start-ups

By Aaron Aders |  Mar 21, 2012

Tech geeks are moving from coffee shops to Speak Easy, a new trend in co-working spaces.  Read more