"The biggest benefits are:

1. Learning from your peers as it happens. Most of the conference circuit is filled with people who've had some success in the past, and have looked back and formulated their thoughts as to why they were successful, or people who have never been particularly successful, but have looked at other companies from the outside and are prepared to give you their interpretation of why. By networking with other Inc'ers (for example going to the Inc. conference) you get to talk about what makes a company successful today directly with the people that are responsible for it - before it's been sanitized and stripped down and rewritten by the PR department for consumption by the masses. You can't get more useful input than that from bright, energetic, enthusiastic people at the height of their success!

2. Recognition and Credibility. We all have customers, and we all spend millions trying to convince our prospects and customers that they should trust their purchasing dollars in us. Inclusion on the Inc. 500 list, at the very least, demonstrates that any prospect considering you as a service provider or vendor will be following in well trodden footsteps.

3. Meet the people that write about business. Inc. writers have a huge influence on many upcoming and well established companies. Inc. 500 inclusion gives you the chance to talk with and interact with these business journalists in order to tell your story, get a clarification on something someone wrote, or even just to disagree (or agree!) in person.

"This is what I think in terms of the benefits that we enjoy:

1. Credibility is so important for smaller private businesses that aren't known on a national level. This credibility is with customers, suppliers, banks, potential employees, vendors, and even friends and family. As I like to say, "My mother and father may always tell me that they are proud of the job that I have done when building my business (as parents regularly do) but the team over at Inc. magazine don't have an obligation to acknowledge me unless they feel that we have reached a certain level!"

2. A tremendous amount of press from newspapers, magazines, TV shows, etc.

3. A lot of attention from banks and VC firms.

4. Would potentially be helpful when looking to sell your business.

5. This goes back to credibility, but the opportunity to become a teacher or speaker at a forum, conference, or school. This alone creates dozens of benefits.

6. The privilege of being invited to and attending the Inc. 500 conference and all that can be learned from that time spent listening, learning, and meeting people."

"Most important benefits to having made the Inc. 500:

1. Credibility with investors - potential and current.

2. Credibility with customers - they know we are here to stay and they think that we not only offer great products and service, but that we are a well-run company with our act together.

3. Employee pride - we had our first "all-hands" company meeting two weeks ago and it was such a great tone to start it all out on. Our employees all feel proud that they have helped our company get to where we are now and are excited to participate in continuing on the great trajectory that we are on. Everyone is very psyched and taking the recognition very seriously!"

"Being recognized in the Inc. 500 has been one of the top honors we've received. We used the recognition to build credibility among customers, vendors and peers. We've also used it as a springboard to create great publicity and marketing for print and web materials."

"For us, the list is formal recognition of our success in growing our business. It's also great for us to have a benchmark, allowing us to compare our growth to others (by rankings), and to have an objective organization that canvases the marketplace and shows us what other growing private companies are up to. In general, we're proud to be officially recognized as one of the country's fastest-growing private companies by such a credible source."

"Being highly ranked on the Inc. 500 for two consecutive years has given United Bank Card nationwide recognition and enhanced our credibility with business owners across the country. Additionally, being ranked by Inc. magazine in this way provides quantifiable evidence that United Bank Card is following an effective business model and this has helped to solidify our position as a premier payment processor."

"Top ten benefits of making the Inc. 500:

1. Makes your mom proud.

2. A tax deductible excuse to visit San Francisco.

3. Another reason to have a company party!

4. Great regional press.

5. More calls from VC's... yes, that is how they found you.

6. The staff feels proud, since they can't brag about their salary.

7. The framed certificate looks good and covers the wall cracks in your bootstrap office.

8. You get an advance copy of the Inc. 500 issue before your friends.

9. Being casually forced to explain to your business friends why you are able to reference an article in an issue of Inc. that they have not yet received.

10. And reason #1... An autograph from Joe Mansueto!"