There are millions of small businesses in the United States. Yet only a small percentage of these companies have earned a spot on the Inc. 5000, an annual listing of the fastest-growing private companies in America. A fraction of these firms are led by women.
The annual list is compiled by looking at companies’ annual revenue, and three-year sales growth rate. Companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2010. And the minimum required 2010 revenue is $100,000. The minimum figure for 2013 is $2 million.
Despite accounting for less than 10 percent of companies on the list, women-owned businesses of the Inc. 500 are a diverse group--from children’s apparel and jewelry designers to specialty snack makers and IT services providers.
Here are the top 50 women-led companies in America:
CEO: Beth Hair
Inc. 5000 Rank: 510
2013 Revenue: $9.3 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 930 percent
Provides executive advisory services, project and interim staffing, and executive search services in the areas of accounting and finance, risk and compliance, and business and technology.
49. Tribal Tech
CEO: Vicki Vasquez
Inc. 5000 Rank: 508
2013 Revenue: $3.1 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 931 percent
Provides technical assistance and consulting services to federal, state, tribal, and corporate clients.
48. Treetree
CEO: Rebecca Apfelstadt
Inc. 5000 Rank: 506
2013 Revenue: $2.4 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 934 percent
Offers supplement support on urgent special projects for large marketing departments.
CEO: Nancy Gorski
Inc. 5000 Rank: 496
2013 Revenue: $16.3 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 964 percent
Advises companies on strategies that will optimize their wireless networks and provides mobile hardware, software and professional services.
46. CATMEDIA
CEO: Catherine Downey
Inc. 5000 Rank: 489
2013 Revenue: $4.6 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 970 percent
A media production firm that helps federal agencies communicate effectively both internally and with the American public through strategic communications, multimedia production, training, and media staffing and management.
CEO: Jessica Vann
Inc. 5000 Rank: 487
2013 Revenue: $2.1 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 978 percent
Offers boutique recruiting, temp, and direct-hire services to clients in all industries, from executive assistants and office managers, to human resource professionals.
44. SeaSnax
CEO: Jin Jun
Inc. 5000 Rank: 479
2013 Revenue: $3.5 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1052 percent
Makes a variety of seaweed-based snacks.
CEO: Marie Forleo
Inc. 5000 Rank: 472
2013 Revenue: $11.9 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 998 percent
An education company featuring an online business school for modern entrepreneurs that teaches students to embrace their higher purpose in order to increase profits.
42. Halvik
CEO: Madhavi Jinka
Inc. 5000 Rank: 470
2013 Revenue: $7.8 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1000 percent
Offers enterprise architecture, business information, cloud, mobile, application delivery management, and infrastructure and security services.
CEO: Jennifer Guthrie
Inc. 5000 Rank: 450
2013 Revenue: $9.7 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1065 percent
A staffing firm that provides a niche aviation personnel staffing service to wealth corporations and individuals operating business class jets.
40. TexPro Painters
CEO: Julie Chambers
Inc. 5000 Rank: 437
2013 Revenue: $2.8 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1085 percent
A commercial and industrial painting company serving general contractors, major corporations, and private building owners.
CEO: Gia Manley
Inc. 5000 Rank: 409
2013 Revenue: $7.6 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1153 percent
A staffing firm that provides temporary, contract, and direct hire placement of workers in technical, IT, administrative, operations, biotech, and industrial positions nationwide.
CEO: Ruby Polanco
Inc. 5000 Rank: 403
2013 Revenue: $2.1 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1174 percent
Teaches makeup artistry, character and special effects makeup, hair design, and air brushing at three campuses in the Los Angeles area.
37. Escapada
CEO: Natalia Castillo
Inc. 5000 Rank: 387
2013 Revenue: $4.6 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1211 percent
Designs beach and resort wear sold in 2,000 boutiques and resorts around the world, including the Four Seasons and the Ritz Carlton.
CEO: Annette Smith
Inc. 5000 Rank: 375
2013 Revenue: $3.8 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1269 percent
Develops, sells, installs, and monitors customized electronic security systems for businesses and homeowners.
35. StemExpress
CEO: Cate Dyer
Inc. 5000 Rank: 363
2013 Revenue: $2.2 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1316 percent
Supplies biomedical researchers with human blood, tissue products, bone marrow, primary cells, and the clinical specimens they need to perform their research.
34. Rifle Paper Co.
CEO: Anna Bond
Inc. 5000 Rank: 353
2013 Revenue: $8.3 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1333 percent
A stationery and gift brand that was started by a husband and wife out of their apartment and is now carried in more than 4,000 stores around the world including Barnes & Noble and Anthropologie.
CEO: Ruthie Schulder
Inc. 5000 Rank: 348
2013 Revenue: $2.2 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1352 percent
Conceptualizes and executes experiential campaigns that combine experience, influencer, and digital strategy to achieve impact.
32. OnSite Care
CEO: Donna Milavetz
Inc. 5000 Rank: 339
2013 Revenue: $2.5 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1374 percent
Provides affordable primary health care on site at workplaces.
CEO: Bernadette Coleman
Inc. 5000 Rank: 328
2013 Revenue: $5.9 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1421 percent
A digital marketing agency that provides services including Internet marketing strategy, IT project management & integration and website design & development.
CEO: Brandi Temple
Inc. 5000 Rank: 318
2013 Revenue: $11.6 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1452 percent
A children's and women's apparel designer, manufacturer, and retailer that the founder started out of her garage.
29. Softhq
CEO: Sindhura Thummalasetty
Inc. 5000 Rank: 308
2013 Revenue: $16.1 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1497 percent
Offers technology staffing and consulting in the areas of supply chain services, mobility, enterprise IT, system on a chip (SoC) design, business intelligence, infrastructure, and application development.
28. Noi Solutions
CEO: Saima Chowdhury
Inc. 5000 Rank: 300
2013 Revenue: $22.8 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1519 percent
Provides customized apparel product sourcing, from design to delivery, for brands and retailers.
27. Zapproved
CEO: Monica Enand
Inc. 5000 Rank: 289
2013 Revenue: $2.4 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1567 percent
Develops compliance software for businesses facing increasing rules and regulations that helps them efficiently manage their obligations.
CEO: Deyona Hays
Inc. 5000 Rank: 285
2013 Revenue: $5.2 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1604 percent
Provides engineering, design, and procurement services for a multitude of projects including processing, truck and rail bulk loading and offloading, bulk handling and storage, process and electrical engineering studies, and chemical plant upgrades.
CEO: Arria Hines
Inc. 5000 Rank: 268
2013 Revenue: $7.0 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1723 percent
Provides program management, financial analysis, software and systems engineering, knowledge management, and specialized scientific, engineering, and technical support to federal government agencies.
24. Capstone
CEO: Cindy Reuter
Inc. 5000 Rank: 250
2013 Revenue: $13.7 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1832 percent
Offers engineering (gas pipeline safety), business operations consulting, and IT services.
CEO: Iana Ahmed
Inc. 5000 Rank: 232
2013 Revenue: $42.6 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1958 percent
Provides carrier-agnostic contract and prepaid wireless plans and devices to consumers, businesses, and government agencies. It also provides smartphone repair, programming, and unlocking services.
22. Pathoras
CEO: Marcy Eisenberg
Inc. 5000 Rank: 231
2013 Revenue: $9.3 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1960 percent
Specializes in IT, analysis, linguistics, and customized services for clients in national security.
CEO: Amy Tong
Inc. 5000 Rank: 228
2013 Revenue: $3.5 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 1994 percent
A boutique management and technology consulting firm that provides IT strategy, enterprise architecture, and data analytics services to public and private sector clients.
CEO: Joaneane Smith
Inc. 5000 Rank: 219
2013 Revenue: $3.5 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 2041 percent
Offers systems and software engineering, information assurance, cyber security, and program and project management to military and government clients.
19. Wren
CEO: Melissa Coker
Inc. 5000 Rank: 215
2013 Revenue: $5.2 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 2093 percent
Produces a women's clothing line sold online and through retailers worldwide.
18. LocalResponse
CEO: Katy Leak
Inc. 5000 Rank: 204
2013 Revenue: $9.6 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 2153 percent
Operates an ad sales network that responds to intent gleaned from individual social media posts on services like Twitter, Foursquare, and Instagram, to create contextual advertising targeting to its audience.
17. Metis Solutions
CEO: Mary Beth Long
Inc. 5000 Rank: 201
2013 Revenue: $8.7 percent
3-Year Growth Rate: 2170 percent
Provides strategy and policy support, intelligence and operations support, program management, and international business development services to U.S. government and commercial clients around the globe.
16. Aegis Corps
CEO: Maricarmen Acuna
Inc. 5000 Rank: 196
2013 Revenue: $2.9 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 2208 percent
Offers program management, technical, and administrative support to government customers in the areas of accounting, business administration, computer science, contract management, criminal justice, economics, political science, and public administration.
CEO: Kandy Johannsen
Inc. 5000 Rank: 195
2013 Revenue: $2.5 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 2216 percent
A general contractor that specializes in building stores for retailers.
14. NITS Solutions
CEO: Victoria Lynden
Inc. 5000 Rank: 187
2013 Revenue: $2.8 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 2291 percent
Through its proprietary Web-based reporting platform, builds analytical, predictive reporting tools that help clients make faster, better decisions.
13. Kohana Coffee
CEO: Victoria Lynden
Inc. 5000 Rank: 171
2013 Revenue: $2.8 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 2417 percent
Produces liquid coffee concentrate and roasted coffee in a variety of flavors, and is planning to offer a ready-to-drink coffee beverage soon.
12. Pure Incubation
CEO: Melissa Chang
Inc. 5000 Rank: 170
2013 Revenue: $4.7 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 2428 percent
Provides lead generation and database services to accelerate the sales process for IT and medical device marketers.
CEO: Melinda Dicharry
Inc. 5000 Rank: 168
2013 Revenue: $5.3 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 2440 percent
Specializes in the design-build of mechanical systems for medical, commercial, laboratory, high tech industrial, and government facilities.
10. Marathon TS
CEO: Pamela Siek
Inc. 5000 Rank: 163
2013 Revenue: $6.8 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 2508 percent
Provides IT, training, strategy, operations, transformation, and mission support services to commercial and government clients.
CEO: Rita Gurevich
Inc. 5000 Rank: 159
2013 Revenue: $3.6 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 2524 percent
An IT provider that specializes in data governance, security, and compliance for financial, pharmaceutical, transportation, and manufacturing companies.
CEO: Christine Lin
Inc. 5000 Rank: 142
2013 Revenue: $9.8 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 2683 percent
An educational consulting firm that helps American high schools and colleges enhance their profiles and broaden their diversity by increasing their enrollment of international students.
7. Marketsmith
CEO: Monica Smith
Inc. 5000 Rank: 135
2013 Revenue: $72.9 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 2753 percent
Creates and manages direct response television advertising campaigns, events and expos for its customers.
6. SmackTom.com
CEO: Neha Gajwani
Inc. 5000 Rank: 125
2013 Revenue: $3.1 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 2964 percent
An online retailer of accessories for computers, gaming devices, smartphones, and tablets.
CEO: Vani Gangavarapu
Inc. 5000 Rank: 91
2013 Revenue: $6.5 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 3870 percent
Provides a complete package of services for full-cycle SAP implementation projects.
CEO: Susan Meitner
Inc. 5000 Rank: 64
2013 Revenue: $166.9 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 4845 percent
Processes, underwrites, and funds mortgages for home buying and refinancing.
3. Alex and Ani
CEO: Carolyn Rafaelian
Inc. 5000 Rank: 53
2013 Revenue: $230.1 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 5221 percent
Sells its own collections of bangles, necklaces and other jewelry, as well as licensed products with major league sports team logos, made from recycled materials and using local manufacturers.
CEO: Sheila Thompson
Inc. 5000 Rank: 43
2013 Revenue: $14.1 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 5753 percent
Provides programmatic, financial, and IT support to department of defense clients, with particular expertise in GFEBS (general fund enterprise business system) implementation and training.
1. PackIt
CEO: Melissa Kieling
Inc. 5000 Rank: 28
2013 Revenue: $11.9 million
3-Year Growth Rate: 7878 percent
Manufactures bags with freezable gel in the linings that keep food and drinks cold for up to 10 hours.
