Inc. Magazine September 2021

When I arrived at Inc. in the beginning of 2020, I had plans. Big plans. Of course, they went pear-shaped as the pandemic went hockey stick, and most had to be radically altered, if not scraped altogether. I think most of you know what that was like. In fact, when I think about it today, so many problems came through the door so fast, I’m not sure I remember them all, though I definitely still feel the body aches and emotional pains of being hit with each of them—sort of as if at some point there had been a real hockey stick involved. I know you know what that is like, too. And, yet, despite all that, here we are, still standing. And, more important, here you are, in the 2021 Inc. 5000 issue! Congratulations! Building…

We’ve heard the phrase over and over again, because it’s true: We have lived through unprecedented times. Almost overnight, we had to rethink and reimagine every aspect of our daily lives because of the pandemic, and endure hardship and uncertainty. Still, our country and its people remained resilient. Our businesses pivoted to meet the challenges before them. They helped one another and found purpose in their missions. In turn, they found new revenue streams to rebound and even grow. This is why the 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled: These companies grew because they became elemental to the very fabric of this country and what makes it amazing. When the world was shutting down, Inc. 5000 leaders did more than keep…

WHEN LATE JULY co-founder Nicole Bernard Dawes started her second company, Nixie Sparkling Water, in 2018, she decided to adopt a novel approach toward her competitors: Ignore them. Instead of trying to prove Nixie was better than myriad other sparkling water brands, the seven-time Inc. 5000 honoree chose to target the shelf space given to soda. She pulled research on that category’s decline in sales and presented her findings to grocery-store buyers: “You have to build a data story—these are the brands that are growing; this is the part that is shrinking.” Dawes’s strategy was simple: a shift to generate more in-store sales by taking space from the soda brands and using it for what consumers actually wanted—healthier options. And stores drank it right up. By year’s end, Nixie expects to…

Earning a spot on the Inc. 5000 is proof you’re doing something right. “It just elevated us that one extra level,” says Glenn Langberg, whose Clifton, New Jersey-based company, Seaman’s Beverage and Logistics, has made the Inc. 5000 three times and cracked the 500 in 2019 (No. 485). But being ranked doesn’t just mean joining an exclusive club. It can also help gain investors’ trust, build your client roster, attract talent, and boost morale. Here’s how to leverage your Inc. 5000 status—or any recognition—to achieve your next business goal. USE AWARDS AS A LAUNCH PAD FOR FUNDRAISING Past honorees attest that once you’re on the list, investors will come to you even if you don’t seek them out. “As soon as that issue of Inc. came out, I probably got a hundred…

How will cybersecurity and data privacy evolve over the next decade? We’re hearing from our customers that cybersecurity and data privacy are increasingly becoming board-level conversations. Companies will start to think about privacy, security, vendor risk, and ESG, not as siloed efforts in the organization, but as a broader effort to build trust in their brands. How can businesses protect themselves from hackers? Getting attacked isn’t just about tech infrastructure and security. Humans are the most exploitable part of any system; they can be manipulated to intentionally or unintentionally give access to hackers. Employees need training—to spot phishing attempts, yes, but also on the ethical use of data to prevent inadvertent abuses. It’s also vital to implement third-party risk management—to have an ongoing understanding of your vendors’ security practices, and contingency plans for…

WHEN COLBY BAUER suggested installing a halfpipe in the Provo, Utah, offices of his company, Thread (No. 442 on the 2021 Inc. 5000; No. 104 in 2020), it was not as well received as, say, Tony Hawk’s first aerial 900. In fact, Bauer’s idea led to a fight with his co-founder and wife—who was, he admits, quite right to be worried about the hit to their startup’s budget. But they ultimately agreed to build the ramp, and Bauer now considers it his secret productivity hack—and a key to the breakout success of his wallet and apparel company. Bauer, who struggles with anxiety and depression, says the easy access to an activity that requires his full attention has helped him cope with the stress of being a founder: “I think about the…