Impact Makers CEO Michael Pirron hands a stock certificate to The Community Foundation CEO Darcy Oman at a ceremony in April, when the firm handed over ownership to two nonprofits. Photos by Katie Demeria.
The Richmond market boasted 19 companies on this year’s edition of the popular Inc. 5000 list of the nation’s fastest-growing firms, with a 208 percent average growth rate among them over the last three years.
But the region’s standing on the annual list, published this week by Inc. magazine, diminished compared to last year, when 23 local firms made the ranks with an average growth rate of 924 percent.
Also down on this year’s list was the number of Richmond companies in the top 500 of Inc.’s ranking; the region had six companies on that list last year and none this year.
The highest-ranked local company on the 2015 Inc. list was Blue Ridge Product Solutions, a company headquartered near Willow Lawn. It grew by 642 percent between 2011 and 2014, earning it a position at No. 704 on the list.
Inc.’s rankings are based on the rate of revenue growth during that three-year period.
Blue Ridge sells toys and games, sports and outdoor gear, and kitchen and drinking products, mostly to online retailers. It pulled in $5.6 million in revenue in 2014, has eight employees, and was founded in 2009. It was No. 380 on the list last year and ranked eighth last year on the RVA 25, a list that tracks the fastest-growing companies in Richmond.
Blue Ridge founder and majority owner James Addison said he attributes his company’s growth to the number of products it introduces to the market. He said he plans to raise capital to continue growing the company.
“If we want to grow 200 or 300 percent, we need to raise $2 million,” Addison said.
The other 18 Richmond companies that made Inc.’s list this year include a web developer, an insurance brokerage, an aluminum manufacturer and a pest control franchise.
Bob Hilb
Behind Blue Ridge on the Inc. 5000 was Glen Allen-based web developer ProfitOptics, which earned a ranking of 1,023 with 428 percent growth over the three years and $2.5 million in 2014 revenue.
Coming in at 1,145 was The Hilb Group, an insurance brokerage that has been on a buying spree in recent years. It grew 370 percent in the three years and brought in $13.5 million in 2014 revenue. It ranked 11th on the RVA 25 in 2014.
Henrico-based Dietitians on Demand, a healthcare staffing company, improved its spot on this year’s list to 1,354, from 3,635 last year. It grew 307 percent over three years and took in $3.4 million in revenue in 2014.
Impact Makers slid to the 1,549th spot after being 463 on last year’s list. The consulting firm grew 264 percent in three years and pulled in $11.6 million in 2014. It was No. 14 on RVA 25 in 2014.
To be eligible for the list, a company must be privately held, for-profit, based in the U.S. and independent. Participants must also have generated revenue by March 31, 2011, at least $100,000 during 2011, and at least $2 million in revenue in 2014.
There were 278 Virginia companies on this year’s list, the fifth most of all states. Excel Group, a Northern Virginia delivery and logistics provider, was the fastest-growing company in Virginia.
The No. 1 company overall was Ultra Mobile, a California firm that offers various mobile plans. It grew by more than 100,000 percent during the three-year period.
Impact Makers CEO Michael Pirron hands a stock certificate to The Community Foundation CEO Darcy Oman at a ceremony in April, when the firm handed over ownership to two nonprofits. Photos by Katie Demeria.
The Richmond market boasted 19 companies on this year’s edition of the popular Inc. 5000 list of the nation’s fastest-growing firms, with a 208 percent average growth rate among them over the last three years.
But the region’s standing on the annual list, published this week by Inc. magazine, diminished compared to last year, when 23 local firms made the ranks with an average growth rate of 924 percent.
Also down on this year’s list was the number of Richmond companies in the top 500 of Inc.’s ranking; the region had six companies on that list last year and none this year.
The highest-ranked local company on the 2015 Inc. list was Blue Ridge Product Solutions, a company headquartered near Willow Lawn. It grew by 642 percent between 2011 and 2014, earning it a position at No. 704 on the list.
Inc.’s rankings are based on the rate of revenue growth during that three-year period.
Blue Ridge sells toys and games, sports and outdoor gear, and kitchen and drinking products, mostly to online retailers. It pulled in $5.6 million in revenue in 2014, has eight employees, and was founded in 2009. It was No. 380 on the list last year and ranked eighth last year on the RVA 25, a list that tracks the fastest-growing companies in Richmond.
Blue Ridge founder and majority owner James Addison said he attributes his company’s growth to the number of products it introduces to the market. He said he plans to raise capital to continue growing the company.
“If we want to grow 200 or 300 percent, we need to raise $2 million,” Addison said.
The other 18 Richmond companies that made Inc.’s list this year include a web developer, an insurance brokerage, an aluminum manufacturer and a pest control franchise.
Bob Hilb
Behind Blue Ridge on the Inc. 5000 was Glen Allen-based web developer ProfitOptics, which earned a ranking of 1,023 with 428 percent growth over the three years and $2.5 million in 2014 revenue.
Coming in at 1,145 was The Hilb Group, an insurance brokerage that has been on a buying spree in recent years. It grew 370 percent in the three years and brought in $13.5 million in 2014 revenue. It ranked 11th on the RVA 25 in 2014.
Henrico-based Dietitians on Demand, a healthcare staffing company, improved its spot on this year’s list to 1,354, from 3,635 last year. It grew 307 percent over three years and took in $3.4 million in revenue in 2014.
Impact Makers slid to the 1,549th spot after being 463 on last year’s list. The consulting firm grew 264 percent in three years and pulled in $11.6 million in 2014. It was No. 14 on RVA 25 in 2014.
To be eligible for the list, a company must be privately held, for-profit, based in the U.S. and independent. Participants must also have generated revenue by March 31, 2011, at least $100,000 during 2011, and at least $2 million in revenue in 2014.
There were 278 Virginia companies on this year’s list, the fifth most of all states. Excel Group, a Northern Virginia delivery and logistics provider, was the fastest-growing company in Virginia.
The No. 1 company overall was Ultra Mobile, a California firm that offers various mobile plans. It grew by more than 100,000 percent during the three-year period.