Top 25 Under Five
The Utah Valley Entrepreneurial Forum (UVEF) announced the winners of its 2008 “Top 25 Under Five” Awards, spotlighting outstanding Utah entrepreneurs from across the state. The top 25 companies under five years old are judged based on revenue growth and job creation.
The event, held at Noah’s in Lindon, received 109 RSVPs and hosted 210 individuals for a buffet lunch and award ceremony. Event coordinators were both pleasantly surprised and a little anxious over the standing room-only attendance, even though food ran a little low near the end of the line.
The event was sponsored by InnoVentures Capital Partners, Silicon Slopes and Omniture.Thanks to all for a nicely-done event. The food was good, and the opportunities to network with local entrepreneurs was outstanding. I recognized some of the top brass from many of our local leading companies, making the event a great way to rub shoulders with the who’s who of Utah Valley.
The awards ceremony was MC’d by Steve Grizzle, who opened with comments regarding the humble beginnings of many of the winning companies. “Many of these companies failed to meet payroll at least once along the way to their success’ he said. I found this a very inspiring opening that was only fortified when the final top five each had an opportunity to speak for a moment. Each provided an encouraging story of their entrepreneurial struggle to achieve success.
Among the five, I gleaned the following few thoughts:
Number four winner Seastone Consumer Packaging related an inspirational story recalling an initial experience when a large client requested a bid for a large order with demands that the price be kept to one cent per piece and a deadline of one day. The team worked all night and could only find the item for three cents. ‘I’m no mathematician”, he said, “but I knew we would loose money if we bought for three and sold for one.” Raising laughter from the audience, he said “We took the job anyway.” At great risk, the team was able to research their resources and found the item for less than half a penny. The job turned a million dollar profit and launched the company toward success. ‘Taking risk’ was cited as a component of their success.
Skullcandy, who took the number three award, recalled their struggle through hard times and indicated that perseverance was key to their rise as the fastest growing consumer electronics company in the world. “The worst was when the sherrif showed up to deliver an eviction notice; we paid the factory two times in a row, but hadn’t paid the rent for three times in a row.” Every entrprenuer in the room seemed to nod in understanding.
Control4, who grabbed second place, shared their commitment to the Utah Valley community and making hard decisions to maintain their support. “Our investors said that if we wouldn’t move to the bay area that we couldn’t have their money. We told them that if we had to move, we didn’t need their money.” It looks like their integrety paid off.
Finally, I had a chance to catch up with David Elkington of Inside Sales, who were awarded number eleven. We laughed as he recalled that things have not always been rosey; ‘My neighbors thought I had a great job” he said, “they had no idea there were times when we were barely hanging on.”
I came to realize that there has been a lot of blood, sweat, and tears poured into these successful companies. They are all truly inspiring for new companies facing similar trials and tribulations. It’s nice to learn that the big boys have experienced what I am going through, and it gives me hope that it can be worth the price.
Shauna Theobold, UVEF 2008 Chair, summed it up nicely saying “These Top 25 winners have demonstrated excellence in their fields and provide the brightest of prospects for the future growth of Utah business, This group represents the spirit of entrepreneurship and sets the mark by which others will be measured.”
UVEF’s Top 25 Under Five Awards is in it’s ninth year, having recognized more than 175 entrepreneurs and companies.
And the winners are…
- Agel Enterprises, LLC has created a nutritional supplement in single-serving gel form packaging that is not a burden to consume, is convenient, tastes good, and quickly absorbs into the body.
- Their supplements have helped create a new cosmetic skin care line, Ageless.
- In 2007, they launched their new non-profit organization- the Agel Cares Foundation, which has already made significant donations in the United States, the Philippines and Nigeria.
- They have grown from $9 million in 2005 to $89 million in 2007. In May of 2008, Agel won the category of Best Nutrition/Health Product in the state of Utah.
- www.agel.com
2 — Control4
- Control4 is the platform for today’s digital home and makes whole-home automation a practical option for any residence. They believe that home automation is not just for the rich and that fully customizable solutions are not just for luxury homes.
- Control4’s affordable and easy-to-use software and hardware products enable home theatre control, multi-room music, smart lighting, temperature control, and security, through a range of in-home and over-the-web remote control technology.
- www.control4.com
3 — Skullcandy
- Skullcandy was founded in 2003 by CEO Rick Alden. It is the fastest growing consumer electronics company on earth, specializing in audio & gaming headphones, audio accessories, integrated audio devices & mp3 players.
- Skullcandy is positioned as a “core” brand in the snow, skate and surf markets. They are partners with companies that integrate audio technology into their products, which creates referent brand credibility in the core market.
- The company has grown over 100% per year since it was founded.
- www.skullcandy.com
4 — Seastone Consumer Products Group
- Seastone Consumer Products Group is the market leader in specialty gift card packages and gift card promotional programs.
- Seastone provides fully customizable, turnkey gift card promotional programs, utilized by many of the nation’s largest retailers.
- They were recognized as the 2nd fastest growing company in Utah Valley by Business Q Magazine.
- www.seastone.com
- Mindshare’s business monitoring survey tools gather continuous real-time threads of customer feedback that can be immediately transformed into actionable intelligence.
- The solution is affordable, yet dynamic and customizable, to flex with a company’s needs, allowing businesses to build strong enterprise feedback management and monitoring processes.
- In May of 2008, Mindshare completed its 20 millionth customer survey. They have grown revenue over 8 times in 3 years.
- www.mshare.net
6 — Sunrise Publishing Group, Inc. (DBA Echo Pages)
- Sunrise Publishing Group (DBA Echo pages—is the 4th largest producer of telephone directories in Denver, Colorado.
- Echo Pages delivers to 600,000 homes and businesses from Denver to Colorado Springs.
- The Association of Directory Publishers has awarded them the following awards: 2008 Third Place Excellence in Ad Design & Art-Electronic; 2008 Second Place Excellence in Ad Design & Art-Print; 2007 Third Place Excellence in Ad Design & Art-Print.
- www.echopages.com
7 — Aribex, Inc.
- Aribex is a worldwide leader in innovative, handheld x-ray products. The Aribex NOMAD X-Ray Systems are the first-ever handheld, battery-powered x-ray machines optimized for the dental and veterinary industries.
- They have been recognized both nationally and internationally for their innovation, safety, and ease of use. The company is also planning ventures into other markets, including medical, forensic, security, and industrial.
- In June of 2008, Aribex shipped their 2000th NOMAD device.
- www.aribex.com
- Because of the changing state of the Internet, companies are searching for an easier way to control Internet resources.
- Cymphonix is the first company to successfully provide small and medium sized organizations the ability to control both Internet browsing activity and Internet application activity—ensuring that mission critical information has the resources it needs.
- Cymphonix was given the 2004 Best of VARVision Award.
- www.cymphonix.com
9 — Alianza
- Alianza provides the first hosted, fully-integrated IP-based platform for delivering Unified Communications Applications, via Software as a Service (SaaS), for Broadband Service Providers. They also provide value-added applications.
- Alianza’s proprietary PowerPlatform enables Broadband Service Providers to launch private-labeled solutions in less than 30 days, with no capital ventures.
- Alianza’s headquarters are in Lindon, Utah. The company has established branches in Mexico, Argentina, and Singapore as part of its ongoing strategy to service English and Spanish-speaking markets worldwide.
- www.alianza.com
10 — Vested Group (tied for #10 with Navigator Business Solutions)
- Vested Group is a private investment company specializing in high-growth business markets. They focus on delivering a full range of investments and services in their core sectors of real estate and information technologies.
- They have developed a proprietary online system that significantly reduces costs for construction and renovation.
- Vested Group was recognized as one of the Top 10 Companies to watch in 2008 by Utah Valley Business Q
- CEO Chad Bennett is the 2007 Investor of the Year in the Utah Valley Real Estate Investors Association.
10 — Navigator Business Solutions (tied for #10 with Navigator Business Solutions)
- As an SAP certified partner, Navigator distributes and implements SAP Business One exclusively. SAP Business One is an affordable, integrated business management solution, designed specifically for small and midsize companies to help manage their growth.
- Navigator creates broad vertical add-in applications for SAP Business One software, and custom programming. They also sell, implement, and provide training services for SAP Business One and add-ins.
- Navigator was named SAP Best New Business Partner for 2005, Partner of the Year for 2006, was awarded the SAP Pinnacle Award for Innovation for 2007, and the Top Ten Club 2008.
- www.NB1s.com
- InsideSales.com was the first hosted CRM software with a built-in dialer solution that tripled or quadrupled the amount of contacts that a professional sales representative could make over the phone.
- InsideSales.com also pioneered the Lead Response Management (LRM—market with technologies like the award-winning ResponseSwami that helps companies call Web-based leads back in seconds or minutes rather than the typical hours or days that they do now.
- They were voted 2007 Product of the Year by INTERNET TELEPHONY Magazine, and Unified Communications Magazine.
- www.InsideSales.com
- Procerus Technologies, founded in January of 2004, develops and markets the Kestrel™ Autopilot System for mini and micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs and MAVs).
- The company’s purpose is to bring innovative and meaningful miniature UAV avionics products to market for military and emerging commercial applications.
- www.procerusuav.com
13 — OrangeSoda Inc.
- OrangeSoda serves the small to medium sized business (SMB—with search marketing services. Their expertise comes from over a decade of studying user search behavior and helping tens of thousands of small businesses strengthen their online presence.
- OrangeSoda’s technology is tailor-made for the SMB, allowing a business to sidestep the process of setting up, tracking, and managing a search marketing campaign.
- They were voted the #1 Startup Company in Utah Valley in Utah Valley BusinessQ Magazine.
- www.OrangeSoda.com
14 — Experience Dental Studio (tied for #14 with Hunter Composites, LLC)
- Founded in July of 2006 by Mark Willes, Experience Dental Studio is the exclusive laboratory for designing DURAthin veneers.
- Mark is the creator of these veneers, and together with Dr. Dennis Wells, their current hands-on, DURAthin LIVE courses are helping dentists across the country provide their patients with viable, beautiful, minimal-prep options.
- Every Experience Dental Studio team member has been carefully sought out and personally trained by Mark to execute his vision for excellence.
- www.durathinveneers.com
14 — Hunter Composites, LLC (tied for #14 with Experience Dental Studio)
- Hunter Composites was founded in 2003, when Clint Ashton and his son, Tyler, started working in their garage on products utilizing a new fiberglass process called resin infusion.
- They expanded into making architectural columns using this process, and have patent pending on the column process. They are now also making church steeples and graphite box beams.
- Hunter Composites has grown to 25 people, and 1.5 million a year in sales. They plan on reaching 5 million by 2010.
15 — Q90 Corporation
- Q90 Corporation develops and provides custom software, email hosting, and data migration services. Each product and service is designed to align with the client’s specific goals and systems to increase productivity and maximize return on investment.
- Q90 has provided personal service to over 150 companies nationwide.
- Q90 encourages the entrepreneurship of its employees by offering to help them start joint companies around original ideas.
- www.q90.com
16 — Snapp Conner PR
- Born out of 23 years of specialized experience in the technology industry, Snapp Conner PR provides all aspects of strategic and tactical PR execution for companies in the technology, health and wellness, and life sciences space.
- Snapp Conner PR assists organizations, ranging from start-ups and growth companies to established ventures and public companies, in creating and executing PR programs to achieve maximum possible business results.
- They grew from 0 to $1.25 million, and from 3 employees to 11 in the first year.
- www.snappconner.com
17 — Rockwell, Inc.
- RockWell, Inc. is a manufacturer of decorative window wells for the residential construction industry.
- The window wells are a one-piece product, manufactured from composite fiberglass, and have a stone texture that looks and feels like real stone.
- Rockwell, Inc. sells their products through 40+ independent distributors in 24 states and Canada. They are known by their customers and competitors as the Cadillac of window wells.
- www.rockwellinc.com
18 — Ad Hoc Electronics
- Ad Hoc Electronics’ ILLUMRA energy management products use battery-free wireless technology to simplify installation and maintenance of green control systems in commercial buildings.
- The company provides wireless solutions for sensor, controls, and networking applications.
- Some of their products include: ILLUMRA energy management products, Decorator Wireless Switch, Real Estate Utilization Sensor, and Video Arraignment System
- www.adhocelectronics.com
- FundingUniverse connects qualified entrepreneurs with active VC’s, angel investors, and lending sources.
- They offer a 13-lesson Funding Boot Camp, which utilizes multimedia presentations and webinars, to answer entrepreneurs’ questions about raising investment capital. They also provide templates for business plans and financial statements.
- They were awarded UTC Emerging Executive of the Year.
- www.fundinguniverse.com
20 — LineaGen, Inc.
- LineaGen is a content-based biomarker discovery company, focused on the commercialization of novel, patentable diagnostic tests that will lead to more personalized healthcare regimens for human health and disease conditions.
- LineaGen received $5.8 million in venture capital funding in 2007. These funds are dedicated to approximately 18 months of company operations and medical research.
- LineaGen collaborates with the University of Utah for much of its research efforts, and provides them with resources to expand significant medical research projects.
- www.lineagen.com
21 — Renasis, LLC
- Renasis, LLC specializes in the design, development, and manufacture of wireless communications products, services, and system solutions. Their products are designed to extend the reach of Wireless Local Area Networks.
- Experts in the innovation and implementation of wireless technology, Renasis also provides OEM/ODM services to a growing number of premier manufacturers.
- Renasis has won key accounts in the wireless hospitality market. They also now have offices on two continents.
- www.renasis.com
22 — Kaufman Enterprise Solutions
- Founded in 2006, Kaufman Enterprise Solutions currently serves as the CFO for almost four dozen companies, representing hundreds of millions of dollars in annual sales and thousands of employees.
- In 2007, they helped their clients raise over $15 million in debt and equity financing.
- They founded Kaufman CFO University, a proprietary and growing knowledge-base that provides their CFOs with unparalleled continuing education.
- www.kescfo.com
23 — Ciralight
- Ciralight is a Utah-based corporation, created for the purpose of bringing outside light inside at intensity levels where electric lights are no longer needed during daylight hours. The result is energy savings, improved human performance, and a significant reduction in life threatening pollution.
- Current local customers include: Mark Miller Toyota and AARUP. Nationally, they serve Office Depot, Staples, and Petsmart, among many others. They are also heavily involved with international clients.
- www.ciralight.com
24 — Five Star Painting
- Five Star Painting is a franchise system that operates in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. At present, there are 53 painting franchises in operation doing residential, commercial, and industrial painting.
- Five Star Painting promises a quality painting job that is clean, on time, and on budget. Their painter certification program assures that the painters have the skills to do a beautiful job. They also use the latest technologies to make sure they’re as efficient as possible.
- www.fivestar-painting.com
25 — Rocketship
- Rocketship is a multi-disciplinary industrial design and product development firm, providing creative product development solutions across a wide range of categories.
- Rocketship has developed multiple award winning products for companies like ProvoCraft, Control 4, Jetboil, Buck Knives, NuSkin, and others.
- They get the job done and meet expectations. 70% of sales stem from repeat clients.
- www.rocketshipdesign.com
Congratulations to each of these companies for doing a fantastic job! Good luck to those of you who are in the running for next year. You can learn more about the Utah Valley Entrepreneurial Forum (UVEF) by visiting the website at http://www.uvef.net/
The UVEF is a non-profit support group working to share knowledge and experience. As a nonprofit organization founded in 1989, the UVEF promotes the development and growth of entrepreneurial ventures by providing networking opportunities, promoting recognition of business accomplishments and contributions, sharing business experiences, and by encouraging free enterprise.
Our appreciation goes to John Pilmer and Jack Shirts at PilmerPR for sponsoring our attendance at the event.
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Comments
According to the study, the most important tool for small businesses to succeed in 2010 is search engine marketing, while email marketing, public relations and social media cited as crucial for success.
23.8% of all small businesses reported that search engine marketing was the tool most needed for their business to succeed in 2010.
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Thanks for the information. I love reading about which companies are on the rise in Utah. There’s lots of unique companies on this list.