First-Ever Ranking of Fastest Growing Women-Led Businesses
The cover story in the most recent issue of Entreprenuer Magazine (visit http://www.entrepreneur.com/women50/index.html to read the entire article) entitled "Going Strong" features the first ever ranking of the fifty fastest-growing women-led businesses in North America. The list was compiled with the assistance of the Women Presidents' Organization (WPO) (visit http://www.womenpresidentsorg.com to learn more about WPO) which solicited applications from privately held, women-led companies in the U.S. and Canada that had gross sales in 2002 of at least $50,000 and had grown to over $1 million in gross sales by 2006. Companies were ranked on the basis of a sales growth formula combining both percentage and absolute growth.Â
In addition to ranking the top fifty companies, the article contains snapshot profiles of the top performers and their quotes concerning their "Biggest Challenge", "Success Secret", "Inspiration", and "Best Advice". Companies were based throughout the United States. Interestingly, initial investments in these companies ranged from only a few thousand dollars to a high of nearly $38 million.
Two Ohio companies made the list. Checking in at No. 45 was Real Living (www.realliving.com), a real estate franchisor based right here in Central Ohio headed by Kaira Sturdivant Rouda. Rounding out the list at No. 50 was MurTechConsulting (www.murtechconsulting.com) in Independence, Ohio which provides IT services and is led by Ailish M. Murphy. Rouda will be further sharing her insights about success in a new book due out in February 2008 entitled Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entreprenuers (www.realyouincorporated.com). Congratulations are certainly in 0rder for both these women and their companies!
The top company on the list - Salo LLC (www.salosearch.com) - was established in 2002 by Amy Langer with a $100,000 initial investment and first year sales of only $55,000. By 2006, the Minneapolis senior-level finance and accounting staffing company had topped $32 million in sales.Â
It is terrific to see these women and companies honored in this way. For women owning their own business, in addition to WPO, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) (www.nawbo.org) is an excellent organization, particularly for newer companies, in which to become involved. Both WPO and NAWBO have local chapters, as well as a national organization.Â
UPDATE:Â Learn about resources available to women locally in the Central Ohio area.
