2011 Fastest-Growing Companies

1. BOX HOME LOANS

Three-Year Growth 1,811%  Revenue in 2010 $10,696,227  Founded 2006  City Lindon  Employees 60  Industry Mortgage lending  Website www.boxhomeloans.com  Founders Aaron Brown, 40; Jeffrey Reeves, 38

The Company A mortgage lending company that exclusively lends to people with great credit.

The Growth Talk about bucking the trends. In 2006, Box Home Loans zigged when the mortgage industry zagged by offering loans to only those with exceptional credit. And when the mortgage industry collapsed a year later, they were prime for — you guessed it — exceptional growth. 

The Growing Pains “Explosive growth.”

The Milestone Moment “Funding $101 million in loan volume in one month.”

The Key to the Economy “Using technology to do three things: 1. Make a complex process easy for the customer and the employee. 2. Be able to scale at a moment’s notice. 3. Give consumers what they really want (as opposed to just trying to sell them the same old product you already have).”

The Advice “Pick something you can be the very best at and stick with it. When it doesn’t work, figure out why, fix it and never give up.”

2. ONE ON ONE MARKETING, LLC

Three-Year Growth 395%  Revenue in 2010 $50,864,838  Founded 2002  City Lehi  Employees 150  Industry Technology  Website www.1on1.com  Founder Nick Greer, 34

The Company A Web-based lead generation company focusing on education, insurance and security. 

The Growth Charmed with impeccable leadership, proven technology and a vibrant culture (“ping pong smack talk” is not unheard of), One on One Marketing has cornered its market with swish after swish. 

The Growing Pains“Growing so fast can bring its challenges. Sometimes you want to put the cart before the horse, but you have to wait until the timing is right.”

The Milestone Moment “Getting upper management out of the way and letting others really make things happen.”

The Key to the Economy “We don’t view the economy as tough. We look for opportunities and take advantage of them as quickly as possible.”

The Advice “Create your core values (the team creates these — not just one individual). Find those who believe in the same core values and never back down or compromise.”

3. INFUSE MEDICAL

Three-Year Growth 237%  Revenue in 2010 $4,839,688  Founded 2007  City Lehi  Employees 29  Industry Medical education/Technology  Website www.infusemed.com  Founders Jordan Erickson, 36; Brook Harker, 36; James Norton, 37; Steve Deverall, 32

The Company A developer of training and marketing programs for medical device manufacturers.

The Growth As a former UV50 Startup to Watch, Infuse Medical has lived up to the recognition by mastering its niche market, producing award-winning work and servicing clients like the University of Chicago, Sonic Innovations and Amedica. 

The Growing Pains “Scaling our process to continue delivering at the level and quality we are known for. Also, defining things that originally seemed intuitive when we were small and now systemizing them as we’ve grown.”

The Milestone Moment “There are always reasons to celebrate. But so far, the biggest feat has been exceeding our 2010 sales goals by 44 percent.”

The Key to the Economy “We’ve focused on real challenges that need solutions within a very specific niche market. Becoming experts in a niche makes all the difference.”

The Advice“Find a niche with a real need. Focus on real solutions that make sense. Become fanatical about delighting your clients with an amazing service experience, as well as with an amazing end product.”

4. PROPERTY SOLUTIONS INTERNATIONAL

Three-Year Growth 234%  Revenue in 2010 $11,043,138  Founded 2003  City Provo  Employees 100 Industry Multifamily/software  Website www.propertysolutions.com  Founders Dave Bateman, 32; Ben Zimmer, 33; John Hanna, 32

The CompanyA provider of property management software tools for the multifamily industry. 

The GrowthAfter noticing a large technological void in the multifamily industry, Property Solutions captured (and conquered) the market with user-friendly, sophisticated software. What’s more, said conquering has resulted in two consecutive stints on the Inc. 500, nearly 150 employees and more than $2 billion in processed online payments. 

The Growing Pains “Finding office space that meets our growth needs.”

The Milestone Moment “It took from 2003 until 2010 to process more than $1 billion in rent payments. By the end of 2011, we anticipate processing $7 billion.”

The Key to the Economy“Specialize, specialize, specialize.” 

The Advice “Work hard. Be smart. Be patient.”

5. AMP SECURITY

Three-Year Growth 228%  Revenue in 2010 $27,984,505  Founded 2007  City Orem  Employees 600  Industry Home security  Website www.ampsecurity.com  

Founder Allen Bolen, 35

The Company A home security company with a marketing niche in door-to-door sales.

The Growth With enviable market timing and momentum, 4-year-old AMP has quickly risen to become a top force in a most competitive industry. 

The Growing Pains “The transition to using a custom-made Customer Relationship Management database to run the company has been challenging.”

The Milestone Moment “I believe in grindstone mentality more than a milestones perspective. Grinding it out takes longer, but it’s the surer path. If you wait for big breaks, you may be left waiting.”

The Key to the Economy “Focus on the benefits of a tough economy. For instance, a tough employment market increases the supply of talented people for key positions.” 

The Advice “Focus on strong sales and support personnel. Treat your sales reps like customers.”

6. KS MARKETING, INC.

Three-Year Growth 211%  Revenue in 2010 $28,816,904  Founded 2007  City Pleasant Grove  Employees 25  Industry Scrapbook/crafting Website www.ksmarketinginc.com  Founder Kory A. Boyd, 33

The Company A seller of retail and wholesale products primarily in the craft industries. 

The Growth BusinessQ’s No. 1 Fastest-Growing company last year (and a Startup to Watch the year before that), KS Marketing has shown no signs of slowing down — thanks to a strong team, great products and game-changing alliances.

The Growing Pains “Dealing with all of the unknown issues that suddenly pop up.”

The Milestone Moment“Achieving a $5-million sales month in November 2010.”

The Key to the Economy “Perseverance through any condition, making conservative and well-thought-out financial decisions, and constantly looking for new ideas and ways of improving our business.”

The Advice“Take the time to fully evaluate your situation and then act quickly on your evaluation. Always have an eye open to the next opportunity, and be ready for the ups and downs.”

7. AMARA DAY SPA

Three-Year Growth 202%  Revenue in 2010 $1,236,147  Founded 2006  City Orem  Employees 52  Industry Beauty  Website www.amaradayspa.com  Founder Leigh Bennett, 30

The Company A day spa, salon and boutique.

The GrowthWith an impressive facility and a purposeful growth strategy, Amara has benefited from the mantra “happy employees = happy clients.”

The Growing Pains “Capital. Also, we’re growing out of our current location!”

The Milestone Moment “Opening our brand new location in July of 2009 — as well as continuing to hire and provide opportunities to fellow Utah County citizens during an economic downturn.”

The Key to the Economy “Go above and beyond for the client and have a long-term perspective. Continue to invest in growth while others are just trying to tread water. Just go for it!”

The Advice “Invest in leaders who can help you along the way. You’ll run yourself into the ground without competent people helping you make decisions and  grow the rest of your staff.”

8. FIVE STAR FRANCHISING

Three-Year Growth 186%  Revenue in 2010 $1,450,189  Founded 2004  City Springville  Employees 15  Industry Franchising  Website www.fivestarfranchising.com  Founders Scott Abbott, 36; Chad Jones, 36

The CompanyA multi-brand franchisor operating franchise systems in the service and retail industries.

The Growth Thanks to fantastic success with sister company Five Star Painting, Abbott and Jones have been able to take that winning formula and create Five Star Franchising, which has become a franchise  superstar near and far.

The Growing Pains “Finding enough parking spaces.”

The Milestone Moment “Signing our second brand.”

The Key to the Economy“Partnering with brands with a similar philosophy.”

The Advice “Call Scott.”

9. BIDSYNC

$6,143,059  Founded 1999  City American Fork  Employees 63  Industry Software  Website www.bidsync.com  Founder Sabrina Stover, 42

The Company A SaaS-based eProcurement software provider for government agencies.

The Growth As the nation’s premier government bidding lead service, BidSync has catapulted to success  with an essential product that caters to this down economy. Its impressive stint on the 2010 Inc. 500 doesn’t hurt, either.

The Growing Pains “Trying to decide which growth opportunities make the most sense and where we need to focus our human and capital efforts.”

The Milestone Moment“The Inc. 500 recognition of our hard-earned efforts and releasing our one millionth government bid lead in 2010.”

The Key to the Economy “At $6 trillion, the government spending offers a tremendous opportunity for companies. Winning government contracts can be the best thing to happen to your business. BidSync has helped thousands of businesses across the U.S. grow through government bidding.”

The Advice“It’s not enough to have an innovative product or great people alone. You’ve got to have both. Growth comes from having innovative products and great people behind those products.”

10. SUB ZERO ICE CREAM

Three-Year Growth 177%  Revenue in 2010 $1,377,874  Founded 2004  City Provo  Employees 80  Industry Dining  Website www.subzeroicecream.com  Founder Jerry Hancock, 43

The Company An ice cream company that uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the ice cream after the customer has ordered it. The company has retail locations and also caters. 

The GrowthWith a cool and unique concept, Sub Zero has benefited from determination, hard work and franchisees who’ve caught the vision. Sub Zero now has nine retail locations in Utah, Idaho and Arizona.

The Growing Pains “Organizing suppliers for multiple locations, especially in getting consistent and affordable product to locations in other states.”

The Milestone Moment“When we learned we would be named as the first made-to-order retailer of liquid nitrogen ice cream in the book ‘Modernist Cuisine’ by Nathan Myhrvold. Dr. Myhrvold called the house directly to talk to me about our experience with making liquid nitrogen ice cream and the history and development of the business. It was a great high point.”

The Key to the Economy “Be unique, watch expenses, market what makes you different from everyone else.”

The Advice “Make sure you have a budget — and that your worst-case projections match it.”

11. VIVINT, INC.

Three-Year Growth 164%  Revenue in 2010 $217,782,000  Founded 1999  City Provo  Employees 5,000  Industry Home automation  Website www.vivint.com  Founder Todd Pedersen, 42

The Company A home automation company with technology that enhances safety, convenience and energy efficiency. 

The GrowthFormerly known as APX Alarm, Vivint has re-branded its name and vision — but kept its impeccable growth. Its impressive expansion (especially considering its high revenue numbers) is thanks to its first-rate technology, sales force and employees. 

The Growing Pains“We actually had a lot more growing pains in the first three to four years of business. Now we have elastic systems inside our company that help us handle the growth.”

The Milestone Moment “That our employees take pride in what we do. People have built a career with us, and there’s nothing more rewarding than that.”

The Advice “Read ‘Atlas Shrugged.’ If people remember nothing else, remember this book. Everyone should read it.”

12. LITTLE ADVENTURES

Three-Year Growth 151%  Revenue in 2010 $2,855,851  Founded 2002  City Pleasant Grove  Employees 15  Industry Specialty apparel  Website www.littleadventures.com  Founders Jenny Harrison, 39; Heather Granata, 39

The CompanyA wholesaler that offers a line of matching dress-ups for children, adults, and dolls or plush animals.

The Growth With an in-demand product, creativity, key relationships and sales reps dotting the nation, Little Adventures has had big success in its niche market. 

The Growing Pains “Testing regulations.”

The Milestone Moment “Reaching our first $1 million in sales.”

The Key to the Economy“Keep prices low and quality high.”

The Advice “Keep your overhead as low as possible to leave room to hire the help you need to keep up with the growth.”

13. DIGICERT, INC.

Three-Year Growth 146%  Revenue in 2010 $18,420,145 Founded 2003  City Lindon  Employees 48  Industry Technology  Website www.digicert.com  Founder Ken Bretschneider, 44

The Company A global Certificate Authority specializing in Trusted SSL Certificates and Identity Services. 

The Growth With clients like national and state governments, education institutions and Fortune 500 companies, DigiCert has become an undeniable force in its industry. 

The Growing Pains “With incredible growth comes the need to expand the team in order to maintain operational excellence. Doing so while protecting our unique approach to business philosophy, all in the face of a steep industry learning curve, remains a challenge we have historically met and are continually committed to meeting.” 

The Milestone Moment “Being named the de-facto service leader of our industry, receiving a full five-star rating due to DigiCert customer feedback received by a leading third-party industry organization (SSLShopper.com).”

The Key to the Economy “It’s crucial to maintain a maniacal focus on the voice of our customer to ensure we’re truly aligned with customer needs (as opposed to falling into the trap of thinking we’re still aligned with customer needs because we were at one point in the past). That focus, combined with disciplined fiscal decision-making and adherence to core principles (regardless of the supposed financial opportunity), has been the key to our sustained growth in this lackluster economic environment.”

The Advice “Identify the pain that customers experience, and focus efforts on solving that pain better than anyone else in the market.”

14. NETSTEPS

Three-Year Growth 128%  Revenue in 2010 $6,286,527  Founded 2003  City Pleasant Grove  Employees 48  Industry Technology  Website www.netsteps.com  Founder Derek Maxfield, 35

The CompanyA developer of enterprise tools for direct sales companies.

The GrowthAs a former No. 1 company on this very BusinessQ list, NetSteps has continually delivered in its niche market with an emphasis on smart technology, standout customer service and key partnerships locally and abroad.

The Growing Pains“Hiring and resources.”

The Milestone Moment “UV50 No. 1 spot in 2009.”  (Editor’s Note: We knew we liked you, NetSteps.)

The Key to the Economy“Putting customers first and adapting to those needs.”

The Advice“Pace your growth with your revenue.”

15. BLADEHQ

$5,394,048  Founded 2002  City Lehi  Employees 17  Industry Ecommerce  Website www.bladehq.com  Founder Cam Hughes, 32

The Company An operator of a group of online companies with a focus on knife retail. 

The Growth Thanks to a “solid technical background and a bit of luck,” BladeHQ has become a leading player in its industry by chopping through the frills and discovering exactly what customers want.  

The Growing Pains “Redesigning our infrastructure. Haphazard systems that let you pack and ship 50 or 60 orders a day don’t work for 200 orders a day.”

The Milestone Moment “It’s right around the corner.”

The Key to the Economy “With regard to retail, sell something people want. Even in a recession people will part with money for a perceived need. And don’t cut back on ‘costs’ (i.e. advertising, employee perks, etc.) so much that in the end you’ve actually cost yourself more than you saved.”

The Advice“Hire people who can do a better job than you can do. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Stay focused. Work hard. Play hard.”

16. ORANGESODA

Three-Year Growth 121%  Revenue in 2010 $19,031,478  Founded 2006  City American Fork  Employees 165  Industry Technology/Marketing  Website www.orangesoda.com  Founders Jay Bean, 42; Derek Miner, 35

The CompanyAn online marketing company geared toward locally focused businesses. 

The GrowthWith premier market timing, an intelligent product and a uniquely creative culture (the tech company’s name comes from a soda, after all), OrangeSoda has over-delivered on all accounts.(Editor’s Note: OrangeSoda was our No. 1 Startup to Watch in the first-ever UV50 back in 2008. Just saying.)

The Growing Pains “Keeping ahead of an ever-changing small business advertising environment.”

The Milestone Moment “Reaching 5,000-plus advertisers.”

The Key to the Economy “Developing proven results and showing value in the work being done.”

The Advice“Create a culture around driving results. Establish a team environment centered around passion for what you do and who you work with.”

17. VERACITY NETWORK

Three-Year Growth 102%  Revenue in 2010 $22,814,004  Founded 2002  City Provo  Employees 110  Industry Telecommunications Website www.veracitynetworks.com  Founder Drew Peterson, 40

The Company A facilities-based telecommunications provider serving both commercial and residential customers.

The Growth Armed with “people who care,” Veracity has grown to dominate the market with world-class technology, high revenues and local customers like the Alpine School District, Traverse Mountain and Prosper. 

The Growing Pains “Streamlining and automating systems to take advantage of economies of scale.”

The Milestone Moment“Implementing our industry-leading carrier phone switch.”

The Key to the Economy“Providing next generation products our competitors have been slow to implement.”

The Advice “Be patient and grow at a pace you can financially afford and operationally handle.”

18. SERVERPLUS

Three-Year Growth 99%  Revenue in 2010 $4,993,295  Founded 2000  City Orem  Employees 62  Industry Technology  Website www.serverplus.com  Founder Layne Sisk, 45

The Company A provider of outsourced services to Internet service providers, which includes inbound tech support, outbound sales, billing, e-mail hosting, VoIP and Internet connectivity. 

The Growth Armed with stellar customer service, ServerPlus has expertly taken advantage of a free-market perk: The company enables ISPs to compete in services with the national providers for less money.

The Growing Pains “Finding good people and financing.”

The Milestone Moment “Still waiting for the milestone …”

The Advice “Be patient, and make sure you have the right people in the right seats on the bus.”

19. IMAGINE LEARNING

Three-Year Growth 97% Revenue in 2010 $21,068,994  Founded 2004  City Provo  Employees 190  Industry Educational software  Website www.imaginelearning.com  Founder Susan W. Preator, 61

The Company An educational software company that creates and distributes Imagine Learning English, a literacy program. 

The Growth With a stellar cause, great team, big market and much-needed product, Imagine Learning has achieved standout success — all while changing the lives of children around the world.  

The Growing Pains “Embracing change is always difficult. When things are good, everyone wants them to stay the same. But it isn’t possible to stay the same and grow and improve. So managing the many changes while maintaining the things that have made us successful — as well as preserving the things that matter most to the team — is an ongoing challenge.”

The Milestone Moment“The first year of profitability (2008). We knew we had turned a corner, and we haven’t looked back since!”

The Key to the Economy “If you have a drug that cures cancer, it will still be in demand during a recession. We provide a life-changing (and life-saving) treatment to a large and growing student population who is in great need and whose needs cannot be adequately met through traditional methods because of time and cost. We are what is known as a disruptive technology; we are able to bring innovation to bear with a cost-effective tool that educators can apply to the difficult task of meeting their students’ needs.”

The Advice “Don’t grow just for the sake of growing. Small is great if you can sustain your business. But to be successful, check to see if you have a product or service people want and need on an ongoing basis. Then, make your product or service better than anything else out there.”

20. FIVE STAR PAINTING

Three-Year Growth 91%  Revenue in 2010 $9,576,480  Founded 2004  City Springville  Employees 19  Industry Franchising/Painting  Website www.fivestar-painting.com  Founders Scott Abbott, 36; Conrad Kolba, 36; Chad Jones, 36

The CompanyAn international house painting franchise. 

The Growth With the nature of franchising comes the opportunity for rapid growth, and Five Star Painting has capitalized on top-of-the-line technology and five-star customer service. Case in point: The company is now working with 75-plus franchisees in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Brazil.

The Growing Pains“Finding office space not above a dance studio.”

The Milestone Moment“Going international — entering the world stage by franchising in Brazil in 2010.”

The Key to the Economy “Efficiency and adapting quickly to a fast-changing marketplace. Social media and Internet marketing are new to the world, but even more new to house painting.”

The Advice “Call Chad.”

21. PROFESSIONAL CABLE

Three-Year Growth 90%  Revenue in 2010 $625,418  Founded 2007  City Orem  EmployeesIndustry Computer hardware  Website www.professionalcable.com  Founder Jason Bringhurst, 40

The Company A manufacturer and wholesaler of computer cables, audio/video cables and electronic accessories.

The Growth Thanks to repeated referrals from clients — and the products and customer service to back them up — Professional Cable is quickly gaining traction in its industry. 

The Growing Pains “Letting go of some responsibilities and knowing who to hire to take over that set of tasks.”

The Milestone Moment “We hit a turning point last year when we improved our retail packaging and signed on two new distributors in California.”

The Key to the Economy “We have a niche market where we are the best at what we do. Our competitors are all battling over the big retailers while ignoring the smaller markets. It helps to be small and nimble.”

The Advice “Find one area where you can be the best at your product or service and emphasize how great you are at that one thing. You can expand beyond that, but that specialty can be the feather in the hat that makes your company unique.” 

22. SMILE REMINDER

Three-Year Growth 86%  Revenue in 2010 $7,675,528  Founded 2000  City Lehi  Employees 65  Industry Technology  Website www.smilereminder.com  Founder Jim Higgins, 41

The CompanyA provider of a patient engagement software system designed to maintain and retain existing patients while identifying and acquiring new patients. 

The Growth With more than 15 million patients messaged monthly, Smile Reminder is taking the medical world by storm with its patent-pending solution and impressive partnerships. 

The Growing Pains “Finding great developers to keep up with all of the innovative products we are building.”

The Milestone Moment“In 2010, signing a partnership deal with GE Healthcare.”

The Key to the Economy “Continually giving excellent customer service and believing in what you are doing.”

The Advice “Always let the ‘idea’ win in your company.”

23. ATTASK

$21,648,000  Founded 2001  City Orem  Employees 185  Industry Technology  Website www.attask.com  Founder Scott Johnson, 42

The Company A provider of on-demand project and portfolio management software.

The Growth Always staying at the top of their technological game, AtTask has become a certifiable leader in its industry with explosive growth, innovative products and top-notch customers like GE, Associated Food Stores and Apple.

The Growing Pains “Maintaining a culture where everyone views their role as more than a job.”

The Milestone Moment “Right now. Today.”

The Key to the Economy“Be willing to question everything about what you’re doing. Invest in the future.”

The Advice “Go big. Growth is a lifestyle. Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. Find something hard to do and go out and do it.”

24. FISHBOWL

Three-Year Growth 60%  Revenue in 2010 $8,511,062  Founded 2001  City Orem  Employees 78  Industry Software  Website www.fishbowlinventory.com  CEO David Williams, 52

The Company An inventory control software company designed for QuickBooks users.

The Growth Critically acclaimed product? Check. Family-like company? Check. Being on the UV50 four years in a row? Check, sweet check. 

The Growing Pains “Growing at our pace with our own profits — yet staying debt free.”

The Milestone Moment“Adding our new president, Mary Michelle Scott.”

The Key to the Economy “Driving harder with confidence while others stand paralyzed waiting for others to control their destiny.”

The Advice“Treat your people like your best customers. Believe, trust, be loyal and committed to your people and your company. Understand perfectly your financials, how you gather revenue and make profit from it. Stick to your core competencies. If you don’t know what they are, then either find them or get out.”

25. LINKTRUST SYSTEMS

Three-Year Growth 59%  Revenue in 2010 $3,228,188  Founded 2004  City Lehi  Employees 21  Industry Technology/Marketing  Website www.linktrust.com  Founders Frank Ouimette, 39; Bret Grow, 37

The Company Provider of a software platform serving the affiliate industry with pixel tracking, ad network management and lead management capabilities.

The Growth After initially launching to fill a void in the market, LinkTrust has been able to sustain its growth and maintain its industry prominence by building the company on a solid foundation of customer service. 

The Growing Pains “Adjusting from a two-man shop to a team of 21 in under three years.”

The Milestone Moment“Releasing a complete re-write of the software in 2009.”

The Key to the Economy “As an SaaS provider, our customers depend on us as an integral part of their infrastructure. Our track record for reliability, customer service and innovation at the right price make us something they can’t survive without.” 

The Advice“1. Don’t be afraid to learn from your experiences, both bad and good. 2. You have to have a plan and be forward thinking. 3. Treat your employees right so they’ll treat your customers right.”

26. ARIBEX

Three-Year Growth 56%  Revenue in 2010 $8,415,894  Founded 2003  City Orem  Employees 35  Industry Medical device manufacturing  Website www.aribex.com  Founder D. Clark Turner, 50

The Company A developer and marketer of new technologies in the X-ray radiography fields.

The Growth A first-class, highly differentiated product coupled with fantastic leadership and smart execution has led to strong growth in a needful market. 

The Growing Pains “Internal company politics. With more people come more differences in opinion.”

The Milestone Moment“Receiving FDA clearance for our product, which opened up investor financing. Also, becoming profitable.”

The AdviceIn order to grow you need to ‘nail it and scale it.’ Figure out what works, then replicate that via new products or new markets.”

27. KNEADERS BAKERY & CAFE

Three-Year Growth 56%  Revenue in 2010 $16,891,235  Founded 1997  City Orem  Employees 700  Industry Dining  Website www.kneadersbakery.com  Founders Colleen Worthington; Gary Worthington

The Company A restaurant and bakery.

The Growth A hot spot at breakfast, lunch and dinner, Kneaders Bakery has experienced delicious growth with a family-friendly vibe and 11 locations in Utah and Arizona. 

The Growing Pains “The bigger we get, the more we can’t do everything ourselves. That’s a tough transition to go through.”

The Milestone Moment “Seeing Kneaders restaurants pop up everywhere, seeing our billboards along I-15 — it’s amazing and surreal.”

The Key to the Economy “Working your heart out. Also, it takes a lot of flexibility.”

The Advice “Be involved, be engaged and be good for something in your company.”

28. SIMPLY MAC

Three-Year Growth 53%  Revenue in 2010 $20,492,237  Founded 2006  City Orem  Employees 73  Industry Consumer electronics retail  Website www.simplymac.com  Founder Steve Bain, 42

The CompanyA retailer and repairer of Apple products and services with retail stores in Utah and Colorado.

The Growth An intensely loyal fan base coupled with employee commitment and customer service has led Simply Mac to grow by leaps and bounds in a short timeframe. 

The Growing Pains “Managing inventory efficiency and cash flow.”

The Milestone Moment“Being recognized by Apple as a top 10 distributor of Apple products in the U.S. within our first full year of business.”

The Key to the Economy “Continually discussing ways to challenge your own model of doing business, relentless focus on managing expenses, making smart investments in key people and being patient with critical real estate decisions.”

The Advice“Surround yourself with smart people. Don’t be afraid to ask a ton of questions. Listen intently to your employees and your customers. Celebrate success along the way. Direct your focus to a few key elements that will improve your business. Work extremely hard.”

29. LIVING WHOLE FOODS, INC.

Three-Year Growth 43%  Revenue in 2010 $4,279,622  Founded 2000  City Springville  Employees 23  Industry Health food  Website www.wheatgrasskits.com  Founders Parker Garlitz, 42; Kaitlin Jones, 29

The CompanyA certified organic eCommerce company selling several live food product lines via online sales channels. 

The Growth With an “obsessive focus on Web marketing,” Living Whole Foods has reached a wide and eager customer base.  

The Growing Pains“Automating order flow and constantly outgrowing our facilities.”

The Milestone Moment “The day we realized we had to buy a forklift.”

The Key to this Economy“An obsessive focus on Web marketing.”

The Advice“Get obsessively focused on Web marketing.”

30. RBM BUILDING SERVICES

Three-Year
Growth
37%  Revenue
in
2010
$7,912,461  Founded 1974  City Provo  Employees 400 Industry Building services Website www.rbmservicesinc.com  Owner
Jon R. Moss, 36

The
Company
A building service contractor that cleans and maintains commercial buildings.

The
Growth
With aggressive networking and outstanding customer service, RBM has become the largest solely owned janitorial company in the state of Utah and cleans more than 15 million commercial square feet annually.

The
Growing
Pains
“Dealing with banks.”

The
Milestone
Moment
“Growing during the recession.”

The
Key
to
the
Economy
“We set the standards high so our competitors can strive to be like us.  We make sure what we do makes the best first impression for the facilities we clean. We make the lives of our customers better every day by creating an immaculate and healthy environment. We do what others aren’t willing to do by creating a ‘wow’ first impression for those who enter the buildings we care for.”

The
Advice
“Listen to your customers and your employees. The best way to improve is to be willing to learn and to change. If you don’t listen to what your customers want, you are failing them. Often your employees can teach you because they notice things you don’t. We can learn from everyone.”

The Fastest-Growing Companies list is selected from a group of applicants and ranked based on their percentage growth over a three-year period. The 2008 and 2010 gross revenue figures have been verified by BusinessQ and are accurate as of March 1, 2011. BusinessQ disclaims any responsibility for companies that did not apply.