Through surveys and available data, we've examined hundreds of small businesses and come away with six archetypal sets of practices and characteristics that we believe are representative of most growth companies operating today.
The qualifications were simple: Companies had to be domestically owned, privately held, for-profit and have shown net capacity growth over at least two years, with an employee size in 2015 of 10 to 1,000.
Below, we examine the traits of Controllers, one of the six archetypes of the Entrepreneur360™ Performance Index. To see the other five archetypes, click here.
This group keeps its focus on customers and suppliers. They pay close attention to what’s going on in their markets and do what it takes to keep customers happy. Controllers don’t grow especially fast compared to their peers, but they do grow rather steadily, and work for the long-term.
Key characteristics
- Controllers take pains to get the input of customers and suppliers in business planning.
- They are careful to establish an annual growth target, and they often match their peers in confidence in meeting that goal.
- They constantly research their markets and use the findings to make decisions.
Takeaway
Controllers hit reasonable growth targets and find ways to flourish even in tough markets.
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A Head For Profits
Founded: 2010
Business Type: Manufacturing
Website: http://aheadforprofits.com
Accordant Media
Founded: 2010
Business Type: Marketing and analytics
Website: http://accordantmedia.com
Adafruit Industries
Founded: 2009
Business Type: Hardware
Website: https://www.adafruit.com
Aden & Anais
Founded: 2006
Business Type: Retail
Website: http://www.adenandanais.com
AppLovin Corporation
Founded: 2012
Business Type: Advertising
Website: https://www.applovin.com
Beeby Clark+Meyler
Founded: 2005
Business Type: Marketing
Website: http://www.beebyclarkmeyler.com
Betts Recruiting
Founded: 2009
Business Type: Staffing
Website: http://bettsrecruiting.com
Beyond Spots & Dots
Founded: 2006
Business Type: Marketing
Website: http://www.beyondspotsanddots.com
BioIQ
Founded: 2005
Business Type: Health technology
Website: http://www.bioiq.com
BrandYourself.com
Founded: 2009
Business Type: Branding
Website: https://brandyourself.com
BrightEdge
Founded: 2007
Business Type: Marketing
Website: http://www.brightedge.com
Concept Technology
Founded: 2003
Business Type: Internet technology
Website: https://www.concepttechnologyinc.com
Contently
Founded: 2010
Business Type: Marketing
Website: https://contently.com
ContextMedia
Founded: 2006
Business Type: Marketing
Website: http://www.contextmediainc.com
Crazy Mountain Brewing Company
Founded: 2010
Business Type: Retail
Website: http://www.crazymountainbrewery.com
Dragon Innovation
Founded: 2009
Business Type: Manufacturing
Website: https://www.dragoninnovation.com
drchrono
Founded: 2009
Business Type: Software
Website: https://www.drchrono.com
Duck Duck Go
Founded: 2008
Business Type: Internet search
Website: https://duckduckgo.com
Duolingo
Founded: 2011
Business Type: Language education
Website: https://www.duolingo.com
Evoke Brands
Founded: 2010
Business Type: Social media
Website: http://www.ideasthatevoke.com
Evolve IP
Founded: 2007
Business Type: Cloud services
Website: http://www.evolveip.net
Front & Center Marketing
Founded: 2008
Business Type: Marketing
Website: http://www.front-centermarketing.com
GothamCulture LLC
Founded: 2006
Business Type: Management consulting
Website: http://www.gothamculture.com
Gravity Jack
Founded: 2009
Business Type: Software
Website: https://gravityjack.com
Grovo
Founded: 2010
Business Type: Learning technology
Website: http://www.grovo.com
Gusto
Founded: 2011
Business Type: HR software
Website: https://zenpayroll.com
HitchSwitch
Founded: 2011
Business Type: Name-changing service
Website: https://www.hitchswitch.com
HRAnswerLink
Founded: 2001
Business Type: Human resources
Website: http://hranswerlink.com
ICON
Founded: 1996
Business Type: Transportation
Website: http://www.icon4x4.com
iDevices
Founded: 2009
Business Type: Internet of Things
Website: http://idevicesinc.com
iMemories
Founded: 2006
Business Type: Cloud services
Website: http://www.imemories.com
Influence & Co.
Founded: 2011
Business Type: Branding
Website: http://www.influenceandco.com
Infographic World
Founded: 2009
Business Type: Infographics
Website: http://infographicworld.com
Intelisys
Founded: 1994
Business Type: Telecommunications
Website: http://www.intelisys.com
Jewel Branding & Licensing, Inc
Founded: 2008
Business Type: Consulting
Website: http://www.jewelbranding.com
Killer Infographics
Founded: 2010
Business Type: Infographics
Website: http://killerinfographics.com
LaSalle Network
Founded: 1998
Business Type: Staffing
Website: http://thelasallenetwork.com
Little Passports, Inc.
Founded: 2009
Business Type: Education
Website: http://www.littlepassports.com
Mindblown Labs
Founded: 2011
Business Type: Education
Website: http://www.mindblownlabs.com
Namely
Founded: 2012
Business Type: Software
Website: http://www.namely.com
NatureBox
Founded: 2012
Business Type: Food
Website: https://naturebox.com
Next Jump
Founded: 1994
Business Type: Software
Website: http://www.nextjump.com
olloclip, LLC
Founded: 2011
Business Type: Manufacturing
Website: http://www.olloclip.com
Omni Online Solutions
Founded:
Business Type: Marketing
Website: https://www.omnionlinesolutions.com
Ontraport
Founded: 2006
Business Type: Marketing
Website: https://ontraport.com
Orange Mud
Founded: 2010
Business Type: Manufacturing
Website: http://www.orangemud.com
Ready Set Rocket
Founded: 2009
Business Type: Marketing
Website: http://readysetrocket.com
Renhaus Visualization Studio
Founded:
Business Type: Design
Website: http://www.renhaus.com
Revolution LLC
Founded: 2005
Business Type: Incubator
Website: http://www.revolution.com
Richter10.2 Media Group
Founded: 2008
Business Type: Communications
Website: http://www.richter10point2.com
Sachs Marketing Group
Founded: 2010
Business Type: SEO
Website: https://sachsmarketinggroup.com
Shoptiques
Founded: 2011
Business Type: Retail
Website: http://www.shoptiques.com
Smashing Boxes
Founded: 2010
Business Type: Web design
Website: http://smashingboxes.com
Spectrum Aeromed
Founded: 1991
Business Type: Health care
Website: http://spectrum-aeromed.com
Square 2 Marketing
Founded: 2009
Business Type: Marketing
Website: http://www.square2marketing.com
Switch Communications, Inc.
Founded: 2011
Business Type: Cloud communications
Website: https://www.switch.co
Tapad
Founded: 2010
Business Type: Software
Website: http://www.tapad.com
The James Agency, INC.
Founded: 2005
Business Type: Marketing
Website: http://www.thejamesagency.com
Touchfire
Founded: 2011
Business Type: Tech accessories
Website: https://touchfire.com
Vacasa
Founded: 2009
Business Type: Property rentals
Website: https://www.vacasa.com
Volta Charging
Founded: 2010
Business Type: Automotive
Website: http://voltacharging.com
Wonderful Union
Founded: 2007
Business Type: Social media
Website: http://wonderfulunion.com
Ytel
Founded: 2012
Business Type: Software
Website: http://www.ytel.com
ZinePak
Founded: 2011
Business Type: Marketing
Website: http://www.zinepak.com
ZipRecruiter
Founded: 2010
Business Type: Recruitment
Website: https://www.ziprecruiter.com
ZOZI
Founded: 2008
Business Type: Travel
Website: www.zozi.com
Read more about each archetype:
- For Entrepreneur360 'Data Champions,' Success is Steady, Plotted and Planned
- The Success Secrets That Helped the 'Best Practicers' Land on the Entrepreneur360
- How Staying in Front of the Pack Helped the 'Forward Thinkers' Nab a Spot on the Entrepreneur360
- Growing Against the Grain: Meet the Entrepreneur360 'Contrarians'
- Confident and Sales-Focused: A Look at the Entrepreneur360 'Classics'
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