Inc. Magazine

Inc. Magazine is the only major business magazine written for the journey from startup to a fully managed company. Every issue of Inc. delivers real solutions for today's innovative company creators.

THE JOURNEY

Inc. Magazine US

INC. AND YOU, GROWING BETTER TOGETHER

I Was Wrong SOCKS. THEN UNDERWEAR

Competitive Advantage HEARING IN COLOR

Tip Sheet HOW TO OUTSOURCE YOUR ASSISTANT

The Future of… TIKTOKS, TWEETS, AND TEEN GIRLS

How I Got the Idea HOLDING THE LINE

Pitch Perfect LET'S LOOK AT THE UGLY

The Best Parts DO ONE THING, AND DO IT WELL

Mentorship Matters ACTUALLY, THE CUSTOMER COMES SECOND

Not the Impostor You Think You Are • My first time on national television taught me a lesson we all could use about our self-worth: I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and, doggone it, I like me.

In Customer Service, Talk Isn't Cheap, but It Is Essential • When you erase your phone number from your website, you erase your reputation.

Burn It All Down • How we lost our headquarters and engineering lab in a fire—and gained a lot more in the process.

Block Shop Textiles has shunned investors for a decade. Good thing Kendra Scott knows how to grow a bootstrapped business. • The jewelry entrepreneur helps Hopie Stockman, co-founder and CEO of the home goods and apparel brand Block Shop Textiles, foster a culture of sustainable growth.

Brian Chesky • The co-founder and CEO of Airbnb thinks like a designer, nurtures his curiosity, and pumps a lot of iron.

SHAQ PLAYER PITCHMAN BUILDER. • How Shaquille O’Neal, founder and investor, made himself bigger than ever.

MEET THE NEXT BIG THINGS • THESE ARE THE FASTEST- GROWING COMPANIES IN THEIR REGIONS —AND LIKELY CONTENDERS FOR THIS YEAR’S INC. 5000. THEY’RE STILL SMALL FIRMS —BUT THEY’RE PROPELLED BY BIG, MARKET-WINNING IDEAS.

SOUTH EAST • Americans are flocking South. Fueled by such booming Sun Belt cities as Atlanta, Nashville, and Miami, the Southeast’s population increased 10 percent from 2010 to 2020, more than any other region’s. It’s also home to the queen of Regionals, health care staffing platform SnapNurse, which grew more than 34,000 percent.

MIDWEST • The Midwest has earned its reputation for rearing hard-working folks. Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska boast some of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S.-below 3 percent. Entrepreneurs in this industrious heartland are busy launching health care technology startups, scaling logistics providers, and rethinking the insurance industry.

MID ATLANTIC • The fastest-growing startup in the Mid-Atlantic, which encircles the nucleus of the federal government, is—you guessed it—a government contractor in Northern Virginia. But this vibrant region, which includes the thriving research triangle in North Carolina and the corporate tax haven of Delaware, is not all buttoned-up businesses. Our list also contains a personal training program and an ice cream maker.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN • From Denver to Boise to Salt Lake City, the Rocky Mountains are buzzing with startup activity. The Silicon Slopes attracted many people fleeing dense coastal cities during the pandemic-and some have never left. The area has the growth to show for it. From 2019 to 2021, Utah’s gross domestic product increased by 14.7 percent.

PACIFIC • Considering the worldclass talent pipelines at Stanford and the University of California system, and the venture capital epicenter in Silicon Valley, it’s no wonder California continuously ranks as the state with the most entrepreneurs. But the Golden State doesn’t get all the glory. Fast-growing startups are popping up across the region in such cities as Seattle, Honolulu, and even Bend, Oregon.

SOUTHWEST •...