TOP SMALL COMPANIES (In alphabetical order)
(PPAI 173549)
Top Executive: Michael McCarron
Headquarters: San Diego, California
Founded: 1991
Employees: 18
What employees say: “Working with this company has been a great experience; I’ve grown a lot working here. It motivates me to work hard and not give up. I appreciate the company and the people I work with.”
Michael McCarron, president and founder, on what it takes to create a great workplace: We create a great workplace by emphasizing our people. Our first priority is to hire great people. First, we look for people that are positive and cheerful because we all work together as a team. Second, we seek those that show internal motivation and take tremendous pride in their work because those are the people that produce great results with minimal management. Finally, we look for competence. People don’t necessarily have to have the skill walking in the door, but they need to be able to learn and be open to continual learning to perform up to company and team standards.
We provide the tools for people to do their jobs, and then get out of the way. Competent, internally-motivated and positive people don’t need a lot of supervision. They need guidelines, boundaries and resources. After that, they will figure it out and come back with outstanding results. Our employees are empowered to make decisions that positively affect their jobs. Great people make great decisions. Trust them and they will constantly surprise you in the best way possible. We invest in our people by providing expert training. We have a company coach that helps with a range of company-wide issues from time management, to basic leadership skills to specific consultative sales techniques that allow us to best serve our customers. This not only creates better employees, but enhances people’s growth as individuals. This investment pays great dividends as we are demonstrating to our people that we think they are important enough to investment in.
Finally, we inject joy into the workplace. We’ve had company-sponsored trips to Hawaii, Las Vegas and the local wine country. We have an annual hosted family day at the San Diego Zoo. We donate to local charities and our employees help out at different charitable events which enhances their own sense of contribution to the community.
Our people are our greatest resource. Placing the emphasis on the people and treating them well has been the cornerstone of our success.
Brand Fuel
(PPAI 277900)
Top Executives: Robert Fiveash and Danny Rosin, CAS
Headquarters: Morrisville, North Carolina
Founded: 1998
Employees: 24
What employees say: “Everyone, from the top down, pulls on the same end of the rope and does it the right way—with the customer at the top of the priority list. Awesome culture and working environment.”
Brandinc US, Inc.
(PPAI 602113)
Top Executive: Tad Webster
Headquarters: Los Angeles, California
Founded: 2013
Employees: 13
What employees say: “‘I enjoy the creative boutique atmosphere—great energy and great people.”
(PPAI 201546)
Top Executive: Colin Hageney
Headquarters: Houston, Texas
Founded: 1997
Employees: 13
What employees say: “They value family time and personal time as equally as working time, and they support living your life outside of your job—even if that means taking time off to do so.”
(PPAI 103776)
Top Executive: Mary Jo Tomasini, MAS
Headquarters: Stevensville, Michigan
Founded: 1993
Employees: 22
What employees say: “Competitive Edge is not just a place to work; it’s a place to do life. The culture is a great blend of work, play and family.”
commonsku
(PPAI 552077)
Top Executives: Catherine and Mark Graham
Headquarters: Toronto, Ontario
Founded: 2011
Employees: 13
What employees say: “I feel really respected, valued and part of the team. There is an attitude of total transparency—nothing is hidden from anyone and that builds trust.”
(PPAI 134402)
Top Executive: Tim Hennessy, Sr.
Headquarters: Birmingham, Alabama
Founded: 1983
Employees: 14
What employees say: “I enjoy coming to work every day because the culture is great.”
(PPAI 220404)
Top Executive: Tom Mertz
Headquarters: Gardner, Kansas
Founded: 1999
Employees: 17
What employees say: “DistributorCentral is one of the most rewarding companies I’ve ever worked for. Every employee has a passion to be their very best and it clearly shows in everything DC does. I am proud to work with one of the most talented groups of professionals in the country.”
(PPAI 318801)
Top Executive: Jason Krakow
Headquarters: Overland Park, Kansas
Founded: 2004
Employees: 17
What employees say: “It is a great company to work for, where the employees are clearly valued and given freedom to succeed professionally and create their own success.”
Jason Krakow, president, on what it takes to create a great workplace: As a company, we provide everyone a modern, comfortable workplace, competitive benefits, and many extra benefits like tickets to Royals, Chiefs, Jayhawks, Sporting KC and concerts. I think what sets us apart though, is what we provide as a community. We recognize what can be described as “the value of one, the power of all.” As a small team, we create both the opportunity and the expectation that each person makes an essential and valuable contribution. When everyone buys in, the result for the company is incredibly powerful. As for priorities, it’s a matter of thinking ahead and planning for growth—both physical growth of our spaces and personal growth of our people.
Icon Blue, Inc.
(PPAI 217321)
Top Executive: Walter Hill, Jr.
Headquarters: Los Angeles, California
Founded: 1998
Employees: 17
What employees say: “The company encourages a collaborative and team-oriented work environment that fosters idea generation, communication and growth.”
LogoSpeed
(PPAI 353176)
Top Executives: Chris Brooks and Scot Schreiber
Headquarters: Lewis Center, Ohio
Founded: 2007
Employees: 15
What employees say: “The owners truly care about the employees and about building a great company where everyone thrives.”
(PPAI 678649)
Top Executive: Sarah Penn
Headquarters: New York, New York
Founded: 2010
Employees: 17
What employees say: “A truly brilliant place to work, with incredible values of respect, understanding, creativity and professionalism. Great team spirit and amazing parties.”
Powerstick.com
(PPAI 383252)
Top Executive: Nigel Harris
Headquarters: Ottawa, Ontario
Founded: 2009
Employees: 22
What employees say: “I really like how this company has a flat organizational structure and encourages the importance of communication throughout. The design, development and manufacturing of such cool tech items make me feel like I am working in Santa’s Workshop.”
Nigel Harris, CEO, on what it takes to create a great workplace: Creating a corporate culture that everyone feels comfortable in is the first priority. Once created, it is vitally important that potential team members are selected based on how well their personality and history match this culture. As the team grows, the corporate culture will not only ensure a happy workplace but will extend beyond the company doors to customers and suppliers alike.
Stowebridge Promotion Group, Inc.
(PPAI 166854)
Top Executives: Ron Thomas and Kathy
Finnerty Thomas
Headquarters: Chandler, Arizona
Founded: 1994
Employees: 21
What employees say: “We are one big family that works together to make an everlasting experience for our customers.”
Tic Toc
(PPAI 103614)
Top Executive: Paul Gittemeier
Headquarters: Dallas, Texas
Founded: 1974
Employees: 19
What employees say: “My experience working at Tic Toc has been enlightening. I’ve learned many new things.”
US Flash & Technologies
(PPAI 375004)
Top Executives: Gabe Gerhardt and James Fox
Headquarters: Irvine, California
Founded: 2008
Employees: 11
What employees say: “US Flash is an awesome place to work! We work hard but have fun while doing it.”
(PPAI 342586)
Top Executive: Hans Kindsgrab
Headquarters: Green Bay, Wisconsin
Founded: 2007
Employees: 16
What employees say: “You are always someone at Zipline and not just a number. The owners truly care about each individual working here and share the wealth when the company is doing well.”
