Prepare to be charmed by these local companies that have risen above a recession (hello, 1,800 percent growth!), had stellar sales (hello, billion dollars!) and gotten cheeky with their marketing (hello, tongue costume!).
Devour the lists to see which companies next door made rank. Plus, we’ll take you inside six businesses that share how in the world they did it.

BY BRIANA STEWART | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRYANT LIVINGSTON PHOTOGRAPHY

UV50 CONTENTS
Fastest-Growing Companies
Top Revenue Companies
Startups To Watch

FEATURED WINNERS
Box Home Loans
Property Solutions
Vivint, Inc.
Kneaders Bakery & Cafe
Young Living
Orabrush

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Provo-based Orabrush is the UV50’s most watch-worthy wonder — and 35 million people agree with us. The youthful company’s mammoth fan base sprouted from a little site called YouTube. After attempting to sell the tongue cleaner here, there and everywhere, 75-year-old Dr. Bob Wagstaff (Orabrush’s inventor) connected with BYU student Jeff Harmon and set out to become the bad breath brigade. Now, almost two years later, Orabrush is hailed as a viral marketing darling, its multimillion-dollar sales have exploded onto the scene and major retailers are coming to them for a change. Mark our pages: This is no one-YouTube wonder.

In 2000, my wife and I served as LDS mission presidents in the Philippines. While we were there, I got a call from members of the church saying there was a problem with my missionaries. “The missionaries are offending people,” they told me. And I thought, “Oh, dear. What are they doing?”

They had bad breath. We followed up with a teeth-cleaning training, which led me to do some Internet research. To my surprise, I found that 90 percent of bad breath comes from the tongue.

I started working on a prototype that would eliminate bad breath. I knew there had to be a better way than toothbrushes and tongue scrapers. I later got together with an attorney, and we eventually landed ourselves a patent.

Once we had the patent, it was time to think how we’d bring it to market. I tried to sell the rights to the patent — but with no success. Then I tried to market it myself. We did an infomercial on TV, spent about $40,000 and did about $4,000 in sales. It was a disaster.
I tried to get it in retail stores, but people didn’t even know what it was. Then I turned to the Internet. I got together with a group who said they could market it. And for every $2 we spent, we got $1 in sales. Another disaster.

I had spent more than half a million dollars of my own money on this project. But I didn’t want to give up on it when I knew it worked. I just needed to get the story out there.

I went to the BYU business school and talked with a professor. I told him I needed help. He suggested we turn it over to one of the senior classes.

By this time it was April 2009, and the group working on my product invited me to come to class. The group said that first, Orabrush is not a strong enough product to stand on its own. And second, it was no use trying to sell it on the Internet. Only 8 percent of people would buy this kind of product on the Web, they said.

Then senior Jeff Harmon raised his hand. He said, “I just did a calculation, and 8 percent is a few million people. Seems to me like you’d want to focus on them.”

I was fascinated. And when class was over, I went to talk to him. Jeff looked me in the eye and said, “Dr. Bob, I can sell your product on the Internet.”

By August, we had our first YouTube video shot and website redesigned so people could buy Orabrush on the site. It just catapulted from there.

We’ve sold more than a million of them now. We have more than 35 million views on our YouTube videos, and we are at 270,000 fans on Facebook. We’re in 20 Walmart stores here in Utah, we’re approved by all the major retailers and sales have been fabulous.

It’s been a case of reverse marketing. Normally you put the product in the store and advertise that it’s there. But what we’ve done is create interest and offer education. We taught people about bad breath in a humorous and memorable way. And then we told them where they could buy Orabrush.

I was really enamored by the idea that everyone has a tongue. Everyone can have bad breath, which means everyone in the world is a potential customer. That’s what kept me going. That’s what kept me taking money out of my retirement fund. It’s one thing to sell something and make money. But to have a product be beneficial to people? It’s a thrill.

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• Founded 2009
• City Provo
• Employees 15
• Industry Dental hygiene
• Website www.orabrush.com
• Founder Dr. Bob Wagstaff, 75
• What It Is A creator of a tongue-cleaning device designed to extinguish bad breath.
• Why It’s Watch-Worthy The real question is, what isn’t watch-worthy about Orabrush? With more than 35 million views on YouTube and more than 270,000 Facebook fans, Orabrush has taken its social media success and created a tangible, multimillion-dollar breath of fresh air.
• The Big Break “Our first YouTube video — we had no idea it would lead to where we are today.”
• The High Point “We’ve sold more than a million Orabrushes now, and I just get a kick out of knowing we’re helping people and educating them on bad breath.”
• The Low Point “Knowing we had a great product but not being able to get it to market.”
• Best Bootstrapping Moment “In the beginning, my wife and I did everything — mailing, packaging, customer service calls — all right from our home and garage. It was overwhelming.”
• The Advice “If you really believe in your product and have good reason to believe it’s going to be a success, stick with it. You’ll find a way to make it work.”
• In 2015 “A recognized leader in our industry.”

NO. 2 FOUR FOODS GROUP

• Founded 2008
• City Highland
• Employees 221
• Industry Food/Retail
• Website www.fourfoodsgroup.com
• Founder Andrew K. Smith, 35
• What It Is A restaurant management and investment company specializing primarily in the fast casual dining industry.
• Why It’s Watch-Worthy After the success Four Foods Group has had with the Kneaders brand (our No. 27 Fastest-Growing Company this year), restaurants wanting to expand will be aligning themselves with this expertly led company.
• The Big Break “Having a fantastic 2010 in sales, making 2011 look even better for new growth!”
• The High Point “Being able to find a supportive financing arm with Bank of American Fork, as well as having extremely benevolent and excited investors to continue our growth curve year over year.”
• The Low Point “The amount of mental, emotional, office and manual labor required to get the company to this point so far. It has been rough … but that is what it takes to make any business succeed right now.”
• Best Bootstrapping Moment “Multiple employees working from my home office for the past two years while preserving the company money to reinvest into the future. Working around the family is rewarding … but hard. We finally moved into our new offices in February! We are so excited.”
• The Advice “Stick to one thing, and give it all you got — even when you want to quit. Focus. Execute. And be passionate about what you’re doing.”
• In 2015 “Twenty-six Kneaders Bakery & Café restaurants operating in the western United States, grossing more than $55 million in sales a year.”

NO. 3 STUBTOPIA.COM

• Founded 2008
• City Spanish Fork
• Employees 5
• Industry Live event ticketing
• Website www.stubtopia.com
• Founder Dallen Allred, 23
• What It Is A secondary-market ticketing website.
• Why It’s Watch-Worthy A winner of a number of business competitions, Stubtopia.com has lived up to its winning name by becoming a million-dollar business and a go-to site for ticket takers.
• The Big Break “We’re still hoping for that.”
• The High Point “Being chosen as the No. 1 Student-run business in Utah for 2010.”
• The Low Point “A couple weeks every mid-December and mid-April (finals week).”
• Best Bootstrapping Moment “A roommate and I ran Stubtopia from our shared bedroom at our BYU apartment for the first year and a half. We would have customers from the East Coast begin calling at 5 a.m., which would drive all our other roommates nuts. We had a good time closing out thousand dollar orders in our pajamas.”
• The Advice “Find a mentor, and don’t be afraid to ask questions about stuff you don’t know. (Everything.)”
• In 2015 “It’s hard to say. There is so much opportunity in our industry and so much disruption.”

NO. 4 CREXENDO

• Founded 2009
• City Orem
• Industry Online marketing
• Website www.crexendo.com
• Founders David McCoy; Clint Sanderson
• What It Is A Web marketing services company.
• Why It’s Watch-Worthy Armed with experienced, solid leadership, stellar products and free public training, Crexendo has made a big splash in a small timeframe.

NO. 5 GROSOCIAL

• Founded 2009
• City Provo
• Employees 7
• Industry Social media/Marketing
• Website www.grosocial.com
• Founders Zach Mangum, 27; Kevin Kirkland, 29; Chris Wright, 35
• What It Is A developer of three Web-based social media marketing applications that help businesses acquire new customers.
• Why It’s Watch-Worthy Its social media apps (SuggestThis, Swap and Customizer) are gaining excellent traction with more than 2,000 businesses worldwide using them (including Diapers.com and Energizer). What’s more, the company is striking while the social media iron is hot.
• The Big Break “Closing our initial round of seed capital from an awesome investor.”
• The High Point “Watching our flagship product grow by 258 percent in Q4 2010.”
• Best Bootstrapping Moment “Meeting a potential partner for lunch and having to tell him we were doing a ‘cleanse’ and wouldn’t be eating, when the real reason was because the debit card’s balance was too low. This doubles as our ‘low point!’”
• The Advice “If you wouldn’t use and pay for your product or service, don’t assume anyone else will.”
• In 2015 “A leading provider of enterprise-level social media marketing software.”

NO. 6 PROPERTY23

• Founded 2008
• City Orem
• Employees 70
• Industry Real estate Website www.property23.com Founder Sean Whalen, 32
• What It Is A turn-key property investment company.
• Why It’s Watch-Worthy When you’re making more than $20 million in sales after just two years of business, you’re watch-worthy. And doing it in a real estate market that’s less than ideal? We’ve got our eyes peeled.
• The Big Break “Turning the management over to my partner, Jon Day. One of the hardest things I’ve ever done in business, but the best decision I have ever made — and one of the main reasons we’ve grown.”
• The High Point “Hearing from employees how much they love working with our company.”
• The Low Point “Being around people who have no vision and no loyalty.”
• Best Bootstrapping Moment “We travel a lot. When Jon has any input with travel arrangements, he chooses the smallest and least-expensive car. Have you seen how hard it is to fit four sets of golf clubs, four suitcases and four, six-foot-and-taller guys into a Ford Focus? Needless to say, Jon is no longer allowed to book rental cars.”
• The Advice “Never ever get offended when you ask a question and get an answer you don’t like. If you ask, be prepared to learn.”
• In 2015 “I see P23 buying and selling more residential investment property than any other company in America. I also see more golf in 2015.”

NO. 7 FROGHAIR

• Founded 2008
• City Provo
• Employees 6
• Industry Ad-specialty/premium incentives
• Website www.froghair.com
• Founders Curtis Blair, 43; Richard Christiansen, 46
• What It Is A provider of corporate awards and gifts.
• Why It’s Watch-Worthy With impeccable leadership at its helm (the founders have started upwards of 30 businesses — many of them multimillion dollar operations), Froghair, which already represents more than 150 well-known American brand-name products, will become a leader of its industry thanks to an emphasis on “meaningful and motivating” corporate gifts.
• The Big Break “When the first zig zag zig (three progression steps for the business) were mapped out on a dinner napkin.”
• The High Point “When the team was assembled and everyone jumped into Froghair full-time.”
• The Low Point “Managing cash flow associated with growth.”
• Best Bootstrapping Moment “When we came up with $240,000 in 24 hours.” (Editor’s Note: OK. Wow.)
• The Advice “Fail efficiently.”
• In 2015 “Working on the business not in the business — diversified into three revenue streams.”

NO. 8 MALAWI’S PIZZA

• Founded 2010
• City Provo
• Employees 43
• Industry Dining
• Founders Blake Roney, 52; Kent Anderson, 42
• What It Is A pizza restaurant with a philanthropic cause — for every meal sold the restaurant donates a dollar to the country of Malawi.
• Why It’s Watch-Worthy Combine delicious pizza with a charitable mission, and you may just have the greatest thing since sliced pizza.

NO. 9 NETHOSTING

• Founded 2009
• City Orem
• Employees 4
• Industry Web hosting
• Website www.nethosting.com
• Founders Lane Livingston, 38; J. Lee Livingston, 41
• What It Is A provider of Cloud hosting and storage options.
• Why It’s Watch-Worthy As a sister company to Fibernet Corp., this business has all the right leadership, all the right tools, all the right customers (including Cisco, Dell, HP and Intel) and all the right gumption to go very, very far.
• The Big Break “We could not have done it without Fibernet Corp.”
• The High Point “Launching the new site and having customers sign up for hosting with almost no effort.”
• The Low Point “Several months after the launch of the new website, we discovered 99 percent of all the hosting accounts that had been setup were paid for with stolen credit cards.”
• Best Bootstrapping Moment “We launched the new company without any debt or equity financing.”
• The Advice “A good business will not succeed long term without principles, fiscal restraint and good people.”
• In 2015 “We’ll be one of the top three Cloud hosting providers — NetHosting.com, Amazon.com and Rackspace.com.”

NO. 10 LUMOS, INC.

• Founded 2008
• City Orem
• Employees 10
• Industry Sports medicine
• Website www.kttape.com
• Founders Reed Quinn, 30; Ryan Dewey, 35; John Mackay, 52; Jim Jenson, 39
• What It Is A designer, developer and distributor of sports medicine products.
• Why It’s Watch-Worthy With its flagship product, KT Tape, sticking with top athletes like Kerri Walsh, Mike Bridges and the TeamUSA WaterPolo team, and with a presence in more than 3,000 retails locations in the United States, we have no doubt Lumos, Inc. will be glued to athletes for years to come.
• The High Point “Interacting with our customers. Our product really enables people who are sitting on the sidelines because of injuries to get back to doing what they love. We love to read and listen to the success stories from our fans.”
• The Low Point “Making trade-offs because of budget constraints.”
• Best Bootstrapping Moment “Our first office was a 600-square-foot retail space between the UPS Store and Pier 49 on University Avenue in Provo. We could only fit a couple pallets of product in the space, and that was if we stacked product around, on top of and beneath our desks. At one point we had product taking up every usable space except for a two-foot aisle. When we shipped out product we would label cartons and build pallets on the sidewalk in front of Pier 49 Pizza where they would sit until a truck came to pick them up. Ultimately, a visit from the fire marshal convinced us we needed a new office.”
• The Advice “Don’t wait until everything is perfect before you get your product out in the market. And don’t be afraid to commit before you know exactly how you are going to make it happen.”
• In 2015 “TOTAL WORLD DOMINATION! Or, maybe just KT Tape recognized as an essential piece of athletic equipment.”

The Startups to Watch list was selected from a pool of applicants that have less than three years of operating history. The winners were determined by BusinessQ’s editorial board.

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Young Living is no youngin’ when it comes to essential oils. The 18-year-old Lehi company has been an industry leader since its inception, and founder Dr. Gary Young has been researching and experimenting in the natural health world since 1980. “Ever since these oils have come into my life, I’ve felt it’s been my mission to share them with the world,” says Young, who has published books and research papers on his discoveries. “I’ve watched them drastically improve medical conditions and change people’s lives. It just doesn’t get better than that.” Young also has a life-changing wife and business partner, Mary. “I could not have made this journey without her. She kept pushing me when I would have been perfectly happy living a life as a rancher. But she knew I was capable of this.” And now Utah Valley does, too.

I started experimenting with oils back in 1980 with some I had purchased from a health food store. After five years of experimenting with them — and seeing no results — I gave up and deemed it a new-age fad. This was voodoo medicine, I thought.

Then a woman came to my clinic. Her sister lived in Switzerland, and she asked me what I knew about essential oils. I said, “You mean that aromatherapy stuff? Been there, done that, not interested.”

She was offended. I was trying to think of a way to get out of this awkward conversation when she asked me, “Do you believe all herbs are created equal?” I told her they were all created equal, yes — but they weren’t all manufactured equal. “The same is true with essential oils,” she said.

She proceeded to pull out a manila folder with research papers on infectious respiratory diseases and how the oils had killed the virus in the bacteria. She had translated the document for me and told me she wrote her home number on the paper. “If you have further interest, call me at home,” she said.

I finished the paper at 3 in the morning. I started highlighting passages and writing countless questions in the margins. I was overwhelmed by it. It gave me answers to what all people in the natural health world were looking for. I paced the floor. I couldn’t sleep. And so at 6 a.m., I picked up the phone and dialed her number. Deciding it was too early, I was about to hang up the phone when I heard, “Dr. Young! I’ve been waiting for your call.”

Five days later I was in Switzerland taking a class on essential oils. And in 1985, I was doing my first clinical research on cancer. And now look at us! Through Young Living, essential oils are literally changing and saving lives every day — I’ve seen it with my own eyes hundreds of times.
We’ve been here at our corporate office in Lehi for seven years now. It was quite the day when we loaded up the semi to move here from Payson. In each place we’ve been during our 18-year history, we’ve thought we’d never be able to fill the space. But every single time we end up bulging at the seams.

I’ve been called a snake oil salesman and all kinds of other awful names. And those people later saw how successful we’ve been and wanted to buy the company. Interesting, isn’t?

But I can’t get caught up in the lies and the slander. I have never done anything in my life for financial gain. I always knew if I did things in an honest and right way, the financial gain would come. And it has.

The most rewarding part of our success has been the people we’ve helped. No question. And the more successful we are, the better we can spread our message worldwide.

Young Living is becoming a household name around the world. And for our distributors, it’s not about how much money they’re making. It’s about how these oils have helped them and those around them.

It’s been a fabulous journey, and taking something that had never been exposed to the world in our time — something that had never been marketed before — has been a privilege. Sometimes you have to pinch yourself to realize it’s not a dream.

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• Revenue in 2010 $1,540,000,000
• Founded 1984
• City Provo
• Employees 1,100 (in Utah)
• Industry Direct sales/Beauty
• Website www.nuskin.com
• Founder Blake Roney, 52; Steven J. Lund, 57; Sandie N. Tillotson, 53
• The Company A direct sales company that sells skin, beauty and nutrition products.
• The Success With unparalleled revenues, a 27-year history of standout leadership and an integral emphasis on being a “force for good” locally and abroad, Nu Skin has been and will continue to be an irreplaceable economic engine in Utah Valley.
• The Milestone Moment “Our greatest milestone was the past year. We posted record revenue for the third straight year. We also celebrated feeding 200 million meals through our Nourish the Children initiative. We welcomed more people than ever before into the business. We set records with the launch of our revolutionary ageLOC skin care products. We announced our 700th career million-dollar earner. And we announced a new building in downtown Provo that we are very excited about. It was a great year.”
• The Key to the Economy “Innovation.”
• Best Part of Being High Revenue “Seeing all of the lives we have been able to impact for good. We operate in 51 markets worldwide, and we love hearing the stories from our distributors and employees about how their lives have improved because of their association with Nu Skin.”
• Where to Splurge “We make sure we give our distributors and employees some WOW with their events. Making sure they are recognized is an important investment. In fact, our company vision is entirely based on this — we want to be the world’s leading direct selling company by generating more income for our distributors than any other company.”
• The Advice “Find smart, good people and keep them by your side. When we were a young company, it was basically us against the world. Just about everyone thought we would fail. But we supported each other and made sure we all never quit on the same day. And then we welcomed other people who saw the vision and values of Nu Skin.”

NO. 2 VIVINT, INC.

• 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 Growth Formerly known as APX Alarm, Vivint has re-branded its name and vision — but kept its impeccable growth. Its impressive market dominance is thanks to its first-rate technology, sales force and employees.
• The Milestone Moment “Our employees take pride in what we do. People have built a career with us, and there’s nothing more rewarding than that.”
• Where to Splurge “Your employees — no question. It’s the team that makes the company, and you have to take care of them.”
• The Advice “Read ‘Atlas Shrugged.’ If people remember nothing else, remember this book. Everyone should read it.”

NO. 3 YOUNG LIVING ESSENTIAL OILS

• Revenue in 2010 $162,012,318
• Founded 1993
• City Lehi
• Employees 473
• Industry Direct sales/Health and wellness
• Website www.youngliving.com
• Founders Gary Young; Mary Young
• The Company A direct sales company that sells essential oils and oil blends, oil-enhanced nutritional supplements, bath and body products, and skin-care solutions.
• The Success Thanks to extensive product research, intense loyalty among employees and distributors, and a strong international presence, Young Living has soared to success in its impressive 18-year run.
• The Milestone Moment “The successful expansion and continued rapid growth of our international marketplace,” says CEO Doug Nelson.
• Best Part of Being High Revenue “The financial freedom to spread Young Living’s goodwill to the world.”
• Worst Part of Being High Revenue “There’s always increasing pressure to raise the bar and exceed expectations after each success.”
• Where to Splurge “Brand identification and brand promotion.”
• Where to Save “Companies can save by avoiding distractions — some of which are worthy ventures — that don’t align with the core company philosophy.”
• The Advice “Define your business vision, and then stay true to that vision through good times and bad.”

NO. 4 ONE ON ONE MARKETING, LLC*

• 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 Success 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 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.”
• Where to Splurge “Splurge on the people — your team. Build them up, allow them to take themselves to new heights and give them everything they possibly need. It’s not worth it to hold back. Help them find and discover themselves.”
• Where to Save “Travel expenses and paper clips.”
• 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.”

NO. 5 BIG-D CONSTRUCTION*

• Revenue in 2010 $48,022,058
• Founded 2005
• City Lindon
• Employees 14
• Industry Commercial construction
• Website www.big-d.com
• Vice President Greg Fix, 37
• The Company A construction management and design-build services company.
• The Success Built with determination, willpower and integrity, Big-D has become an undeniable force in Utah Valley’s commercial construction market with projects ranging from under $1 million to more than $100 million.
• The Key to the Economy “Optimism.”
• The Advice “Slow and steady wins the race.”

NO. 6 BANK OF AMERICAN FORK

• Revenue in 2010 $44,097,000
• Founded 1913
• City American Fork
• Employees 270
• Industry Banking
• Website www.bankaf.com
• CEO Richard Beard, 58
• The Company A community bank with 12 branches in Utah and Salt Lake counties and a loan office in Layton.
• The Success With an unquestionable emphasis on the customer, community and employees, Bank of American Fork has become the largest community bank in Utah — and one of the most influential.
• The Milestone Moment “Emerging from the great recession with our customers, our communities and our bank in tact. The fact that the bank is the largest community bank in Utah validates that Utahns really do want and will support community banks. Utahns are educated and discerning consumers of financial products. They don’t want out-of-state control of their financial life, and they value customer service on a local level.”
• Key to the Economy “Companies should focus on the old-fashioned virtues of putting the customer first, being honest and caring about the community.”
• Best Part of Being High Revenue “It allows you the freedom to pursue alternatives and to give back to the community.”
• Worst Part of Being High Revenue “If not managed right, it can become the only metric of significance.”
• Where to Splurge “Splurge on customer service and employees. When customers and employees are happy it will be reflected in the performance of the company.”
• Where to Save “By cutting luxuries and perks for top management.”
• The Advice “Develop values and stick with them, particularly in tough times.”

NO. 7 HADCO CONSTRUCTION*

• Revenue in 2010 $40,816,681
• Founded 1989
• City Lehi
• Employees 231
• Industry Construction
• Website www.hadcoconstruction.com
• Founder John D. Hadfield, 42
• The Company A civil construction/earthwork/excavation contractor.
• The Success Thanks to the most loyal of customers and the most hardworking of employees, Hadco Construction has managed to grow 30 percent in the past three years — which is no easy feat in the construction industry.
• The Milestone Moment “Changing from a residential contractor to a heavy highway contractor.”
• Key to the Economy “Never give up.”
• Best Part of Being High Revenue “It enables you to meet lots of people and customers.”
• Where to Splurge “Pay your top people well.”
• Where to Save “On the fru-fru perks.”
• The Advice “Make sure the growth has purpose. Don’t just grow to grow.”

NO. 8 VITALSMARTS*

• Revenue in 2010 $32,290,660
• Founded 2001
• City Provo
• Employees 88
• Industry Corporate training
• Website www.vitalsmarts.com
• Founders Joseph Grenny, 50; Kerry Patterson, 64; Al Switzler, 61; Ron McMillan, 59; Mike Carter, 51
• The Company A corporate training and organizational performance company.
• The Success With bestselling books (including “Crucial Conversations”), experience with more than 300 of the Fortune 500 companies and 30-plus years of ongoing research, the principles VitalSmarts espouses have been economy-proof.
• The Milestone Moment “For most people, milestones come in the form of revenue targets per month or a related business number. However, a great milestone has been overhearing someone in the local community tell a friend about an important benefit they gained from one of our books or trainings. We have hundreds of thousands of users worldwide, so it has been extremely gratifying to see our material is widespread enough to circle back to our own neighborhood.”
• Key to the Economy “At the end of 2008, when no one could see two weeks in advance to predict or strategize, we thought about doing what a number of companies did at that time, play defense — cut this, drop that, etc. We then thought better and decided to play offense. We clarified new strategies and budgeted them such that we could quickly drop them if they didn’t work. All but one strategy worked — which made 2009 and 2010 successful years of growth.”
• Best Part of Being High Revenue “It is great to know we are able to bless the lives of a growing number of people each year as we grow our company, since our content greatly aids both individuals and organizations in accomplishing their goals. We feel so fortunate to have grown our business so much during a tough economy.”
• Where to Splurge “Companies should invest in that which will help them achieve their corporate objectives. Oftentimes, when times get tough, companies cut corporate training. However, through research we have found training is an investment rather than an expense.”
• The Advice “We worked hard to have products that are not commodities. We also worked to make sure the content of our training was seen as ‘crucial’ or mission-critical solutions to multiple problems. When our clients experience tough times, we’re fortunate to be seen as a solution rather than something to cut.”

NO. 9 KS MARKETING*

• 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 Success 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 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.”
• Best Part of Being High Revenue “The added job security for myself and our employees.”
• Worst Part of Being High Revenue “Having to address so many more issues/problems that weren’t present as a smaller company.”
• Where to Splurge “Splurge on things the company has a passion about — and things that truly set yourself apart from others. Also, splurge on getting the right people to your company.”
• Where to Save “Save on things such as facilities and equipment — you don’t always have to buy everything new for it to work just fine.”
• 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.”

NO. 10 AMP SECURITY*

• 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 Success With enviable market timing and momentum, 4-year-old AMP has quickly risen to become a top force in a most competitive industry.
• 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.”
• Best Part of Being High Revenue “Being able to boost momentum — the key to success.”
• Worst Part of Being High Revenue “Growing to a point where I can’t do everything myself.”
• The Advice “It’s crucial to focus on strong sales and support personnel. Treat your sales reps like customers.”

The Top Revenue list is selected from a group of applicants and ranked based on their 2010 gross revenue. The 2010 gross revenue figure has been verified by BusinessQ and is accurate as of March 1, 2011. BusinessQ disclaims any responsibility for companies that did not apply.

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Kneaders Bakery & Cafe started cooking in 1997 with one Orem location and a whole lot of comfort. Fourteen years later, it has 10 Utah locations, two in Arizona, $16.8 million in sales and — you guessed it — a whole lot of comfort. “We’re in the business of making people feel like home,” says Colleen Worthington, who co-founded Kneaders with her husband, Gary. “Comfort is the biggest thing we sell.” And it’s the very ingredient that sets the local lunch legend apart. (Well, that and their Turkey Bacon Avocado on Focaccia. Yum.) These days, when Colleen drives down I-15 and sees Kneaders dotting the state, she can hardly believe how far they’ve come. “I had no idea we’d be here. It’s absolutely surreal.” But Gary knew it all along. “This is exactly what I pictured,” he says — which gives Colleen a laugh. “Really? Well, I’m glad one of us had a vision.”

Gary and I owned nine Subway sandwich stores. But we were tired, so we decided to sell them and retire.

We got bored — fast. So we thought, “Let’s do something.” We owned a piece of property in Orem, and we really wanted to sell amazing bread we baked everyday. After doing our research, we decided Europeans have the best bread in the world.

We opened Dec. 2, 1997. We have a lot of customers today who were our customers the first week we opened. We sold bread, pastries and cinnamon rolls, but we started listening to what the customers had to say. And they wanted sandwiches.

We had signed a non-compete agreement that said we wouldn’t make sandwiches. But we went to them and said, “How much do we need to pay to get out of this agreement?” They gave us a price, we paid it, and here we are.
The majority of our sales are in the sandwiches — and it’s because of the bread. It’s so fresh and good. But fresh isn’t easy. If it was, everyone would do it.

Kneaders is a family business, and that’s always been the plan. On the day we opened, everyone was here. I even had James, who was still in high school, come in and help me decide what radio station the store should play. I told him, “Find something you like and I like.” Thankfully, he liked ’60s music.

Because it’s a family business, it’s hard for us to not talk about Kneaders when we’re at home. It’s who we are. But during Thanksgiving dinner we try not to talk about it. That’s the day!

Gary and I come from homes of people who worked. When we were at Subway, our kids worked right along side us. Hard work is what it’s all about.

Growing this fast is great — and scary. We have a new plan every year as far as the volumes we go through. We never do it the same way twice. The key to handling that growth is flexibility. There will be hiccups. There will be problems. But if you are able to adapt quickly and efficiently, you’ll be in a great position.

Two years ago, we partnered with a development agency — Four Foods Group — and they’ve handled most of our expansion. Andrew Smith is a mover and a shaker, that’s for sure. And we feel so fortunate to have this partnership with them.

A really great thing for us is to employ 700 people. That amazes me. It’s the nicest thing to see all of these great young people working hard. I think of Candice at our front register. Is there anyone more adorable and friendly than her? But that’s why we’re lucky. Our employees have pride in Kneaders. In fact, a quarter of our franchisees were employees at one time. They’ve grown up with us.

What we love about entrepreneurship is you’re in charge of your own destiny. If times get really hard, Gary can be in the back baking and I can be at the front counter. We can always pull together and make things work.

We’re situated in a really great place. When times are really good, people who typically eat fast food eat at Kneaders. And when times are bad, people who eat at high-end restaurants eat at Kneaders. Sometimes being the middle child isn’t so bad.

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Now this is a name-changer. APX Alarm? Make that Vivint, Inc. Security alarm company? Make that home automation company. Industry leader? Make that … well, some things never change. “We’re in an amazing place right now,” says Todd Pedersen, founder of Vivint, Inc., which is the provider of a home automation platform for the masses. “We have top-of-the-line technology, fantastic employees, great vision and a great new brand.” But when Pedersen thinks back on the company’s history, that certainty wasn’t always secure. “Truth is, I’m shocked by where the company has gone. I never had the dream early on that it would be this successful,” he says. “But now our dream is so much bigger, I’m embarrassed to tell you about it.” Then let’s start at the beginning, shall we?

The company started because no one would give me a job. It was 1992, and we started out as an outsourced marketing company. We contracted with pest control companies, and we’d hire college students to sell. At our peak, we sold 30,000 pest control customers annually.

The problem was we didn’t get to keep the customer. We’d sell the product and then hand them over for the ongoing customer service. We didn’t love it.

We got into the security business in 1999. From there it was an adventure and a rocky few years — some years were good, some were bad. But we learned a lot.

In early 2006, a private equity firm out of New York approached us with a proposal structure of fifty-fifty ownership. We liked it, because we wanted to be in the same driver’s seat as the equity partner. Plus, it meant we finally got to keep our customer base and become a full-service security company.

At that point we were a large install company with no existing ongoing customer base. We weren’t even in the top 1,000 in the security industry. And now we’re the fourth largest in North America. We’ll be the second largest come summer.

In 2011, it was time to rename the company. We’re completely changing what we look like, feel like and act like. Security is just one component of our company. We now have technology that can control anything inside the home — lighting, heating, thermostat, energy management, audio/visual, security, cameras, you name it. And you can control it from China if you want to.

Home automation is typically known as a luxury for the wealthy. But we’ve brought it to the masses. It’s simple and affordable, and we’ve got the customer service to back it up.

Last year was our test year. We installed 170,000 new homes with this platform. We’re not the top in home automation — there’s one company ahead — but give us time. We will absolutely dominate this new space.

Major brands have announced a recent move into this home automation field — Verizon, AT&T, Comcast, Motorola. And we have major advantages over all of them. We’re really doing it and not just talking about it.

The crazy thing is we had more growing pains in the first three years than we do now. We have elastic systems, and we’ve learned how to staff up and handle growth. Our annualized revenue will probably increase by $120 million this year, and it will be fairly easy to manage.

With our new building in Provo, we wanted it to reflect our open culture. The architect interviewed employees and came up with the concept of glass walls — and it all reflects the open-dialogue policy we have here. We’ve made a real investment in this building in order to give back to our people. All of the design and furniture — it’s not the cheap stuff. And we have a cafeteria here that our employees eat at for free. We serve 1,000 meals a day, which doesn’t make us any money. But it makes people feel appreciated and loyal, and I guarantee we’re making a return on this investment.

We feel so fortunate to be here in Utah Valley. The talent is incredible. We feel fortunate to employ the amount of people we do and take part in the local economy. Hopefully the valley feels the same way.

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Thank goodness for chivalry. Nine years ago while attending BYU, Dave Bateman kindly brought lunch every day to his wife, Amanda, who worked at an apartment community in Provo. “We’d be eating, and someone would come in to pay rent,” he says. “And she’d pull out the paper ledger to write it down.” Deciding it was no longer 1994, Bateman (like any good entrepreneur) knew there had to be a better way. “Here was this multimillion-dollar company using these antiquated systems. It was archaic! That’s when the idea popped into my head.” The idea: Property Solutions, a provider of online tools (website portals, online payments, marketing strategies) for the multifamily industry. The pop: More than $11 million in revenue in 2010, landing on the Inc. 500 two years in a row, nearly 100 employees and more than $2 billion in processed online rent payments. Now that’s what you call a meal ticket.

The first thing my business partners (Ben Zimmer and John Hanna) and I did was get a team of students and survey 450 apartment communities. We asked 17 questions and got surprising answers. The biggest was “Do you allow residents to pay rent online?” Out of 450, not one allowed tenants to pay online. This was late 2002, and that stat blew us away. Right then we knew there was an opportunity.

We felt fortunate. In regards to the Internet, things were progressing pretty quickly at that time, and we were excited there was still a niche where we could create technology and have success. But we knew we had to move quickly.

The first product we created was a payment processing tool that allowed people to pay rent online. We built an off-the-shelf, template-based apartment community website where people could choose the template, type their name, and voila! They now have an apartment community website.

We wrote a business plan and entered it into BYU’s competition. We were undergrads competing with BYU MBA students — and we won. We got $25,000 in cash and $25,000 of in-kind services.

Fortune Magazine sponsors a nationwide business plan competition called the MBA Showdown. They wouldn’t let us submit our plan because we weren’t MBA students, but the dean of the Marriott School called them up and convinced them to let us apply.

We had three days notice, but we submitted a revised plan to Fortune Magazine. After a number of judging rounds, we won this one, too. The national showdown! And now it’s funny. Everyone thinks we have MBAs, but we don’t. In fact, I’m a college drop-out.
We got $50,000 in cash from that contest, and between the two contests we had a bit of capital to get things started. Like a lot of startups, we took out an initial round of funding from angels — about $700,000. But after that, we decided to bootstrap. We’ve taken a different approach to the way we’ve financed our business.

The first three or four years we had really slow growth. There was a lot of heartache trying to make payroll. But we pushed through, and in 2006 we landed a few key relationships. From that point on, growth has been exceptional.

With a small marketing budget, we’ve had to find ways to be creative. At the biggest trade show of our industry, you can spend $10,000 for a logo decal on the wall. Since we didn’t have the money, we hired professional break dancers to come to the dinner party — dressed in Property Solutions garb. Everyone thought they were our employees, and there were thousands of people glued to our guys spinning their heads on the dance floor. People swarmed our booth for the next three days of the show.

Now that we’re growing, we don’t know how to market with money. It’s like, “What are we supposed to do with this kind of budget?”

Becoming a public company is the goal. We’re growing. And we’ll continue to grow. We have the biggest competitive advantage with the caliber of employees here in Utah Valley. There’s no place like it.

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Call them square, but Lindon-based Box Home Loans, a division of Republic Mortgage Home Loans, doesn’t think outside the box. For this fastest-growing company in Utah Valley, it’s all about what’s inside — and they’ve proven good things come in small packages. In 2006, mortgage companies across the country were belting, “No money down!” and “Bad credit? Who Cares!” But Aaron Brown and his business partner, Jeff Reeves, put a lid on it. Their mortgage lending company would buck the trends and lend exclusively to those who fit “inside” their box — those with great credit. “Our goal,” Brown says, “was to make this traditional, vanilla ice cream loan sexy to people with great credit.” When the mortgage industry collapsed a year later — and that vanilla ice cream loan was among the only survivors — being boxed in never looked so good.

In early 2006 we looked at the market. At that point all the rage was alternative lending — interest-only ARMs, no money down — all the wacko things that led to the mortgage collapse. And we thought, “Why don’t we create a company that goes in a whole different direction? Instead of lending to everyone, why don’t we lend to the cream of the crop and reward those people who have great credit?” Loans for the perfect borrower.

We’d do one kind of loan over and over — the vanilla ice cream fixed rate loan. In so doing, we could create the kind of efficiencies that would allow us to make money on ridiculously low margins — and those low margins would be passed on to the consumer in terms of lower rates and fees.

We launched in the fall of 2006, and we did it with in-your-face marketing. Slogans like, “Why pay for your neighbor’s bad credit?” or “Are creditors calling for late payments? Don’t call us, we’re NOT your lender.” We were appealing to the ego of the person who had great credit — and we got a ton of hate mail for it. We had one guy call in and say, “If I ever get my credit up, I’m never getting my loan with you blankers!” We knew we were on the right track when people were ticked at us.

But it clicked with people. They started saying, “Now this makes sense. I pay my bills on time and I should get a discount for being a good borrower.” Our company gained traction.

Then the whole industry went off the cliff. In the past three years, 359 major mortgage companies have gone out of business. Isn’t that nuts? Man. But what we’ve been able to do is make that 30-year fixed rate loan better than anyone else. Since we only lend to the cream of the crop, we’ve been able to eliminate as many variables as possible.

We wish we could say we knew the mortgage industry was going to collapse — and that’s why we went the direction we did. But when 2007 hit, we were simply in the right spot. We were thankfully focused on the right borrower and the right loan product. So 2007 was a great year, 2008 was better, 2009 was incredible and 2010 was off the charts.

Our model is rooted in a Jet Blue-like strategy. If you decide who your customer is, limit what you do, and don’t try to be all things to all people, you’re golden. It can be tempting to go off in all kinds of directions, but don’t forget who you are.

Another way we’ve tried to set ourselves apart is through customer service. We’re so committed to the client that we have them rate us online — and then we post the results unedited on our website. Frankly, it’s scary. But it keeps us accountable.

Explosive growth can really tax you. But we’d be lying if we said it wasn’t a great problem to have. It sure beats the alternative.

It’s been fun to create jobs, we’ll tell you what. It’s been cool to build something and see employees take ownership. This all started from an idea of being different, and to think that we funded $101 million of loan volume in December is just crazy.

In the next five years, we are going to become a household name similar to Countrywide. Except … people are going to smile when they say our name.

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• 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.”

NO. 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.”

NO. 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.”

NO. 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 Company A provider of property management software tools for the multifamily industry.
• The Growth After 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.”

NO. 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.”

NO. 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.”

NO. 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 Growth With 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.”

NO. 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; Conrad Kolba, 36
• The Company A 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.”

NO. 9 BIDSYNC

• Three-Year Growth 185%
• Revenue in 2010 $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.”

NO. 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 Growth With 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.”

NO. 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 Growth Formerly 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.”

NO. 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 Company A 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.”

NO. 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.”

NO. 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 Company A developer of enterprise tools for direct sales companies.
• The Growth As 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.”

NO. 15 BLADEHQ

• Three-Year Growth 121%
• Revenue in 2010 $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.”

NO. 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 Company An online marketing company geared toward locally focused businesses.
• The Growth With 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.”

NO. 17 VERACITY NETWORKS

• 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.”

NO. 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.”

NO. 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.”

NO. 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 Company An 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.”

NO. 21 PROFESSIONAL CABLE

• Three-Year Growth 90%
• Revenue in 2010 $625,418
• Founded 2007
• City Orem
• Employees 3
• Industry 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.”

NO. 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 Company A 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.”

NO. 23 ATTASK*

• Three-Year Growth 65%
• Revenue in 2010 $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.”

NO. 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.”

NO. 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.”

NO. 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 Advice “In order to grow you need to ‘nail it and scale it.’ Figure out what works, then replicate that via new products or new markets.”

NO. 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.”

NO. 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 Company A 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.”

NO. 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 Company A 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.”

NO. 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.