ChangeUp Named to Inc. Magazine’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

March 23, 2020

Inc. 5000 Midwest Fastest Growing Companies map pin

Recognized on the Inaugural 2020 Inc. 5000 Series: Midwest with Two-Year Revenue Growth of 121%

DAYTON, OHIO – ChangeUp, an independent retail brand experience agency, today announced it has been named to the inaugural Inc. 5000 Series: Midwest list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the 12 Midwest states. With two-year revenue growth of 121%, ChangeUp placed 175th in the Midwest, 15th among the retail industry, and 2nd for the retail industry in Ohio.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by the Inc. 5000 list and ranked alongside so many remarkably innovative businesses,” said Lee Carpenter, CEO and co-founder of ChangeUp. “Our business is changing the future of retail experiences across a wide variety of industries nationally, and our growth is a testament to our amazing team that has adapted as our business has transformed into where we are today.”

Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the Midwest economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses.

“The companies on this list demonstrate just how much the small-business sector impacts the economies of each Midwest state,” says Inc. editor in chief Scott Omelianuk. “Across every single industry, these businesses have posted revenue and growth rates that are beyond impressive, further proving the tenacity of their founders and CEOs.”

“It’s rewarding to be on the leading-edge of change,” said Lynn Gonsior, COO and co-founder of ChangeUp. “The last year has been full of disruption in our industry. From the threat of a literal retail apocalypse to COVID-19, we’ve helped clients grow and adapt their brand strategy, customer experience, and architectural design.”

The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Between 2016 and 2018, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 360 percent and, in 2018 alone, they employed more than 27,000 people and added $13 billion to the Midwest’s economy. Companies based in the Chicago, Detroit, and Cincinnati areas brought in the highest revenue overall.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Series: Midwest, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, metro area, and other criteria, can be found at inc.com/inc5000-series-midwest-2020.html.

For Media Inquires, contact:

Kelly Sakalas / (937) 230-9911 / Kelly.Sakalas@changeupinc.com

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Regional Series

Methodology

The 2020 Inc. 5000 Regional Series is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2016 and 2018. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2016. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2018. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2016 is $100,000; the minimum for 2018 is $1 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.

About Inc. Media

The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.