Several Charlotte-area companies snagged a spot this year on Inc. magazine's 5000 Regionals list. That ranking puts the spotlight on the nation's fastest-growing, early-stage private companies.
Charlotte-based Carolina Signs and Wonders had the highest local rank at No. 9 in the Mid-Atlantic region, which includes North Carolina. That full-service signage and branding company posted two-year revenue growth of 762%. The business provides design, support, project management and fabrication services for the commercial market. Carolina Signs and Wonders was co-founded by Jacquie and Todd Golbus in February 2020 with a goal to help businesses grow through long-lasting graphics and signs.
Another Charlotte-based company, EJT Education Group, secured a high rank at No. 12. Established in 2017, the business development company aims to "shift the power dynamics in education and disrupt the racial wealth gap," according to Inc. Erica Jordan-Thomas is the company's founder and CEO.
Inc. revealed its regionals list in late February, ranking 1,132 U.S. companies by their revenue growth percentage from 2020 to 2022. The magazine is largely known for its annual Inc. 5000 list, which ranks the fastest-growing companies based on revenue growth over three years. As larger companies implement more layoffs, Inc. decided to bring back its regionals list to highlight younger firms, tracking their revenue growth over two years instead.
The Charlotte area’s 13 companies that ranked in the Mid-Atlantic region posted combined median growth of 127% and added 145 jobs between 2020 and 2022. One local company was listed under the Southeast region: EPIC iO Technologies in Fort Mill. Two Charlotte-area honorees were founded less than five years ago. Four companies were repeat honorees.
Below is the full list of Charlotte-area companies that ranked in the Mid-Atlantic region, along with each's two-year revenue growth rate:
- No. 9: Carolina Signs and Wonders, Charlotte — 762%
- No. 12: EJT Education Group, Charlotte — 635%
- No. 31: ISI Elite Training, Charlotte — 321%
- No. 32: Remedics Restoration Carolinas, Charlotte — 315%
- No. 49: Innovation Junction, Charlotte — 200%
- No. 81: XenTegra, Huntersville — 128%
- No. 83: Croixstone Consulting, Charlotte — 127%
- No. 95: Titus Alliance, Charlotte — 109%
- No. 105: Medchat, Charlotte — 89%
- No. 108: Red Cedar Capital Partners, Charlotte — 84%
- No. 120: Shane Smith Law, Charlotte — 68%
- No. 124: Jackrabbit Technologies, Huntersville — 62%
- No. 125: CCS Construction Staffing, Charlotte — 61%
And here's the local company on the Southeast list:
- No. 136: EPIC iO Technologies, Fort Mill — 122%
The highest-ranked company in North Carolina was Banyan Tree Counseling & Wellness. That integrated wellness practice in Winston-Salem landed at No. 7 for the Mid-Atlantic region with a two-year growth rate of 852%. It's among 31 companies total in North Carolina and 135 in the Mid-Atlantic region, which also includes Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, West Virginia.
South Carolina had eight ranked companies, with the state’s top spot belonging to Merge Transportation. That logistics and transportation company in Charleston ranked at No. 23 in the Southeast region with a two-year growth rate of 770%. The Southeast region consists of South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Arizona, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida and Puerto Rico.
The complete 2024 rankings, including options to view the economic impact honorees had on each U.S. region, can be found here.
