The Buddy Group Recognized by Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies in America

COSTA MESA, Calif., Aug. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. Magazine revealed that The Buddy Group, a Storydriven Business™ builder and marketing consultancy, has been ranked on its annual Inc. 5000 List. The Inc. 5000 List refers to the 5,000 fastest-growing, privately held companies in America, which acknowledges entrepreneurial success, leadership and innovation.

The Inc. 5000 is the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies, representing one of the most important and dynamic segments of America's economy - independent entrepreneurs. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia and many other well-known Storydriven businesses gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000 List.

"This is a great moment for The Buddy Group team and for our clients, who've trusted us for sixteen years to help with value acceleration and growth. We're thrilled that we've been recognized by fellow innovators and business leaders for similar success ourselves," said Chief Buddy Pete Deutschman. "None of this would be possible if not for the long-term partnerships with our clients and team members who share in our goal to be the exception in the category."

The Buddy Group experienced revenue growth of 61% despite the lingering economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Buddy Group's strong financial performance in 2021 was complemented by growth within its team.

• David Ferguson, an eight-year veteran of The Buddy Group, was promoted to Executive Vice President, Operations and Productions. David oversees and stewards The Buddy Group's growth and partner success.
• Jonathan Neubauer was named Vice President, Production and Content Development. With a strong background in video and film, Jonathan brings a unique combined experience of creative production and project management to maximize efficiencies and alignment within the organization. He started with The Buddy Group in 2006.
• Eli Marcus, an established channel and product management executive in the mid-funnel marketing industry, was hired in 2021 as Vice President, Strategy and Channel Growth. Eli has practiced Storydriven product development and marketing throughout his career by connecting the customer journey and pain points to real-world solutions, differentiators, features and messaging.
• Jon Nowinski was named Creative Director and oversees Storydriven identity-based, visual and experience design. Grounded in the idea that great design comes from understanding the human experience, his work is evolving the experiences and connections of Storydriven businesses.
• Marisa Schaeffer was hired as Director of Storydriven Marketing and Strategy and is responsible for developing and implementing Storydriven marketing strategies, ensuring clear alignment with business objectives to effectively reach target audiences in a meaningful and purposeful way.

"The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled," says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. "Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis we've lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people."

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this year's list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020's unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

About The Buddy Group
Founded in 2005, The Buddy Group is a Storydriven Business™ builder and marketing consultancy that leverages Storydriven technology to drive value acceleration, innovation and relationships for our clients. More than 300 clients have tapped The Buddy Group as a guide and partner for value-creating adventures. We believe in the power of story to create common ground, develop strategy, guide execution, establish a movement, rally a community and grow an exceptional business. Our Storydriven Strategy™, inspired by the proven storytelling vehicles of film, tv and theater, purposefully leverages today's technology and targeted narrative channels to accelerate multi-dimensional growth and impact. We believe that meaningful connections and shared stories strategically evolve businesses - and create Storydriven Businesses. A Storydriven Business™ is an exception in their category. By producing strategic, technology-empowered success stories, Storydriven Businesses buddy up with consumers, shareholders, investors and teams, delivering a paradigm shift in relatability and value creation.

About Inc. 5000
The 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.

Methodology
Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this year's Inc. 5000.  Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.'s September issue.

Contact
The Buddy Group
Marisa Schaeffer
949-254-2841
[email protected]

SOURCE The Buddy Group