In 1980, Inc. hired as a columnist MIT director David Birch, who was one of the first to recognize that small and new businesses created the majority of jobs in the U.S.
In 1982, the magazine began publishing its Inc. 100 ranking to showcase the fastest-growing privately held companies in the United States, which later became Inc. 500 and then the Inc. 5000.
In December 2013, Eric Schurenberg was appointed president and editor-in-chief of Inc., replacing the long-tenured Jane Berentson. In March 2018, Schurenberg was appointed CEO of Mansueto Ventures, and Jim Ledbetter was promoted to editor-in-chief of Inc. Ledbetter was later succeeded by Scott Omelianuk and Mike Hofman, who currently serves as editor in chief.
The magazine hosts several events, including the annual Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony, which celebrates the Inc. 5000 and allows honorees, alumni, and other growth-minded entrepreneurs to learn and network.
Inc. magazine publishes several podcasts, including:
In April 1979, the inaugural issue of Inc. featured the 'Inc. 100,' a list of the fastest-growing, publicly held small companies. By 1982, this list had expanded to the 'Inc. 500,' ranking companies based on their overall revenue growth over a three-year period. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc. magazine each year, highlighting their significant growth and achievements in the private sector of the United States.
Inc. 5000 was first presented in 2007, expanding the Inc. 500. It lists the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. This list ranks these companies based on their revenue growth rate. It categorizes the fastest-growing companies by industry, metro area, revenue, and number of employees.
To be eligible, privately owned companies must demonstrate three years of revenue growth among other criteria. Once included in the Inc. 5000, these companies are invited to a three-day Inc. conference. While all 5,000 companies are profiled on Inc.com, only the top 500 gain the spotlight in the September issue of Inc. magazine.
Many well-known companies and CEOs received their first significant media exposure in Inc. magazine or on the Inc. 5000 list. Notable examples include:
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