Do you believe in a little hard work, persistence, and dedication?

So do I… but at the same time, when you do good things right, and the right things well, you can achieve success faster than you’d ever realize. I’ve seen it time and time again. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or someone looking to make a serious difference in their career, your jaw will drop when you realize how quickly success can find you. The question is, will you be ready?

Without further ado, here are a few companies that went from 0 to millions - fast.

 

1. Fuhu

Who knew that tablets for toddlers could be such a lucrative market? Fuhu is the fastest growing private company in the United States, and for good reason – they wouldn’t give in to failure. First they developed software that got copied… then they developed a tablet for women that missed the mark… but they struck gold when they decided to redo their tablet for kids.

Then, they added a wide variety of accessories for the tablet that had such high margins, they felt like it “was printing money”.For you number-crunchers, realize that in 2009 their sales were a paltry $279,000. But in 2012, that number grew to nearly $118 million. That’s a 3 year growth of 42,100%. Well done, Fuhu, well done.

 

2. Sparc

Sparc’s technology might not be sexy, but it sure brings in the money. Sparc provides software development services for business and government, and they pride themselves on an open culture that breeds innovation within its employees. When the company was founded in 2009, it brought in just $163,000 in revenue.

Fast forward just three years, and by 2012 the company skyrocketed to over $21 million in revenue… for a 3 year growth rate of over 12,800%! Combine that with the fact that this  business is veteran-owned, and you’ve got an American-made success story on your hands.

 

3. AdRoll

If you’ve been keeping up to date with the latest and greatest in marketing tactics, then you’ve likely heard of “retargeting”. Ever go to a web store, then leave without buying a product, only to see that product later in an ad on a completely different site? That, my friend, is retargeting. It just so happens that as this technology has matured, AdRoll has become the undisputed leader in the field. Are they the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time) in placing ads on the web?

That remains to be seen… but you can’t argue with their numbers. Founded in 2007, the company brought in just $225,000 in 2009. But by the time the full year of 2012 came to a close, they had brought in over $34.1 million in revenue. That’s a growth of over 15,000% over 3 years. With numbers like these, it’s obvious these guys are doing something very, very right… it’s probably why even our marketing team at Hello Innovation uses their state-of-the-art technology.

 

4. Goal Zero

It’s straight out of an episode of the Jetsons… imagine that you can recharge all of the electronics in your home, from a refrigerator to a TV to your laptop, all from solar power. Well, reality has caught up with our over-active imaginations… enter Goal Zero. This solar power company is coming from the right place… their mission is to empower people to maximize their potential, and they partner with nonprofits to set up power in rural villages all over the developing world.

That do-good mentality hasn’t stopped them from raking in the cash, however… the company went from under $200,000 in revenue in its first year (2009) to over $33.1 million in revenue by the end of 2012, for a three year growth of over 16,900%. Their secret? Combining their mission and values with a continuous commitment to state-of-the-art technology and innovation. Sounds like they’re cut from the same cloth as us at Hello Innovation.

 

5. DataXu

With the rapidly evolving developments in the big data landscape, it’s no surprise that DataXu makes our list. DataXu gives its users a simple, pleasing interface that allows them to harness big data for intense, real-time multivariate data analysis. For you non-tech nerds out there, it basically means that you can crunch some big time numbers, fast… and then use those numbers to make better business decisions.

The brains behind the company are probably a big reason behind its success… some of the founders are MIT scientists who helped write the code language for NASA’s mission to Mars. That said, they’re pretty damn talented on Earth too… in 2009 the company brought in $406,000 in revenue, but by the end of 2012, they had grossed $87 million… that’s a growth of over 21,300% over three years! Try finding a stock on the S&P 500 that can do that.

 

6. Zurple

If you happen to be in on the recent rise in real estate prices (and there’s quite a bit of opportunity here in Detroit in that category…), then you definitely want to know about Zurple. This online startup helps realtors and house-flippers find the hottest prospects in real-time, with personalized messages telling you who’s interested, when, and in which properties.

In 2009, the company pulled in around $106,000… but in 2012, they grossed over $7.7 million. That’s growth of over 7,100% over three years. Let me know if you can find a house that you can flip for that kind of growth.

 

What other companies do you know who went from zero to millions fast? Tell us in the comments below!

 

IMAGE CREDIT: Richard Bolt