Inc. Magazine

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures LLC, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today’s innovative company builders.

OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL WORK

Inc.

DON’T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER

EXPERT ADVICE FROM INC.’S INNER CIRCLE

MY MENTOR TAUGHT ME YOU GET ONE SHOT

LOVE IS BLIND … OR IS IT?

TRAVEL: THE ROAD AHEAD • Jen Rubio, co-founder of Away, has leveraged new lines of business to lead the luggage and lifestyle brand back from a 90 percent dip in revenue in early 2020. Here, she examines the travel trends that will define the next decade and shares her predictions with Inc.

WHAT VENMO COULD HAVE BEEN

DOES LEADERSHIP REALLY MATTER?

MY MEDITATION POD

SHRINK TO GROW

Find the Right People During the COVID-19 Era • Even before the pandemic, SMBs faced an uphill battle for the best talent. Here’s how technology and the right partners can help meet new challenges.

DON’T WASTE YOUR EQUITY • Entrepreneurs tend to give away too much equity, much too early. Hang onto yours by developing a business plan that will preserve cash, build sales, and keep majority ownership of your startup in your own hands.

NO CHURN, NO BURN • In the early days, your decisions can scale quickly-good and bad. Draw from the wisdom of your team to codify best practices that ensure great hires and the culture to retain them.

EARLY DAYS • NOW THAT THE BLOOM is off the WeWork rose and legions of napkin-sketch entrepreneurs face the prospect of launching a business without the comforts of on-tap kombucha and onsite kickboxing classes, it’s worth remembering that many a billion-dollar business started out in an “office” more akin to an Uzbek youth hostel than a W Hotel lobby. Or in spots more associated with personal hygiene than with product development. Here, an unblemished look back at some humble beginnings and aesthetic adversity that led to global success.

You Grew It Alone. NOW CAN YOU LEAD? • Nnenna Stella, founder of the fashion accessories brand the Wrap Life, talks staffing up with Lisa Price, founder of beauty brand Carol’s Daughter.

THESE’S NO HIDING FROM THE MINIMUM WAGE • For business owners, raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour has become a politically charged debate. And it’s not going away anytime soon.

NO GOODBYES, NO REGRETS

MICHAEL DUBIN HAS LEFT THE BUILDING • He said goodbye over Zoom to his billion-dollar idea, closed his laptop, and... he was gone. So what’s the founder of Dollar Shave Club to do now that he’s already shaved the world?

DAVID NEELEMAN HAS NO FEAR OF FLYING • The founder of JetBlue has overcome some crazy setbacks on his way to becoming the most successful serial airline entrepreneur in history. So why would he let a global pandemic get in the way of launching his latest carrier?

Fighting Fire With Founders • Silicon Valley startups are taking aim at deadly wildfires. But saving lives will require cutting through red tape, fast.

THE GOOD PLACES • The Best Workplaces of 2021 keep their businesses thriving by putting their employees first—wherever they are.

This startup is a no-burnout zone (and will help you kick your coffee addiction)

This Texas family brought innovation and fun to an HVAC business

This lender builds group cohesion by focusing on the individual

At this company, mental health comes first—and results follow

This founder learned how to lead the way her pioneering grandmother did

This startup will spend $10,000 to get your home office Zoom-ready

The Best Workplaces of 2021

NEXT STEPS NEXT LEVEL • A post-pandemic world is-hopefully, possibly,...