Educational Directories Unlimited Ranked #336 in the Inc. 500
Educational Directories Unlimited Makes Inc. 500 With Five-year Sales Growth of 541%
CHESTER, PA, October 1, 2003 -
Inc. Magazine, the premier publication for small and medium-sized businesses, recently released its 23rd annual Inc. 500 ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the country. Educational Directories Unlimited, Inc., provider of innovative educational recruiting tools and web sites including GradSchools.com and StudyAbroad.com, ranks #336 on the list, with five-year sales growth of 541%. The Inc. 500 Special Issue will appear on newsstands October 14 and will be on display until January 2004.
The companies that made this list have thrived through continued stagnation in the economy, posting an average five-year sales growth of 1,312%. With aggregate revenue of $14.4 billion, Inc. 500 companies are a formidable market force. Educational Directories Unlimited adds this prestigious award to several others, including Inc. Magazine's 2003 Inner City 100, on which the company ranked #20. In addition, for the past three years, Educational Directories Unlimited has been placed in the Philadelphia Business Journal's Top 100 fastest growing companies, ranking #30 in 2002.
Since 1995, Educational Directories Unlimited has been maintaining continued growth in a competitive marketplace. In addition to the 541% five-year growth in sales, the company's flagship web sites, GradSchools.com and StudyAbroad.com received more than a 350% increase in visits. The staff increased by more than 400% in the same time period.
"The entrepreneurs you'll find on the Inc. 500 have the type of attitude we need to get this economy moving again," said Inc. editor-in-chief John Koten. "For them, a tough market is not an excuse for poor performance, but an opportunity to innovate and rise above the competition."
Mark Shay, President and CEO of Educational Directories Unlimited agrees, "Despite unfavorable economic times, we strive for continued growth by providing our customers with unique and cost-effective recruiting solutions."
The Inc. 500 ranks privately held companies according to sales growth over the past five years. With 75% of all new job creation in the U.S. coming from small businesses, the Inc. 500 is a prescient indicator of the companies and industries that are driving the economy forward. Over the years, the Inc. 500 has identified the next generation of world-class companies, with Microsoft, Stonyfield Farms, Timberland, Oracle, Princeton Review, Morningstar, E* Trade, Intuit and Domino's Pizza all appearing on the list before they became industry powerhouses.
California leads this year as the state with the most Inc. 500 companies (59), Texas is second with 36 firms on the list, followed by Florida (34) and Virginia (30). Maryland and New York are tied with 28 each.
The top metropolitan areas on the Inc. 500 are Washington, D.C. (41 companies), followed by Boston (23), Philadelphia (21), Dallas (19) and Chicago (14). New York City, with only 12, is down from 37 a year ago.
Inc. 500 is proof that tenacious businesspeople can succeed without the benefit of substantial resources. Of the Inc. 500 founders: 48% had start-up capital of less than $20,000, while only 2% received funding from Venture Capital firms. Now, 78% have an estimated net worth of over $1 million. Most Inc. 500 founders jumped right into their businesses; 84% started companies without benefit of any formal research. Also of note, is that 12% of Inc. 500 company founders are women.
To be eligible for this year's Inc. 500, companies had to be independent and privately held through their fiscal year 2002, have had at least $200,000 in sales in the base year of 1998, and their 2002 sales had to exceed 2001 sales. Inc. verifies all information using tax forms and financial statements from certified public accountants and by conducting interviews with company officials.
About Educational Directories Unlimited, Inc.
Educational Directories Unlimited, Inc. (http://www.edudirectories.com) is a unique college-oriented marketing firm that achieves a dynamic blend of academic purpose and commerce. Among Educational Directories Unlimited's computer-based recruiting tools are several comprehensive directories: GradSchools.com (http://www.gradschools.com); StudyAbroad.com (http://www.studyabroad.com); EducationforAdults.com (http://www.educationforadults.com); CollegeAbroad.com (http://www.collegeabroad.com); Distance.GradSchools.com (http://distance.gradschools.com); Business.GradSchools.com (http://business.gradschools.com) and StudentProspector.com (http://www.studentprospector.com). The Educational Directories Unlimited systems design provides a unique utility for prospective students, advisors, and educational administrators. Since its inception in 1995, Educational Directories Unlimited and its directories have captured a significant share of the "educational shoppers" market by providing students a wealth of information in an easy to use directory format.
About Inc. Magazine
Inc., the only business magazine dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of fast-growing private companies, delivers real solutions for today's innovative company builders. It provides hands-on tools and market-tested strategies for managing people, finances, sales, marketing and technology. Inc. is the premier publication that focuses on small-to-medium size businesses, which are responsible for more than half the nation's gross domestic product and 75% of its new jobs. And Inc. looks beyond work to address the entrepreneurial lifestyle. Inc., a Gruner + Jahr USA publication, inspires and informs, with cutting edge coverage that reflects our readers' energy, brashness and imagination.