Sarasota Agency Among Businesses Competing to Earn Prestigious Honor
Sarasota, Florida – September 2, 2020 – Grapevine Communications is proud to be included in the first round of the 2020 Florida Companies to Watch finalists recently announced by GrowFL. The awards event, now in its tenth year, honors impressive second-stage companies from throughout the state for developing valuable products and services, creating quality jobs, enriching communities, and broadening new industries throughout Florida. The 2020 GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch awards celebration is sponsored by Nperspective CFO & Strategic Services, in association with the Edward Lowe Foundation.
“It is an honor to be a 2020 Florida Company to Watch finalist and a fitting recognition for a team that enjoys having people wonder what they’re up to next,” said Allison Imre, Grapevine Communications Owner and CEO. “It’s in our nature to keep people on their toes, discover new limits of creativity and push the boundaries to achieve results – it’s this love for what we do that drives our success.”
Together, the 2020 GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Finalists represent nearly 3,000 jobs and generate $670 million in revenue. These companies, all of which are “worth watching,” anticipate a growth of 13 percent in revenue and 23 percent in employment by the end of 2020.
The finalists were selected from more than 400 nominations and are now in the running to be named a 2020 GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Honoree. If selected, these exemplary second-stage companies will join the 450 honorees that have been recognized since 2011.
“We applaud these first-round finalists who have proved themselves to be stand out companies in the state. They have and continue to demonstrate the resiliency and tenacity that comes along with being an entrepreneur. We know this year hasn’t been easy, so we’re excited to recognize our states admirable business owners and their teams. I have a feeling they’re just getting started,” says Dr. Tom O’Neal, GrowFL Founder.
The finalists represent a unique group of scalable, high-growth enterprises that are already located within Florida. These high growth enterprises are an important segment of our economy and their numbers have been steadily increasing. According to the Kauffman Foundation, “entrepreneurship is not a monolithic phenomenon, and it includes many moving parts. Creating new businesses is a different economic activity from running small businesses, which in turn is different from growing businesses.” GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch recognizes the different approach needed to successfully grow and scale a business and celebrates those that are working to achieve this goal.
Companies to Watch was developed by the Edward Lowe Foundation as a unique way to recognize and honor second-stage companies that demonstrate high performance in the marketplace with innovative strategies and processes. In addition to evaluating past growth and projected success, applicant companies are judged according to their special strengths and impact in their markets, communities and within the state – thus deeming them “worth watching.”
The 2020 honorees will be recognized on November 12, 2020 at 6pm during a live broadcast from Orlando, Florida. For more information visit https://growfl.com/flctw20/about-flctw/.
About Grapevine
Grapevine Communications is a full-service, multi-award-winning advertising, marketing and public relations firm with Sarasota roots and a national reach. Serving start-ups and small businesses to major corporations and international organizations, its team of smart thinking, big dreaming, hardworking overachievers has earned a reputation for creating cross-platform strategies and solutions that get results. For more information call 941-351-0024 or visit https://grapeinc.com/.
About GrowFL
GrowFL is dedicated to support and accelerate the growth of second-stage companies throughout Florida, by providing their leaders focused, efficient, and timely access to resources they deem important, such as connections with other second-stage company leaders, and to professional organizations whose expertise, experience, and products lead to the second-stage company’s continued growth and prosperity resulting in diversification and growth of Florida’s economy. Second-stage growth companies have at least 10 employees and a $1 million in revenue and possess an intent and desire to grow beyond second stage. Website: https://growfl.com/
About the Edward Lowe Foundation
Established in 1985, the Edward Lowe Foundation is a national, nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurship through research, recognition and educational programs, which are delivered through entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs). The foundation focuses on second-stage companies — those that have moved beyond the startup phase and seek significant, steady growth. In addition, the foundation has a second mission of land stewardship and is committed to preserving the natural resources and historically significant structures at Big Rock Valley, its 2,000-acre home in southwest Michigan. Website: https://edwardlowe.org/
