Let's talk about 10 companies with indirect sales channels that made the Inc 500 List of fastest growing companies this year.
What do these companies have in common? They all use indirect sales channels.
Indirect Sales Channel
An indirect sales channel is the sale of a good or service by a third-party, such as a partner or affiliate, rather than a company's personnel. Indirect sales may be used in conjunction with a company's direct sales efforts or may be used in lieu of hiring.
indirect sales channels can be a great way to advance the adoption of your product or service through indirect sellers, but it can also create channel conflict and other issues. Still, in 2015, it is one of the primary ways many successful companies drive revenue and sales. Here’s 10 companies from the 2015 Inc 500 List of fastest growing businesses that use indirect sales channels.
Companies that Made the Inc 500 List
The #1 ranked company on the Inc. 500 list for 2015 is Ultra Mobile. Founded in 2011, Ultra Mobile is a telecommunications company out of Costa Mesa, California that experienced a 3-year growth of 100,849%. The company had 105 employees in 2015 (of which 97 were new jobs) and had revenue in 2014 of $118.2 million. Ultra provides national mobile service on 4G LTE and unlimited international calling and text. A nationwide network of retailers comprises Ultra's indirect sales channels that sell Ultra mobile services. Ultra also uses an exclusive international provider for its international services.
The #5 ranked company is Quick Bridge Funding, a financial services company that operates exclusively through indirect sales channels made up of its "partners" that sell its products. Three-year growth for Quick Bridge Funding was 24,138% with 2014 revenue of $44.6 million. The company has 90 employees of which 88 are new positions. The company, established in 2011, calls Irvine, California, home.
SEE ALSO: How to Master the Art of Indirect Sales
The #6 ranked company is Drawbridge, an advertising and marketing company that experienced 3-year growth of 23,484% and $32.9 million in revenue in 2014. The company has 100 employees of which 87 are new positions. Established in 2010 in San Mateo, California, the company's product enables marketers to reach consumers across mobile devices and gives a better picture of offline and online consumer characteristics. For its indirect sales channel, Drawbridge partners with an impressive list of companies, such as AOL, Adobe, Oracle, Forbes, Experian, and Equifax just to name a few.
The #7 ranked company is StartApp, a software company, that experienced growth of 22,036% and $37.2 million in revenue in 2014. The company has 81 employees of which 70 are new positions. Located in New York, the company established in 2010 now has over 300,000,000 monthly users of its mobile advertising platform and over 200,000 applications using Startapp's SDK. Smartapp's indirect sales channels include its partnerships with application developers who produce native ads specifically for mobile devices.
The #8 ranked company on the 2015 INC 500 list is Restore Health, a personalized medicine and related medical services company that works through a physicians network and various accredited pharmacies as its indirect sales channels. Three-year growth for the company was 21,753% with 2014 revenue reaching $30.5 million. The company, established in 2008 in Madison, Wisconsin, has 247 employees of which 212 are new positions.
The #9 ranked company on the list is Scopely, a game developer in the touchscreen entertainment sector that collaborates with development partners. Scopely saw a 3-year growth of 19,566% and 2014 revenue of $32.1 million. The company has 120 employees of which 101 are new positions. Founded in 2011, the company resides in Culver City, Colorado. Scopely sells its products through indirect sales channels made up of internet application outlets and has launched six #1 games in The App Store.
The #11 ranked company on the Inc 500 list is Jane, a retailer concentrating in women's and children's clothing lines. Jane saw 3-year growth of 18,787% and $56.9 million in revenue in 2014. The company has 53 employees of which 51 positions are new. Located in Lehi, Utah, the company started in 2011. Jane partners with "affiliates" who function as Jane's indirect sales channels. The affiliates advertise Jane's product banners on their blogs or websites and get paid whenever they refer someone who buys a Jane product (10% for existing customers and 11% for new referrals).
SEE ALSO: How to Train an Indirect Sales Force for Success
The #12 ranked company on the list is Nerium International, a company that develops and distributes anti-aging skin products. Three-year growth for Nerium was 16,617% and 2014 revenue was $403.1 million. The company has 299 employees of which 285 are new positions. Based in Addison, Texas, the company started in 2011. The company calls its indirect sales channels "independent brand partners" who distribute Nerium's products.
The #15 company on the list is eLuxurySupply, a company that specializes in luxury linens for bed and bath. Three-year growth for eLuxurySupply was 14,885% and 2014 revenue was $18.2 million. They currently have 65 employees of which 64 are new positions. A veteran-owned enterprise, this retail company began in 2010 and proudly calls Evansville, Indiana home. eLuxurySupply is an e-commerce company that also uses "affiliates" as its indirect sales channels to sell its products.
The #20 company on the Inc 500 list this year is Aseptia, a food and beverage company whose products are preservative free with a stable shelf-life. The company makes its products for private and branded food markets as well as food service companies. Three-year growth for Aseptia was 11,121% with 2014 revenue reaching $23.7 million. Aseptia currently has 112 employees of which 87 are new positions. Founded in 2006, the company resides in Raleigh, North Carolina. Aseptia has a subsidiary called "WrightFoods" through which it sells its products; however, the company also uses food service companies as its indirect sales channels and food processors who avail themselves of its products as well.
