Landing on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies is a milestone many entrepreneurs dream of. Doing it once is thrilling. Doing it twice proves your growth isn’t an accident—it’s intentional.

At Catalyst Integrators, we’ve had the honor of making the list two years in a row. In 2024, we debuted at No.640 with 725 percent three-year growth. In 2025, we returned at No.2174 with 197 percent growth. Those numbers are exciting, but the bigger story is what they represent: A company intentionally built for sustainable, repeatable growth.

A framework for intentional growth

The first year felt like validation—proof that the dream was working. But the second year meant something deeper. It showed that our model is sound, our team is strong, and our systems are built to support real momentum.

One year on the list can be a lucky spike. Two years proves you’re doing something right. And that’s where the opportunity lies for other leaders: The Inc. 5000 isn’t just about where you’ve been—it’s a roadmap for where you’re going.

Here are the principles that helped us sustain growth. Perhaps they can help you design your own path and land on this prestigious list.

1. Clarity of vision

You can’t grow intentionally if you don’t know where you’re headed. For us, the goal wasn’t just revenue growth. It was to become the No.1 fractional Integrator firm in the Entrepreneurial Operating System(EOS)community, serving visionary founders with discipline, clarity, and execution. That clarity gave us focus—and made it easier to say no to distractions. Sharing our vision with the team was powerful and created a feeling of alignment on where we are headed!

2. Scalable systems

We don’t just run on EOS®—we live it. A simple framework that provides structure in which we can step into more creativity as business leaders. A clear vision, the right people in the right seats, clear measurables, proven processes, kickass meetings, and clear goals is what EOS is all about. Running on a system gives us alignment, accountability, and the ability to track our progress quarter over quarter. Without scalable systems, growth exposes cracks. With them, growth compounds.

3. Right people, right seats

People fuel growth, but structure matters. At Catalyst, we leaned heavily on fractional talent— experienced, senior-level professionals who work for multiple companies on a part-time, flexible, or project-specific basis—both in what we deliver to clients and in how we built our own team. Core values alignment is key.

Our clients hire fractional Integrators because they aren’t yet ready for a full-time executive. We applied the same principle internally. From marketing to finance to operations, we strategically filled roles with fractional experts. It gave us world-class talent at the right time, scale, and cost.

Fractional isn’t just a service we sell—it’s how we scale smart.

4. Profit discipline

Top-line growth is only half the story. Profitability is what makes it sustainable. We were intentional about margins, reinvesting where it mattered most—people, tools, and client success. That discipline kept growth from becoming reckless.

5. Metrics that matter

Finally, measure what matters. Our growth targets weren’t tucked away in a spreadsheet. They were front and center—in our weekly scorecards, 90-day goals, and annual plans. By tracking consistently, we could course correct before small issues became growth killers.

Pitfalls to Avoid

Sustained growth takes intention. A few traps to avoid:

Chasing growth without infrastructure. Success that arrives before you’re ready will break what you’ve built.
Short-term wins over long-term vision. Growth only matters if it lasts.
Neglecting culture. Numbers don’t build companies—people do. Without a strong, aligned culture, momentum won’t stick.

Why this matters

Making the Inc. 5000 in 2024 and again in 2025 wasn’t just a milestone for Catalyst Integrators. It was proof that our intentional growth works. It showed us that clarity, systems, the right people, and disciplined execution aren’t buzzwords—they’re the difference between growth that happens once and growth that lasts.

If you want to see your company on the list, start now. Define your vision. Build scalable systems. Embrace fractional talent where it makes sense. Protect your profitability. Track the right metrics. Build a culture where you love going to work every day.

Because the Inc. 5000 isn’t just about celebrating where you’ve been—it’s about building the foundation for where you’re going and celebrating it along the way.