Last Friday, February 6, NS4L was honored at the inaugural Gator100, which recognizes the 100 fastest-growing companies in the nation that are owned or led by University of Florida alumni.
Sponsored by UF, the Warrington College of Business Administration, and the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, the Gator100 uses strict criteria for establishing the list of honorees. To be considered for raking (in addition to keeping up with the values and image of the University of Florida), Gator-led companies must have been in business for at least 5 years and have minimum annual revenues of $100,000. Ernst & Young calculated each company’s compounded annual growth rate over the past three years to generate the ranking.
Needless to say, this was a huge honor for Collin, as he was ranked among some of the most successful alumni UF has ever produced.
“The Gator100 is an important initiative that recognizes entrepreneurial excellence,” said Dr. Michael Morris, the Academic Director of the entrepreneurship program at UF. “It is open to any and all companies founded or run by Gator alumni, and recognizes those who are achieving growth, innovating, and making a difference in their communities.”
Staying true to NS4L’s Core Value #3, “Don’t Believe the Hype,” Collin graciously brought the entire team to the Gator100 Awards Gala on Friday. While the Gator100 recognized Collin for his accomplishments, he did not fail to recognize his team for our accomplishments. It was a great honor for us all, knowing that we contribute every day to the success of this company.
Dressed to impress, we closed the shop and carpooled to UF’s J. Wayne Reitz Union to attend the gala. It was certainly an afternoon to remember. We were served a wonderful meal while listening to the inspiring words of esteemed UF faculty and alumni. Above all, we were proud to represent NS4L as a complete team, surrounded by 99 like-minded entrepreneurs, their families, and their colleagues.
NS4L was ranked as the 92nd fastest-growing Gator-led company, and we couldn’t be happier about it. I think I speak for the whole team when I say we were both proud and humbled by the experience.
(If you haven’t already, take a look at our Facebook page for more photos from the event.)
Core Value #1, “Create and Recreate the Ultimate Customer Experience,” has contributed the most to the success of NS4L, and may be the biggest reason we are ranked in the Gator100. We provide our customers with top-quality products and service, but we believe that our customer service is what keeps people coming back time and again. The UCE, as we call it, is a direct reflection of our company culture, and we would be nowhere without that.
While the Gator100 is an incredible achievement, we see it as the tip of the iceberg for NS4L. Our team continually works together to improve the customer experience and therefore the overall success of NS4L.
Keep an eye out for NS4L at the 2nd annual Gator100 to see how far we’ll come in 2015!
