Inc.'d up: Super-fast growth sets record

Printing and promotional products firm Proforma, with offices in Tampa and Cleveland, made the Inc. 5000 list of the country’s fastest-growing companies in a unique way: The company totaled 26 rankings on the list — each one a different franchisee, who collectively own and operate 12 businesses under the Proforma umbrella.

Proforma, which employs 60 support staff personnel in Tampa, now holds the Inc. 5000 record for the most franchise representation from a single organization, according to a press release. 

Proforma Idea Press — owned by Pratt, Sudhir, Tej and Preeta Pande and based in Alpharetta, Ga. — paced the Proforma field with three-year revenue growth of 1,136%, landing it at No. 446 on the list.

A pair of Florida Proforma franchisees, LogoGram in Winter Park and The Idea Box in Fort Lauderdale, also appear on the list. LogoGram is owned and operated by Tony Pupo and grew 253%, good for No. 1,785 on the Inc. 5000 list, while The Idea Box is owned and operated by Kelly Stone and saw its growth surge by 128%, ranking it at No. 3,031.

Proforma executives give credit where it’s due. “The owners are the ones making this happen for themselves,” Proforma spokeswoman Natalia Martinovic tells Coffee Talk. “They are breaking records for sales. It’s impressive.”

In a press release, Proforma founder Greg Muzzillo adds that the Inc. 5000 results are a testament to the company’s franchise business model and support. “It is exciting to see so many of our franchise owners achieve not only fast growth, but million-dollar and multimillion-dollar dreams,” he states.

Muzzillo plans to expand on his success in the franchise industry with ProTalent, billed as the first franchise system for staffing professionals who want to start and grow their own business. He intends to launch that venture in 2019.