Fast-track Firms --Thriving, Not Just Surviving

"Our marketing and sales culture is aggressive," Sweetman says. "We exposed the marketplace to our facilities and, as a heavenly voice spoke to Kevin Costner in the movie "Field of Dreams": 'If you build it, they will come,' and customers have and continue to come to our plants."

Sweetman credits hard work, relationships and making educated business decisions based on the numbers as being catalysts to Trend's success. Trend Offset Chairman Anthony Lienau taught Sweetman and President Todd Nelson to understand, evaluate and make objective decisions, "by the numbers." Thus, the company grew nearly 30 percent in a lackluster market. Sweetman also attributes the growth to maximizing "face time" with clients and prospects.