CRN RISING STARS: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CRN RISING STARS: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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How are you going to rank the companies?
The ranking will be done solely on the basis of the growth of total sales revenue, in percentage terms, between the third quarter of 2001 and the third quarter of 2003. We will calculate the percentage growth rate for this period. Please make sure you supply net sales figures and NOT net income figures.
What are the criteria for eligibility?
Your company MUST meet EACH of the following three criteria, with no exceptions:
1. You must be a solution provider, an organization that sells, resells, recommends, specifies, designs, or implements information technology products and/or services to business end users. Vendors and distributors are NOT eligible.
2. Your company must currently be independent, not a subsidiary or division of a larger firm, and must have been in existence, either independently or as part of a larger firm, prior to July 1, 2001.In addition, your company must have had sales revenue of at least $100,000 for the third quarter of 2001.
3. Your company is based in the United States
What kind of supporting documentation for my application do I need to submit?
You can submit a printed report showing company revenue for the third quarter of 2001 and the third quarter of 2003, signed by your CEO and CFO. Or you can submit audited or reviewed financial statements showing this information, but these statements must have been prepared by an independent accountant (you will need to supply the name and phone number of the accountant as well). Or you can submit signed tax returns or other documents that show your sales revenue for the two quarters in question, and the method of accounting that you used.
This documentation must also show how you define your business, so we can make sure that this definition falls within the broad solution provider category, and must indicate that your company meets the three eligibility criteria listed above.
NOTE: Failure to comply with this process in its entirety will result in your company being ineligible for Fast Growth. Please mail this information to the following address:
John Roberts
Editorial Research Director
CRN
600 Community Drive
Manhasset, NY 11030
IMPORTANT: CRN has conducted several studies in past years using financial information supplied to us by solution providers, and we know the meaning and importance of confidentiality. We intend to publish only the information you supply on the application form. Company data will be used for verification purposes only and will NOT be published in any way. After the special report is published in CRN, your tax and financial data will be destroyed so that no further use can be made of it.
My company's revenue is growing rapidly, but we are not yet profitable. Does this matter?
No. The ranking will be based solely on revenue growth, not the degree of profitability.
Does it matter if my company is public or private?
No. Again, the ranking is done solely on the basis of revenue growth.
Does it matter how my company is structured?
As long as your company is independent and meets the other criteria listed above, it does not matter how it is structured.
What if my company used to be independent, but was acquired?
Then you are not eligible for the list unless your company was acquired after October 1, 2003.
What if my company used to be a division or subsidiary of a larger company, but is now independent?
Then you are still eligible for the list, but please make sure that your net sales figures reflect only the net sales of your division, not the entire company, in those years in which you were a division or subsidiary. In this case, you must supply sales revenue documentation from an independent accountant; internal sales figures will not be acceptable.
What if my company was founded after July 1, 2001?
Then you are not eligible for current list, though you may be eligible for future lists. Your company must have been founded prior to July 1, 2001, so that we have sales data for the full third quarter of 2001 to use as the base for calculating revenue growth rates.
What if my third quarter 2001 sales were below $100,000?
In this case, your company is not eligible for the current list. This minimum level of sales will be strictly adhered to; even sales revenue of $99,999 is not acceptable.
What if my company's fiscal year does not coincide with the calendar year?
Then you must adjust your company's sales data accordingly so that the data you report to us does coincide with the calendar year, so that we are able to compare all respondents using the same time period.
How will the results of this study appear in CRN?
We plan to publish a special reports in 2004 on the results of this study. The list of the fastest-growing companies will be published in order of rank, including the company's name, headquarters address, phone number, capsule business description, CEO, Web site URL, and revenue growth figures. This listing will also appear online, with a direct link to the company's web site.