Best of the Best

Though Madison has grown by leaps and bounds in the last decade, Angie Heim knows that it still feels like a humble Midwestern town to many of its residents. That’s just one of the reasons why personal integrity is such an emphasis for her, and why her business, The Employer Group, is the most recent winner of Dane County’s Best in Business Award. Full Story 

If you've ever had a "friend" or colleague allow you to proceed first, while uttering the wisecrack "age before beauty," you understand that even business is sometimes considered a young person's game. Yet organizations that don't value maturity will eventually pay a price, maybe a substantial one. Full Story 

Each 40 Under 40 entry was individually scored and weighted on leadership qualities, defined as a personal sphere of influence based on (1) professional expertise and (2) community involvement. Outside interests added to points this year, too, and we did not set a maximum of one person per company, to give all candidates equal consideration. Full Story 

When a business is launched, the entrepreneur is looking to make it to five years, not 55, and take his or her chances from there. The entrepreneurial mindset is not centered on the keys to business longevity, which are different for businesses in different industries. Yet once a business makes it past that all-important mile marker, all it takes is one bad management hire or one recession to put it at risk. Full Story