Press Release
CustomInk.com - "Hottest Bootstrap" in the Washington DC Area
Core Values Heat Up Successful Online Custom Apparel Company
Herndon, VA - June 30, 2010 - The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) named CustomInk.com the area's "Hottest Bootstrap" from a pool of more than 60 nominees as part of the 9th Annual NVTC Hot Ticket Awards. These awards honor the region's best and brightest entrepreneurial technology companies, which are able to grow and be successful without investment from venture capital firms or banks.
In early 2000, CustomInk.com co-founders Marc Katz (president) and Dave Christensen (former COO and current board member) started the company and raised seed capital from individual investors at the peak of the dotcom bubble. Once the bubble burst, the prospects for raising venture capital evaporated and Custom Ink had to make it on its own. The company has since grown to $65mm in revenue, earning it this "Hottest Bootstrap" award.
According to Marc, "In retrospect, our bootstrapping success is attributable to our Core Values: The Golden Rule, Ownership and Innovation. We've innovated to find efficient ways to fund, prove, and grow the business. The team's sense of ownership has led to good spending decisions and gotten us through the lean times - like the winters of 2001 and 2002 when everyone had to defer some compensation until spring so the company didn't run out of money. Perhaps most importantly, our golden rule treatment of customers has kept them coming back and telling their friends - and we now understand that the economics of our business simply wouldn't work without that!"
At the June 30th awards ceremony, hosted by NVTC President Bobbie Kilberg, over 550 NVTC members attended to celebrate the nominated companies.
About the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC)
The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) is the membership association for the technology community in Northern Virginia. As the largest technology council in the nation, NVTC serves about 1,000 companies from all sectors of the technology industry, as well as service providers, universities, foreign embassies, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies. Through its member companies, NVTC represents about 200,000 employees in the region. NVTC is recognized as the nation's leader in providing its technology community with networking and educational events; specialized services and benefits; public policy advocacy; branding of its region as a major global technology center; initiatives in targeted business sectors and in the international, entrepreneurship, workforce and education arenas; the Equal Footing Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that serves local area youth; and The Entrepreneur Center @NVTC which mentors new technology entrepreneurs. Visit NVTC at www.nvtc.org.
About CustomInk.com
CustomInk.com is an innovative website that enables people to design and order custom t-shirts & more for their clubs, companies, charities, family reunions, and countless other groups & occasions. Customers enjoy free design support from Custom Ink's acclaimed service representatives, and each custom design is proofed by a professional artist to ensure it turns out perfectly - whether it's being printed on one t-shirt or thousands. Operating since 2000 and headquartered in Northern Virginia, the company is dynamic and forward-thinking and has been recognized numerous times for rapid growth and workplace excellence. CustomInk.com strives to treat customers, vendors, and co-workers as it would want to be treated and has a strong sense of innovation and individual responsibility. To learn more, visit www.customink.com/our_story or call 800-293-4232.CustomInk.com is a registered trademark, and the CustomInk.com logo is a trademark, of Custom Ink LLC. Other marks referenced herein are the service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective companies.