Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/267166
24 | I nsIgh t • M a r c h 2 0 14 w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m full-time employees and a pool of seasonal part-time employees. In the past five years, Elevate97's revenue grew more than 450 percent, including more than 250 percent in the past year alone. "I didn't imagine it would be like this, but as I look around now I can imagine it as so much more," Burgess says as she guides a tour of the warehouse facilities where marketing materials and products wait to be shipped to their destinations. An impressive array of nationally-known brands fills the space: Pandora, nautica, taylorMade golf, Kimberly-Clark, UnderArmour, Kate spade and more. Growth factor T he past few years have been busy for Elevate97. e company moved into its current facility and added Coe as president to handle day-to-day duties so Burgess could focus on strategic planning. It expanded its offerings through its purchase of Firehouse graphics, and added clients and employees. "We've been able to successfully execute our customers' plans," Coe says. "Clients want a turnkey solution and we have the technology and people to get it done." getting it done is a motto for Elevate97, which has more than 200 clients and sends out more than 40 million pieces of marketing collateral annually. Burgess says doing what it takes to get their customers' materials where they need to be on time makes all the difference. she proudly shares a story about their involvement with the green Bay Packers a few years ago, when the franchise offered stock certificates for sale. eir goal was to have everything arrive at their destination in time for Christmas Eve. Burgess and her team split the job with another company. her company was able to get their certificates out in time, but the other company struggled with the deadline. her team jumped in to help and got it done. "We canceled our Christmas party and worked through the weekend to finish it," Burgess says. Packers President Mark Murphy showed up and passed out Packers With that in mind, Burgess and the company's president, David Coe, started down a path that led to a new name and identity for the company known as Fulfillnet since its founding 17 years ago: Elevate97. "Elevate was chosen because that's what we do – we elevate our customers and we're also elevating our employees," Burgess says. "And 97 stands for 1997, the year this whole thing started." is is the story of how a company began with a simple idea, built itself into a well-oiled machine and eventually outgrew its original mission to the point its name no longer conveyed its full potential. e company's journey toward launching a new brand offers insights for any company on the evolution from startup to maturity. Borne of a highway brainstorm I n the late 1990s, Burgess and her husband, tom, had finished traveling the country for two years in a semi-trailer for Anchor Foods, meeting with stores and providing them not only with samples, but marketing materials on how to sell the frozen appetizers. e result? Increased sales. Once home, tom Burgess decided to launch his own business, bringing together fulfillment, database and direct mail services. In 2002, Kate joined him and two years later she took over as tom moved on to start another company, AEI Dish Inc. today, the business that started in a 10-by-10-foot space occupies a 190,000-square-foot building with 65 [continued] » "We've been able to successfully execute our customers' plans. Clients want a turnkey solution and we have the technology and people to get it done." — Elevate97 President David Coe A closer look Elevate97 Founded: 1997 Location: 1085 Parkview Road, Green Bay Number of employees: 65 full-time Company leaders: Kate Burgess, CEO, and David Coe, president What it does: Provide fulfillment, direct mail, print and technology solutions to companies looking to increase their brand awareness. A roster of more than 200 clients includes the Vince Camuto Group, Jones Apparel Group, Pandora Jewelry, Kimberly-Clark, the Green Bay Packers, Nautica, TaylorMade and UnderArmour. Website: www.elevate97.com