Press Release
Company Recognized for Revenue Growth, Earning a Place Among the Nation’s Most Successful Independent Businesses
MINNEAPOLIS (August 11, 2026) — Navigate Forward, a boutique career advisory firm that offers highly personalized, concierge-style coaching to executives during times of career transition and growth, today announced it has been ranked No. 3,626 on the 2026 Inc. 5000 list, the annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The list is the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s most successful independent and entrepreneurial businesses, recognizing companies that have achieved remarkable growth while driving innovation, creating jobs, and shaping the future of the economy. Past honorees include companies such as Microsoft, Meta, Chobani, Oracle, and Patagonia.
"While we're incredibly proud of this recognition, what I'm most proud of is how we've grown," said Anne deBruin Sample, CEO and owner of Navigate Forward. "Growth has never been our goal at the expense of the experience we deliver. As we've expanded, we've remained committed to the same concierge, one-on-one guidance that has always defined Navigate Forward, while continuing to be a trusted partner for organizations that want to support departing executives in a way that strengthens their employer brand. This recognition belongs to our exceptional executive coaches, our dedicated team, our corporate partners, and the thousands of executives who have trusted us during pivotal moments in their careers. Their confidence in us has allowed us to grow without ever losing sight of who we are."
As Navigate Forward has grown, so has its commitment to giving back. Earlier this year, the firm joined the global Pledge 1% movement, formalizing a long-standing commitment to invest a portion of its success into the communities it serves through charitable giving, volunteerism, and client-centered philanthropy.
Since its founding in 2008, Navigate Forward has donated at least two percent of its pre-tax earnings to nonprofit organizations through its participation in the Minnesota Keystone Program. The firm also matches charitable donations made by employees and executive consultants and celebrates every executive landing by making a donation to the client's nonprofit organization of choice.
"Our growth has created an opportunity to expand our impact far beyond our business," said Sample. "We've always believed that success carries a responsibility to give back. Every executive we serve, every organization that trusts us, and every milestone we achieve allows us to invest more in the communities around us. That's the kind of growth we're most proud of because when our business succeeds, we believe others should benefit, too."
This year’s Inc. 5000 recognizes a new class of companies redefining what growth looks like. Among the 5,000 companies on the list, the median three-year revenue growth rate was 130%, and those companies have collectively added more than 627,208 jobs to the U.S. economy over the past three years.
“Every company on the Inc. 5000 has a story of perseverance, smart decision making, and a refusal to sit still,” says Mike Hofman, editor-in-chief of Inc. “Their growth reflects more than strong financial performance—it reflects creativity, resilience, and the customer focus required to build companies that make a lasting impact. We congratulate all honorees on this significant achievement.”
For the full Inc. 5000 list, honoree company profiles, and a searchable database by industry and location, please visit: www.inc.com/inc5000.
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Inc. 5000 List Methodology
Companies on the 2026 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2022 to 2025. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2022. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2025. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2022 is $100,000; the minimum for 2025 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.
About Navigate Forward
Navigate Forward is a Minneapolis-based boutique career advisory firm that offers highly personalized, concierge-style coaching to executives during times of career transition and growth. Since its inception in 2008, Navigate Forward has worked with more than 2,500 clients and 470 companies across the country and around the world. Navigate Forward is a certified women-owned business. To learn more, visit https://www.navigateforward.com/.
About Inc.
Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit www.inc.com.
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