Croixstone is named to Inc. Magazine’s List of the Mid-Atlantic Region’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

We Did It Again: We are celebrating some big news today! For the second consecutive year, Croixstone was named to the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Mid-Atlantic list as one of the region’s fastest-growing private companies.

Our Ranking: Croixstone is ranked at #83 on this year’s annual list of the fastest-growing private companies based in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. The 2024 Inc. 5000 Regionals are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2020 and 2022.

“We are thrilled to land on the Inc. 5000 Regionals list for the second consecutive year,” said Patti Weber, Croixstone’s Chief Executive Officer. “This achievement is fueled by the passion of our employees and consultants to fulfill Croixstone’s vision to lead in the delivery of professional services that transform careers and businesses.”

Learn More About the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Regionals: Mid-Atlantic list can be found at inc.com/regionals/mid-atlantic.

Read Our Press Release: Click here.


Social Venture Partners Charlotte wins CATALYST 2023 Fire Award

Snapshot: Last week one of the most unique nonprofit organizations in Croixstone’s home city of Charlotte, NC scored a big, high-profile win. Social Venture Partners Charlotte (SVP Charlotte) was honored to win the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2024 CATALYST Fire Award.

What are the Fire Awards? The annual Fire Awards program honors the people, companies and organizations that keep the Charlotte area’s innovation ecosystem going. SVP Charlotte was one of 24 organizations or people nominated across 6 categories for blazing a trail in Charlotte’s innovation ecosystem.

Who is SVP Charlotte? SVP Charlotte is a nonprofit organization that passionately attacks social and economic inequality across the Charlotte region through venture philanthropy. Croixstone’s co-founders, Patti Weber and Mark Weber, are long-term Partners (volunteers) with SVP Charlotte. Additionally, Mark served on SVP Charlotte’s board for 4 years and served as Lead Partner for the organization’s annual SEED20 pitch program.

Who are the fellow Fire Award winners? SVP Charlotte is one of six blazers honored at last week’s innovation awards. As the winner in the “Catalyst” category, SVP Charlotte joins the following innovation blazers:

Learn more: SVP Charlotte is seeking Partners and Corporate Sponsors to help broaden and deepen the organization’s impact across the greater Charlotte, NC region. Click here to learn more about the SVP Charlotte story.


The Sizzling Middle Market

Croixstone and the Middle Market.   As a boutique management consulting and executive search firm, Croixstone serves a national portfolio of clients of all sizes. That said, Croixstone dedicates significant time and expertise in serving Middle Market clients.

What is the Middle Market? As defined by the experts at the National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM), the U.S. Middle Market is comprised of companies with annual revenues between $10 million and $1 billion. While the Middle Market represents 200,000 businesses (or 3% of all U.S.companies), it accounts for a whopping one-third of private sector GDP and jobs.

What’s happening in the Middle Market? As published in the NCMM’s “Year-End 2023 Middle Market Indicator Report”, the U.S. Middle Market is flourishing in the post-COVID era. The rate of year-over-year revenue growth in 2023 reached an all-time high (12.4%) with 55% of Middle Market companies reporting double-digit growth compared to 2022. The majority of Middle Market companies grew employment, however, the overall rate of year-over-year employment growth slowed.

What are the fastest-growing Middle Market companies doing to drive performance? According to the NCMM, the fast growers are expanding through innovation and entry into new markets. Additionally, they are actively investing in technology and people. These pacesetters tend to demonstrate a greater interest in digitization and AI. They also report a higher average increase in wages for their workforces compared to slower-growing companies.

Learn more. The NCMM provides knowledge, leadership, and innovative research on the U.S. Middle Market. Housed at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, NCMM is a collaboration between the University, Chubb, and Visa. Click here to learn more about the NCMM and to review the “Year-End 2023 Middle Market Indicator Report”.


Get to Know Mark Lord, Croixstone’s Growth Guru

Snapshot: Last year, Croixstone welcomed Mark Lord to the team in the newly created role of Growth Operations leader. With over 30 years of experience in leading companies through change to achieve breakthrough outcomes, Mark is accelerating Croixstone’ strategic growth initiatives. Our Managing Partner, Mark Weber, recently interviewed Mark to learn more about what drives this exceptional leader.

Mark Weber: You spent nearly a decade serving as a Commissioned Officer in the US Army.  How did this experience shape you both personally and professionally?

Mark Lord: I’m at least 3rd generation military (Army specifically). Both my mother and father served. My mother joined right out of high school for 4 years when it was known as the Women’s Army Corps (WACS). There is a strong family lineage with military service, and this was a way for me to honor my heritage. This was a part of me growing up, and something I wanted to honor.  The other way it shaped me personally is that it grounds me and reminds me that I’m a part of something bigger than myself. The comradery that you get in serving gives you a special bond with the people with whom you serve.  Professionally speaking, serving was a terrific opportunity for me – -what the military provides is an immediate opportunity to lead and be responsible for a lot. Being thrown in and given early exposure while being responsible for people, and serving a mission that goes beyond normal life, really helped to shape my leadership style. In my first assignment after college, I was responsible for 30 people and several million dollars worth of assets. I relished the opportunity and it provided a great foundation build my leadership skills.

Mark Weber: Your career journey includes senior leadership roles at global companies including GE, Ingersoll Rand and Trane Technologies.  How and why did you make a career pivot into the consulting industry?

Mark Lord: Early in my career, these large companies afforded me lots of opportunities and learning. After 30 years, those large corporate cultures for me became stale. I am someone who has always sought change, and those large organizations afforded me the opportunity to play in lots of different roles. After a while, I was seeking a more dramatic change, and I reached a point in my life where moving away from where I had been was a real option to explore.

I had received feedback throughout my career that I had a gift for consulting type of work. I was interested in pursuing this as a refresh for my career.

Another motivation for me, after so many years of receiving opportunities in these big organizations, was the opportunity to give back. Making the move into the consulting industry with a focus on serving middle market clients allows me the opportunity to give, teach and consult where there is a need.

Mark Weber: What leadership qualities do you believe have contributed to your career success?

Mark Lord: I think it starts with a genuine humility. Many of the career roles I’ve had have focused on service. I have gravitated to those roles. You must leave your ego at the door because you are there to serve others. When you think about that as a leader, you are being asked to serve the people or business you’ve been entrusted to lead. I’ve never felt entitled to those responsibilities. It starts here.

Other qualities are the ability to connect with people on a personal level. I really enjoy getting to know the people with whom I work. Some of that comes from the military – the bonds I built there are something I enjoy and seek to continue to build. In growing up and in my career, I have been exposed to lots of different types of people.

Mark Weber: You earned a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree in Marketing from The University of Texas at El Paso.  How and why did you choose your course of study?

Mark Lord: As I have reflected on this, at the heart of it I am a capitalist first and foremost – but an optimistic one. The capitalist in me motivated and inspired me to pursue business. Why marketing? Being on the more optimistic side, I always want to be on the side of growing and innovation and new ideas. Marketing to me is more strategic than selling, and I recognized the fact that my natural tendencies tend to be on the strategic side of things. It is a combination of wanting to serve my capitalistic desires and feeding my natural desires to focus on the strategic side of growth.

Mark Weber: It is 5pm on a Saturday.  What are you most likely going to be doing?

Mark Lord: For me, that is seasonal and depends on the time of year. In the fall season, you’ll find me in front of the tv watching both college and professional football. As we move into winter, it is about football and basketball. You’ll also find me also watching movies.  In spring, it is time to get off the couch and focus on getting projects done around the house. In summer, I am probably sitting around the pool and enjoying that.

Mark Weber: Rumor has it that you are a huge fan of live music.  What concerts have you seen over the past year, what are your favorite concerts of all time, and what performers are on your bucket list?

Mark Lord: Over the past year I saw: Foreigner / Styx / Loverboy; 3 Doors Down and Candlebox; Jason Aldean; Guns N’ Roses; Katy Perry; and U2. My favorite concerts of all time include: Pink Floyd; Earth Wind & Fire; Garth Books; and U2 at The Sphere. My bucket list includes: Santana; Metallica and George Strait.


This Week We Welcome the First Chapter of a New Book

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.

– Edith Lovejoy Pierce (Twentieth-Century Poet)

Happy New Year! As the world returns to work following the holiday season, the Croixstone team is energized and excited to fuel our mission to connect the brightest minds in business and community with organizations wanting to keep a step ahead.

The Book Called Opportunity. The words of poet Edith Lovejoy Pierce resonate with Croixstone as we welcome 2024. Coming off a milestone year in 2023 where we debuted on two high profile Inc. 5000 lists and landed for the second time on the Charlotte Business Journal’s Fast 50 list, Croixstone is exceptionally ready to put the words onto the bank pages of the new year.

Our Hope for You. Croixstone’s hope for this new year is that you will join us in filling those pages – front to back. Let’s make the most of the opportunities that are there for discovery in 2024.


Croixstone is ranked #28 on the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2023 “Fast 50” List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies

The big reveal! Last evening the Charlotte Business Journal hosted its annual “Fast 50” awards event and revealed the rankings of the fastest-growing private companies across the Charlotte, NC region. Croixstone’s CEO Patti Weber accepted an award for the firm’s ranking at #28 on the list. The ranking is based on average percentage of annual revenue growth from 2020 to 2022.

Our second year! 2023 marks the second consecutive year that Croixstone has landed on the “Fast 50” list. In 2022, Croixstone was ranked #2 and Patti was featured in an interview published by the Charlotte Business Journal.

2023 has been a remarkable year! Croixstone’s latest honor contributes to a remarkable year of growth-related honors for our firm.

• In February, Inc. magazine revealed that Croixstone ranked No. 11 on the publication’s fourth annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: Mid-Atlantic list of the fastest-growing private companies in the region.

• In August, Inc. magazine revealed that Croixstone ranked nationally at No. 511 on the 2023 Inc. 5000, the annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.

• Also in August, Inc. ranked Croixstone at No. 8 as the fastest-growing private company in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SC metro area. Additionally, the magazine ranked Croixstone at No. 16 in our home state of North Carolina, and at No. 56 in the Business Products & Services segment.

We are grateful. Croixstone launched our firm in 2016 with a vision to lead in the delivery of professional services that transform careers and businesses. We thank our employees, consultants, executive search candidates, clients, partners, friends, and family who fuel Croixstone’s journey in fulfilling our mission.

Read our Press ReleaseClick here to read our Press Release about Croixstone’s latest achievement.


Say “Hello Pancreas” this November

We are partnering for your pancreas! Croixstone has joined forces with the Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Alliance to create awareness on behalf of your hard-working digestive organ during November’s “Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.”

Who is the Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Alliance? Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Alliance is a nonprofit community group founded by three of Croixstone’s leaders (Patti Weber, Grace Lynch, and Mark Weber) to create awareness of pancreatic cancer on a local, regional, national and global level. The group was founded in 2020 and is a member of the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition. The group was founded in memory of Patti’s father (Jim Benson), Grace’s niece (Carmen Reyes), and Mark’s mother (Shirley Weber).

Say “Hello Pancreas”! The average person around the globe knows very little about one of their hardest working organs – – their pancreas. Leaning into this year’s global awareness campaign, Croixstone and the Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Alliance invite you to say “Hello Pancreas” this November to get to know your pancreas buddy a bit better.

Two Ways to say “Hello Pancreas”! Here are two fast and easy ways to get to know your pancreas this month.

• We invite you to visit hellopancreas.com as the first step in getting to better know your pancreas.

• We encourage you to read the Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Alliance’s November newsletter that features a variety of actions and events in which you can participate to build your friendship with your pancreas.


Croixstone is named to the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2023 “Fast 50” List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies

We did it again! For the second consecutive year, the Charlotte Business Journal named Croixstone as one of the Charlotte region’s 50 fastest-growing private companies. The publication announced its 2023 annual list of “Fast 50” companies on Tuesday, October 31.

What companies are eligible? Eligible companies must have completed three full years of operation by the end of 2022 and logged sales of at least $1 million that year. They are privately held corporations, proprietorships or partnerships – not subsidiaries or divisions – that are based in the greater Charlotte region.

How are companies evaluated? Eligible companies provided financial documentation that was evaluated by accounting firm CliftonLarsonAllen, which ranked participants based on annual growth over three years.

What is Croixstone’s ranking? We don’t know yet! The Charlotte Business Journal will reveal the 2023 Fast 50 rankings during an awards event on November 30, with a special report to be published by the publication on December 1.

2023 has been a remarkable year. This latest news contributes to a milestone year of growth-related honors for Croixstone.

• In February, Inc. magazine revealed that Croixstone ranked No. 11 on the publication’s fourth annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: Mid-Atlantic list of the fastest-growing private companies in the region.

• In August, Inc. magazine revealed that Croixstone ranked nationally at No. 511 on the 2023 Inc. 5000, the annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.

• Also in August, Inc. ranked Croixstone at No. 8 as the fastest-growing private company in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SC metro area. Additionally, the magazine ranked Croixstone at No.16 in our home state of North Carolina, and at No. 56 in the Business Products & Services segment.

It takes a village. Founded in 2016, Croixstone’s remarkable 7th year has been achieved thanks to the amazing support and contributions of our employees, consultants, executive search candidates, clients, partners, friends and family.


Application Period for SEED20 2024 is Now Open

About Croixstone and SVP Charlotte: Croixstone is a proud Community Partner of Social Venture Partners Charlotte (SVP Charlotte). This unique nonprofit organization provides a way for passionate and committed individuals and companies to collectively invest their money, skills and time to nurture and support some of the most promising nonprofit organizations attacking social and economic inequality within the greater Charlotte region.

What is SEED20?: SEED20 is the nonprofit pitch contest hosted annually by SVP Charlotte. This high-profile program provides a terrific opportunity for innovative nonprofits to tap into professional development around messaging, gain access to high quality marketing assets, benefit from incredible community exposure, and build their social capital.

Spread the word: SVP Charlotte announced yesterday that the application period for the SEED20 Class of 2024 has officially launched. Please share the following link with your professional network and help us spread the word: https://tinyurl.com/applytoday4Seed20

Save the date: You don’t want to miss the SEED20 Class of 2024. Join us to watch them take the stage on Tuesday, March 26 at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte.


Croixstone has been recertified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)

We did it again: Croixstone is excited to share the news that our firm has been recertified as both a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) and Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) by the Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC), a regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Croixstone has received these certifications annually since 2020.

Why it matters: Croixstone’s certification as a WBE and WOSB fuels our firm’s access to supplier diversity and procurement executives at hundreds of major U.S. corporations and federal, state, and local government entities that accept WBENC certification. Businesses with inclusive procurement strategies widen their pools of potential suppliers and promote competition in their supply base, which can improve quality and drive down costs. Inclusiveness can also make supply chains more resilient and agile. Additionally, supplier diversity programs offer selling points to businesses when hiring.

How we did it: WBENC certification is the gold standard for women-owned business certification in the USA. The WBENC standard of certification implemented by GWBC is a meticulous process, and included an in-depth review of Croixstone’s business planning, operations and a site visit.

Learn more: Read our Press Release here.