---
title: Making Sense of the Inc 5000 | Trends by The Hustle
description: The list started as the Inc. 100 back in 1979, but has grown to more than 5k listings in recent decades. An inside look at the Inc 5000
image: https://www.nlopchantamang.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/lrg-samson-ZGjbiukp_-A-unsplash_20191017073440-3.jpg
---

![](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/lrg-samson-ZGjbiukp_-A-unsplash_20191017073440-3.jpg)

Every year, Inc. releases its popular [list](https://www.inc.com/inc5000/2019/top-private-companies-2019-inc5000.html) of the fastest-growing, privately-held companies. The list started as the Inc. 100 back in 1979, but has grown to more than 5k listings in recent decades.

When companies are featured on “the 5000,” they often see sales spike and press mentions pick up, but what does the list mean for the rest of us? We decided to find out.

We broke down all 5,000 rows of data to discover what cloth these companies were cut from. [Our analysis](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1p3R89pVtgGfc4LZWL6nAuM3lpgubzj2vXUgMWewdFS4/edit?usp=sharing) allows you to pick your own adventure: filter the data based on your own needs, or glean insight from the [learnings we’ve laid out](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/188mjrizeNANtQrvj-mr3iCCKTmegkYITYsdCPTf1TN8/edit?usp=sharing). 

## Related Articles

[![](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/GettyImages-1144864948-4.jpg) ](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/articles/5-founder-insights-from-the-inc-5000)

[Articles](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/tag/articles)

### [5 Founder Insights From the Inc. 5000](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/articles/5-founder-insights-from-the-inc-5000)

What does it mean to land a spot on the Inc. 5000 list? Ask a dozen different people, and you’ll likely get a dozen different answers, ranging from solemn admiration...

[Aja Frost @ajavuu](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/author/aja-frost-ajavuu) 

[Read More](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/articles/5-founder-insights-from-the-inc-5000)

[![](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/lrg-Screen-Shot-2019-07-26-at-12_12_06-PM_20190726161804-3.png) ](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/articles/how-to-tap-into-chinas-live-streaming-shopping-craze)

[Membership Required](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/tag/membership-required) [Articles](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/tag/articles) [DTC](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/tag/dtc) [Entertainment and Media](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/tag/entertainment-and-media) [global](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/tag/global) [eCommerce](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/tag/ecommerce) [Software](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/tag/software)

### [How to Tap Into China’s Live Streaming Shopping Craze](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/articles/how-to-tap-into-chinas-live-streaming-shopping-craze)

**What you need to know:** 

[Aja Frost @ajavuu](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/author/aja-frost-ajavuu) 

[Read More](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/articles/how-to-tap-into-chinas-live-streaming-shopping-craze)