Besomebody, Inc. a Cincinnati-based business intelligence firm focused on helping build corporate businesses, brands, and cultures, was recognized as one of the “Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America” by Entrepreneur magazine’s Entrepreneur360™ ranking, a premier study delivering the most comprehensive analysis of private companies in America. Based on several quantitative and qualitative factors of achievement and success, Besomebody was tabbed as one of America’s top private companies for exhibiting a balance of impact, innovation, leadership, and value.
Besomebody, ranked #56 on the Entrepreneur360™ List, is the sole Cincinnati-based company on this year’s list, and the highest ranked of any Cincinnati company in the history of the rankings. Besomebody is also one of only seven Ohio companies recognized on the 2019 list.
“We are really grateful for this recognition, and so thankful for our community of clients, partners, and advocates that have helped us learn, evolve, and grow,” said Kash Shaikh, Founder and CEO, Besomebody, Inc. “Awards come and go, and we’ve experienced all ends of the spectrum since our early days in 2014, our venture days in 2015, our pivot in 2017, and our growth the past few years. Just three years ago, the future of our company was hanging in the balance. But thanks to the work, will, and resilience of a few passionate people, we have been able to build something beautiful from those tough times. That’s the lesson – keep going.”
Shaikh, a Procter & Gamble and GoPro alum, founded the company in 2014. Today, Besomebody, Inc. provides end-to-end management consulting, brand identity, and marketing services for Fortune 500 companies and fast-growing startups, applying a socially-curated focus to content, analytics, and culture.
The company began as a global platform for motivational content, most of which was authored and created by Shaikh. After reaching a monthly audience of 10 million people worldwide in 2014, Besomebody launched the world’s first experience marketplace – a mobile app in which users could book learning experiences with local experts across more than 400 different “passion areas,” including snowboarding, skydiving, and piano. After two years of growth and an appearance on the hit reality TV show, Shark Tank, Besomebody sold the app to a Denver-based activity firm in 2017. The company looked to transfer its knowledge of training and community building to the corporate sector in order to help drive values-based job creation and economic growth. By the beginning of 2019, that work expanded to a suite of services spanning from corporate reputation and brand building, to workforce development and organizational culture, all focused on enabling partner companies to create meaningful impact and drive profitable growth.
“I believe the most important part of our story is that we’re still evolving,” Shaikh said. “The services we provide have expanded. Some of the things we do each day have changed. But our values and our DNA are the same as those early days. Our passion to do great work and make a positive impact is stronger than ever. That’s what I’m most proud of – staying true to who we are amidst all the ups and downs.”
This is the third award for the company in recent weeks, with Shaikh chosen as one of Cincinnati Business Courier’s “Forty Under 40” honorees, and Besomebody listed as a finalist for “Best Places to Work” in Cincinnati.
Entrepreneur360™ honorees were identified based on the results from a comprehensive study of independently owned companies, using a proprietary algorithm and advanced analytics. The algorithm was built on a balanced scorecard designed to measure five metrics reflecting major pillars of entrepreneurship—innovation, growth, leadership, impact, and business valuation.
“Every entrepreneur knows that a healthy business isn’t just about growth. It’s about being well-rounded—growing your culture and your systems as strongly as you grow your revenue,” said Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur Magazine. “That’s why we’re excited to celebrate these companies with our fifth annual Entrepreneur360™ ranking. The companies that make the list have pushed boundaries with their innovative ideas, fostered strong company cultures, impacted their communities for the better, strengthened their brand, and grown impressively as a result.”