PICTURED ABOVE: Nina Hale’s executive team from left to right: Luke Schlegel, Allison McMenimen, Donna Robinson, and Nina Hale.
Performance digital agency Nina Hale has been named to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s 2017 Fast 50 list, which recognizes the Twin Cities’ fastest growing privately held companies.
“Making this year’s Fast 50 list is a testament to the skill and dedication of our employee owners and leadership team,” said Nina Hale CEO Donna Robinson. “In the year ahead, we will look to maintain momentum, profitability, and client satisfaction, which will build on the success we have seen over the last three years.”
Robinson also cited several other factors that have contributed to Nina Hale’s dynamic growth. New Fortune 500 clients in the agency roster, a low employee-turnover rate, and operational sophistication have enabled Nina Hale to grow while maintaining profitability.
This year marks Nina Hale’s second appearance on the Fast 50 list ranking at #39, having also ranked amongst the Twin Cities’ fastest growing companies in 2015 ranking at #35. All honorees to make this year’s list will appear in the October 20 issue of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.
Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal Interview with CEO Donna Robinson
What’s been the biggest challenge managing a fast-growing company?
The biggest challenge for me has been anticipating and staying ahead of our growth operationally. In the past three years, we have grown our employee roster significantly, expanded the office twice, and have invested in a whole new tech system, including new hardware for the staff and new software for HR management and project time tracking.
Has the jobs/skills gap impacted your company’s growth?
Digital media and marketing are rapidly changing disciplines, which widens the skills gap even more than within other industries. Finding qualified digital experts means pulling from an even smaller pool of qualified candidates.
What went right last year?
Last year we added new Fortune 500 businesses to our client roster while maintaining a low employee-turnover rate and successfully anticipating needs for growth. This meant profit and a happy staff.
What is your No. 1 priority for the year ahead?
My primary goal for the year ahead is to maintain growth while also remaining profitable. I never want to sacrifice profits or relationships with our clients in order to achieve growth.
What scares you most about the year ahead?
I am most afraid of growth at the expense of our company’s culture. There are bound to be some cultural shifts as we continue to evolve our offerings and brand positioning, but I want to ensure our core values are maintained.
Eligibility of Fast 50 award
To be eligible for the Fast 50 award, a business must be an independently owned and for-profit company; must be headquartered in the Twin Cities 24-county metro area; have year-over-year revenue growth for the three most recently completed fiscal years; and must have a full-year revenue of at least $1 million in the first of recently completed fiscal years.
