“A word to the wise: Do not lump Raleigh and Durham together when speaking with the locals.
Talk to a booster of Raleigh, the North Carolina state capital, and they’ll sing the praises of a local economy fueled in part by the state government and medical industry, complemented by institutions such as the free North Carolina Museums of Natural Science, Art and History and, as of this summer, the world’s largest beer garden. Drive 25 minutes northwest to Durham and you’ll find a downtown area reinventing itself from its tobacco- and textile-industry past to develop a thriving culinary, arts and entertainment scene fueled in part by dozens of local startups.”
Durham isn’t your average city. Thanks to the presence of Duke University, as well as the city’s position in the Research Triangle of North Carolina, Durham has always benefited from a near constant influx of new residents not only from around the country, but from around the world. The result is a diverse, multi-cultural town in the heart of North Carolina with everything from stellar restaurants to an almost inconceivably robust calendar of cultural events throughout the year. If you find yourself in this great city though for only a short stay, here are some places and experiences that are not to be missed during your 24 hours in Durham.
We’ve found the 15 hottest US cities for 2016, all of which will be booming next year thanks to new jobs, growing industries, burgeoning art and food scenes, and affordable real estate.
Rising prices in San Francisco will continue to push young hipsters out to Oakland and up north to Portland. Queens will become the hot borough in New York City because of its affordable real estate and rich culinary scene.
To compile this list we looked at job growth, population growth, affordability, livability, and the health and well-being of each city’s residents. We also considered how innovative and “cool” the city is — an important factor in attracting the young creative types who will make each city hot.
“Tech stars, new and established, from retired IBM site lead Bob Greenberg to Automated Insights CEO Robbie Allen, donned suits in downtown Raleigh on Thursday for the North Carolina Technology Awards. Greenberg and recently retired EMC site lead Bob Hawkins were honored with the “Outstanding Achievement” Award.
Greenberg, who says he hasn’t stepped foot on the IBM campus since he retired, caught up with former colleagues and mingled with the next generation of tech executives.
Winners from American Tobacco:
Tech Exec of the Year – Automated Insights CEO Robbie Allen
The 100 largest metros in the U.S. are ranked based on gross metropolitan product (GMP) per resident from 2008 to 2014. GMP is a measurement of the total output of goods and services within a given metro, based on data from theU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. (Note: Data for 2014 were advance statistics and subject to future revision, notes Bloomberg.)”
Durham, N.C., October 26, 2015 — Smashing Boxes, a digital product agency headquartered in the American Tobacco Campus, was recently recognized as one of the “Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America” by Entrepreneur magazine’s Entrepreneur360™ Performance Index, a premier study delivering the most comprehensive analysis of private companies in America. Based on this study forged by Entrepreneur, Smashing Boxes is recognized as a company that exemplifies growth, not just in top and bottom line, but in sustainability and ability to achieve lasting success.
“Since we founded Smashing Boxes in 2010, the company has grown from just two guys, Brian and myself,” said CEO Nick Jordan, “to nearly 70 strategists, designers, developers and support staff. One of our greatest challenges with such rapid growth has been maintaining and developing an entrepreneurial culture that encourages risk taking, change making and steady improvement. At every level, our team has risen to the occasion: the opportunity to make Smashing Boxes truly great.”
“Those honored have identified a problem, come up with a unique solution, and bravely built their enterprises around it,” says Ryan Shea, president of Entrepreneur Media. “They’ve accomplished new ways of producing sustainable growth and are an inspiration to others who want to fulfill their own entrepreneurial goals.”
As an agency, we serve a wide range of business needs from mHealth to eCommerce to Internet of Things. Whether we’re working with FHI360, Daimler, EmployUs or Moogfest, our goal is to provide the best possible product and experience. We’ve found that the best way to do both is to break down organizational silos and form deeply collaborative relationships with our clients. Its an integrative approach that leverages high transparency, open feedback and short feedback loops that result in greater speed to market. It’s our promise to our clients and our team.
Through in-depth surveys, the team of editors and researchers behind the E360 Performance Index collected more than 250 pieces of data from hundreds of participating U.S. based companies, focusing on growth drivers and challenges, goal setting, resource allocations, and reward systems. The analysis uncovered a subset of companies including Smashing Boxes, whose continued success is largely based on superior value creation for their customers, building an adaptive learning culture, and aggressive geographic expansion—making them the most dynamic firms in America today.
According to research conducted by the Business Dynamics Research Consortium (BDRC), less than one percent of U.S. businesses expanded capacity three or more years out of the past five. On average, they grew by 41% over the period whereas all other surviving companies lost an average of 4%. Based on the their analysis of 19.1 million for-profit US businesses, sustained growers are statistically more likely to survive and continue to grow over the next five years than any other group of businesses in the economy.
“The companies identified in the E360 Index are sustained growers, and based on our research, have proven adept at navigating the changing challenges of their marketplace to win new business and grow their output capacity year after year,” says Gary Kunkle, senior research fellow at the Business Dynamics Research Consortium and research partner of the E360 Performance Index.
For additional details on the E360 Performance Index and the companies recognized, visit: http://entm.ag/E360Index
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ABOUT THE SMASHING BOXES
Smashing Boxes partners with forward-thinking brands and startups to solve problems through the creative application of technology. We fuse strategy, design and development to create high-impact digital platforms, products and services. Visit smashingboxes.com for more information.
ABOUT ENTREPRENEUR MEDIA INC.
For nearly 40 years, Entrepreneur Media Inc. has been serving the entrepreneurial community providing comprehensive coverage of business and personal success through original content and events. Entrepreneur magazine, Entrepreneur.com, and publishing imprint Entrepreneur Press provide solutions, information, inspiration and education read by millions of entrepreneurs and small business owners worldwide. To learn more, visit entrepreneur.com.
“A decade ago, downtown Durham, N.C., looked forlorn and empty. Storefronts and old tobacco buildings stood vacant, and street life was virtually nonexistent. “Everybody had fled to the suburbs or the Research Triangle,” said Scott Selig, associate vice president of Capital Assets and Real Estate at Duke University. “Literally 500 people were living there. The whole town was a ghost town.” No more. Those old buildings like the American Tobacco plant are packed with restaurants, retail, music venues, startups and established companies.
