BASECAMP

Chicago founders: Jason fried (ce0), carlos segura, ernest kim

revenue: more than $25 million

employees: 52 Jason fried has turned down more than 100 investment offers from venture capitalists and private equity firms for basecamp, which makes cloud-based software that provides small businesses with a centralized system that brings together internal communications, projects and client work in one location. fried prefers slow, consistent and profitable growth of at least 5% a year—“so we can enjoy the culture of a small business.” among those joys are employee benefits that include a 30-day sabbatical every three years, subsidies for hobbies outside of work and paid family vacations.