Four of last year’s CEA winners shared their companies’ progress in the past year.
 

Next Glass

(2014 Coastal Entrepreneur of the Year)

The past year has seen Next Glass go from beta testing its beverage profile app through launch and contracts with commercial clients, CEO Kurt Taylor said.

“In November, we went live with the app and had a great response,” he said. “Coverage of the launch included significant national exposure from publications like CNN, Forbes, Huffington Post, Yahoo!, CNBC and Esquire. Along the way, we were one of five companies selected to compete in the Wall Street Journal’s global startup showcase, and later in the year we were also added to the Forbes’ ‘30 under 30’ list for Food & Drink.” 

“Throughout 2014, we were able to secure significant capital and sign up several large business clients,” he added. “We will be launching our business software with these clients
in the third quarter of this year.”

The year also saw Next Glass secure and begin revamping space downtown that will allow all the company’s operations to be under one roof. Taylor said he anticipates moving into the new headquarters later in 2015.
 

DocsInk

(Emerging Company category winner)

Julie Thomas, CEO of DocsInk, said the past year has been an exciting one for her company, whose
software allows medical providers to share patient information across platforms.

“We’ve been blessed with a lot of growth. We’ve added an executive vice president of sales and a sales director, have doubled our clients and had a 120 percent increase in revenue,” she said.

Many of the company’s new customers come to DocsInk through referrals, which is a good sign, Thomas said.

The company also was recognized by the N.C. Technology Association, being named among the organization’s Top 10 Startups to Watch.

“We are starting to realize our vision of helping medical providers across the United States improve care coordination, increase overall revenue and improve communications across the continuum,” Thomas said.
 

Quality Chemical Laboratories

(Biotechnology category winner)

Since winning a Coastal Entrepreneur Award last May, Quality Chemical Laboratories has continued its steady growth, said company spokesman Brian Dineen.

“We are expanding, adding on 35,000 square feet to our existing 21,000-square-foot main building,” he said. “That will bring our total company space to nearly 90,000 square feet.”

Industry demand and new customers are fueling growth, Dineen said. The company, under the direction of its founder and CEO Yousry Sayed, also has expanded its finish dosage analytical testing capabilities and is adding a new business model: formulations research and development for new pharmaceutical products.

“We hope to complete construction by the end of 2015 and employ 65 to 75 more people in 2016,” he said. “We currently employ about 135.”
 

Without Limits 

(Services category winner)

Tom Clifford said he was listening when the CEA judges and mentors counseled him about future directions for his company.

“We just launched our new website, which includes online retail sales, and we merged our apparel business, Without Limits Apparel, with our partners as a separate LLC. These were all things we were advised to do by the judges and others involved with the CEA,” he said.

Clifford said the company has is also in the process of trademarking its new tagline. “It’s our version of Nike’s ‘Just do it,’” he said. “We can’t release it until we get the trademark document in a few months, but we have found something that really helps people to understand what Without Limits means from a life and sports standpoint.”

The company’s coaching programs in Wilmington and in Greenville, South Carolina, are growing. Its youth coaching program has expanded into a year-round offering, Clifford said.

For more info about the Coastal Entrepreneur Awards, click here.