---
title: "BNI Named to the 2026 Inc. 5000 List of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/ce8f4577-49bf-4384-b981-da09c2ecec17
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/news/20260813_bni_named_to_the_2026_inc_5000_list_of_americas_fastestgrowing_private_comp.html
category: "General"
published: 2026-08-13T12:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T14:43:25.497Z
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1524749292158-7540c2494485?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop
---

# BNI Named to the 2026 Inc. 5000 List of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies

**TL;DR:** BNI has been named to the 2026 Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies, ranking No. 3,432. This recognition is based on the company's percentage revenue growth over a three-year period.

*originally published in Franchising.com on 2026-08-13. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/news/20260813_bni_named_to_the_2026_inc_5000_list_of_americas_fastestgrowing_private_comp.html).*

## Story

BNI ranked No. 3,432 on this year's list, which recognizes independent, entrepreneurial businesses based on percentage revenue growth over a three-year period. This marks the first time BNI has appeared on the list.

"Being named to the Inc. 5000 is an exciting recognition of the growth happening across BNI," said Mary Kennedy Thompson, CEO of BNI. "For more than 40 years, our mission has been centered on helping business owners grow through meaningful connections and qualified referrals. This recognition reflects the strength of that mission, the dedication of our teams and Franchisees, and the continued impact of BNI Members around the world."

Founded in 1985, BNI has grown from a single networking group into a global organization with more than 355,000 Members across 77 countries and over 11,800 Chapters. Through BNI's structured referral marketing system, Members build long-term professional relationships, exchange qualified business referrals, and create measurable business opportunities.

This year's Inc. 5000 honorees achieved a median three-year revenue growth rate of 130% and collectively added more than 627,208 jobs to the U.S. economy over the past three years.

"Every company on the Inc. 5000 has a story of perseverance, smart decision making, and a refusal to sit still," said Mike Hofman, Editor-in-Chief of Inc. "Their growth reflects more than strong financial performance - it reflects creativity, resilience, and the customer focus required to build companies that make a lasting impact. We congratulate all honorees on this significant achievement."

Companies on the 2026 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2022 to 2025. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2022. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent - not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies - as of December 31, 2025. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2022 is $100,000; the minimum for 2025 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- General (sector)
- revenue growth (topic)
- Inc. (company)
- private companies (topic)
- inc 5000 list (topic)
- BNI (company)
- Mike Hofman (person)
- Mary Kennedy Thompson (person)

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Originally reported by Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/news/20260813_bni_named_to_the_2026_inc_5000_list_of_americas_fastestgrowing_private_comp.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/ce8f4577-49bf-4384-b981-da09c2ecec17).