Crux becomes 4x Inc. 5000 honoree; Ranks No. 2341 with three-year revenue growth of 182%

Crux KC
August 12th, 2025

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Crux KC has made its fourth consecutive appearance on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America at No. 2341 with 182% growth. Crux’s previous appearances on the list include No. 2678 in 2022, No. 1500 in 2023 and No. 1694 in 2024.

“It’s an honor to make the Inc 5000 list for the fourth consecutive year,” said Crux Founder & CEO Melea McRae. “I launched Crux in 2016 with the tagline ‘Everything you need, nothing you don’t.’ We hold true to that promise today, giving our clients exactly what they need to fuel business growth because their success is our success. Our fractional CMOs are more than consultants—we’re growth partners with a team of experts in every marketing discipline to back it up.”

Companies honored on this year’s Inc. 5000 have demonstrated exceptional growth while navigating economic uncertainty, inflationary pressure and a fluctuating labor market. Crux is in the top 16 of Kansas City-based companies on this year’s list which also features client and fellow four-time Inc. 5000 honoree OCCU-TEC (No. 3084).

“Making the Inc. 5000 is always a remarkable achievement, but earning a spot this year speaks volumes about a company’s tenacity and clarity of vision,” says Mike Hofman, editor-in-chief of Inc. “These businesses have thrived amid rising costs, shifting global dynamics, and constant change. They didn’t just weather the storm—they grew through it, and their stories are a powerful reminder that the entrepreneurial spirit is the engine of the U.S. economy.”

Founded in 2016, Crux makes growth simple for business leaders, intrapreneurs and entrepreneurs looking to launch, pivot or scale. With its “un-agency” approach, Crux provides fractional CMOs backed by a team of specialists, best-in-class tools and a commitment to client experience. Crux serves clients in B2B, B2C, nonprofit, higher education and municipal, AEC, financial services, professional services, healthcare and technology.

Fueling its future growth, Crux recently announced an exclusive marketing partnership with Novel Capital, offering B2B SaaS and tech companies a path to non-dilutive flexible financing for essential marketing services, removing a traditional financial hurdle to business growth. Crux’s sister company, Crux-Xcelerate, launched in 2019 to bridge the gap between sales and marketing, turning sales teams into sales performers to drive sustainable revenue growth for businesses.

Crux is a team of 40 with specialists across all marketing disciplines serving an active roster of more than 65 client partners. Crux was listed as the top fractional marketing services firm in Kansas City on the Business Journal’s (KCBJ) 2025 Fractional Executive Service Companies List and has been named an Inc Best Workplace, as well as a three-time Ingram’s Corporate Report 100 nominee, a two-time KCBJ Champion of Business, a two-time KCBJ Fast 50 company, and a three-time Greater KC Chamber of Commerce Top 10 Small Business.

For the full list, company profiles, and a searchable database by industry and location, visit: www.inc.com/inc5000.

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About Crux KC

Crux is the “un-agency,” a radical rethink of what marketing can and should be. Our fractional CMOs, surrounded by a squad of specialists, focus on what truly drives a business forward – a high-performance machine built for branding, messaging, content, communications, digital marketing and paid media – to elevate brands, amplify missions and fuel growth. Crux delivers everything you need, nothing you don’t. Growth, simplified. Learn more at cruxkc.com.

About Inc.

Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

Inc. 5000 Methodology

Companies on the 2025 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2021 to 2024. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2021. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2024. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2021 is $100,000; the minimum for 2024 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons.