How we became an inc. 5000 company

For the first (and hopefully not last) time, SJInnovation is an official member of the inc. 5000 list 2021, coming in at #4442! We’re honoured to be named alongside some of history's most accomplished companies such as Microsoft, Patagonia, Under Armour, and Timberland. 

It’s hard to believe that in 17 years, SJInnovation has embarked on a journey from operating in a bedroom to now collaborating with a global team of over 150+ employees, spanning 5 locations. 

Here’s how we gained a spot on the inc. 5000 list 2021 of America's fastest-growing private companies.

How it started

SJInnovation was established by Shahed Islam (CEO) and Shahera Choudhury (COO) in Queens, New York. The Bangladeshi-American founders spotted a gap in the market for a people-oriented Software Development Agency, which focused not only on high-profile clients but the growth and wellness of their employees. Thus creating the company motto, ‘employee happiness generates client success.’ After years of perseverance and fervent zeal, we progressed from sending 200 emails a day, barely attempting to find clients to now completing projects for Fortune 500 companies like Johnson & Johnson. 

The competitive field of Software Development

When initially joining the field of Software Development, the company was met with stiff competition. In an already saturated market, we had to make ourselves stand out from all the other agencies. Therefore, we made it our mission to curate a rich and cohesive culture, which helped develop a sense of community and teamwork. It was vital for us to show our clients that we truly cared about their projects and ideas, not just their money. Over time our process was moulded into clear stages which made communication between our client and team extremely efficient. Striving to be distinctly apart from other software development agencies, we spent a lot of time and resources creating a welcoming working environment for our employees. One of our main priorities is personal development classes, as we value growth on both the professional and interpersonal front. We found that by establishing a core culture and a seamless work process, we took the path less traveled from other software development agencies and maintained an empathetic approach as our company expanded globally. 

How we give back

At SJInnovation, we emphasize on giving back to our community in every way we can. Currently, our CEO is a board member and the current President of the charity organization The Optimists, dedicated to uplifting underprivileged yet high-performing students in Bangladesh who gain limited access to resources and are at risk of dropping out. Another area we focus on is community outreach as a large majority of our employees reside in Bangladesh and India. We constantly try to extend a supporting hand for the communities that they grew up in and love wholeheartedly. As the job market is undoubtedly competent in present industries, we have happily designed community outreach programs, such as LaunchPad and SJI Accelerate, to connect college students to the knowledge and required skill set for their desired industries. One of our main forms of community outreach includes webinars as they can reach a wider audience, especially during the pandemic. Equipping individuals with the awareness and insight they need from the right mentors to not only persevere but thrive assures them of a victorious future, therefore we try to offer access to specialized knowledge to change that. https://community.sjinnovation.com/index.php/giving-back/ 

Now, this is just a small summary of our journey to ranking #4442 on the inc. 5000 list, we haven’t included many of our failures and hurdles, which we have plenty of. By no means is SJInnovation perfect, we are constantly working on improving ourselves daily, but what we are is dedicated and humble and we are so honoured to be on the inc. 5000 list 2021. Let's hope we have many more entries to come!