Knight Federal Honored as One of OBJ’s 2021 Elite 50

Recording annual revenue growth is a major milestone for most companies during this time of turbulence caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.  And having consecutive sales growth for multiple years is an even bigger accomplishment.

That’s why the Orlando Business Journal’s 2021 Elite 50 deserve kudos for their business success not only through 2020, but also in the previous two years.  The Elite 50 honors the cream of the crop among local, privately held companies who have achieved great success in the past year in the 2021 Elite 50.

Knight Federal has been selected as one of the 50 honorees for 2021, representing one of the five companies selected that are leaders among both OBJ’s Golden 100 List (top companies based on most recent year revenue) and the Fast 50 Lists (leading companies based on three consecutive years of positive revenue growth).

Below is an excerpt from the OBJ interview with Knight Federal’s CEO Chris Baeten:

How did the pandemic initially affect how you do business?

We had to adjust to our workforce by working remotely.  Communication with our employees was no longer face-to-face, so we had to find creative ways to stay in touch to ensure productivity was high and deliverables were being met.

How did you adjust/pivot/reimagine the business to keep operating during the pandemic?

On-line meetings became a necessity.

What were some things you had to stop doing or do less of during the pandemic?

Our company and office are built around open communication.  Without everyone in the office our communication with each other was not as frequent.

How did that affect your business?

Initially, it negatively affected our productivity on a week-to-week basis, however once we adjusted to the new working conditions, we found new ways to have open forums of communication where everyone could stay in touch with each other throughout the day.

What were some things you instituted to keep employee morale up?

Virtual happy hour!

What does the future look like now for your company?

Our company has continued to grow.  We are reinvesting in the infrastructure of our company and increasing the support we have at our headquarters. 

What do you believe makes your company an elite business?

Knight Federal was built with an entrepreneurial mindset that has been passed on through our employees.  We are constantly looking at ways to improve the skills, performance, and quality of life of our employees.

Your advice to other local businesses on surviving this challenging economic environment: 

Constantly look for ways to adapt to the ever-changing work environment.  Don’t get stuck in your own ways and be ready to pivot when your original ideas aren’t working.

What’s the most exciting thing that happened to your company last year?  We opened our new office across the street from UCF in the Quadrangle Office Park.  It’s exciting to be close to the university so we can provide opportunities for growth for interns to be part of our company – Go Knights, Charge On!

To view the list of honorees – visit https://lnkd.in/g_2n4Cpt