Forbes: Next 1000

Cofounder and CEO, Lisa Sauve, named among the first 250 for the inaugural Forbes Next 1000. The list highlights founders and entrepreneurs unanimously selected from thousands of nominations for achieving success through hustle and drive on their terms without VC funding.

Sauve hasn't had the most traditional path for a career in architecture. Her Synecdoche Design started as a side gig while in grad school at the University of Michigan, and has grown steadily over the years, becoming Sauve's full time pursuit in 2015--and a fully licensed architecture studio in 2018. Sauve's work in architecture and design has been recognized by Inc/Architizer, and has led to her being appointed a planning commissioner in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The idea is that this list is open to all U.S. small business founders so long as they have been operating for a minimum of one year with a maximum of $10M in annual revenue or Series A funding. It is decidedly not bound by connections or education and committed to diversity and inclusion, geographic balance and entrepreneurs who are making a difference. Experienced Forbes reporters and editors review and vet the online applications, taking into account revenue, funding and scalability and also personal story and community or industry impact. A panel of top business minds and entrepreneurial superstars then evaluate and score the semi-finalists, culminating in 1000 honorees selected from all eight regions of the United States.

"To shine a light on these entrepreneurial heroes, Forbes presents the Next 1000. This year-round initiative showcases the ambitious sole proprietors, self-funded shops and pre-revenue startups in every region of the country—all with under $10 million in revenue or funding and infinite drive and hustle."