CCN named 2022 ACG Growth Awards finalist

We’re excited to announce that Cox Consulting Network has just been recognized as a finalist for the 2022 ACG Growth Awards! This significant milestone proves that CCN isn’t just growing; it’s on to something big: when you put people first, everybody wins.

What are the ACG Growth Awards?

Since 1954, the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) has supported professionals involved in corporate growth, development, and mergers and acquisitions. ACG has more than 12,000 member organizations worldwide.

This year, the Austin/San Antonio chapter has selected CCN as one of three finalists in the $5-$10 million category. The award recognizes a company’s growth in revenue, EBIDTA, and employee numbers, as well as its unique story.

“Whatever we are doing is working. We’ve hit a critical mass where we have more opportunities and different ways to serve a lot of people.”

Andy Cox, Owner/Founder

Past award-winners in the region include notable companies like E2open, Hypergiant, Consero, Dura Software, Aspen Heights, Arrive Logistics, CECE’s Veggie Noodle Company, ClearResult, ESO, Sweet Leaf Tea, Yeti Coolers, Rackspace, Proximity Learner, Dynamic Manufacturing, The SAATVA Company, WoomBikes USA, and Big Commerce.

ACG will announce the category winners on Thursday, September 8, at a luncheon at the Austin Country Club.

CCN’s growth story

Andy Cox founded Cox Consulting Network in 2018 with only $42,000 in starting capital and a radical hypothesis: happy consultants mean happy clients. He intentionally chose not to incur debt or bring in outside investors. He believed — then and now — that business growth would come naturally when he put people first.

“We didn’t do this for the numbers; we did it because we believe in it. It’s the right thing to do. People come first. We’re helping more consultants and colleagues free their nights, weekends, and holidays. That’s the real number that matters.”

Andy Cox, Owner/Founder

Andy knew he was on to something but never expected to succeed so quickly, with over 60% growth year-over-year. These numbers prove Andy’s “true service” model isn’t just a good idea; it’s good for business. CCN has quickly revved up to become a fine-tuned, profitable machine, benefitting all our peers in finance and accounting.

Year	Annual Revenue	YOY Growth
2019	$2.4M
2020	$3.7M	61%
2021	$6.8M	84%

Over the years, clients and consultants have rallied to the cause. Since year one, CCN has grown from a team of 14 to over 60 today. Good talent is always in high demand, and although it hasn’t always been easy, we’ve maintained consistent growth even through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sharing our success with our consultants

The real story behind CCN’s success isn’t just about how much it makes but how much it gives back. This attitude begins with consultants. From day one, Andy committed to paying consultants above market rates. These transparent rates and fees are broken down on every project, so consultants and clients always get to see who gets what.

Consultant rewards go beyond great pay and benefits to include perks like the Consultants Club, which rewards our most dedicated consultants who have racked up over 5,000 hours with CCN. Each spring, we reward new inductees with an all-expenses-paid trip to extraordinary locations around the world.

Giving back to the community

Philanthropy has also been close to the company’s heart since day one, with charitable giving consistently over 2% of net income.

For much of the year, CCN sets aside 50 cents for every consultant hour billed and donates those funds to its community impact partner, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). We invite our consultants and clients to contribute and participate in special fundraisers like Beer Beats Cancer and Light the Night. Last year’s Light the Night team contribution exceeded $40,000.

Moving into the future

In 2022, we anticipate closing the year on the same trend with expected revenue and profitability growth of over 60%.

As we move into new markets — and possibly into a different economic environment — our biggest challenge will be spreading awareness of our service to our finance and accounting peers.

“We have developed an outstanding reputation, but we still feel like Austin’s best-kept secret. We need to grab our megaphones and broadcast our story, and more importantly, our exceptional bench of consultants and freelancers.”

Chris Mitchell, Managing Director