No 256 STRIDING PAST A BIG CHALLENGE
After a failed attempt at a tech startup in the early aughts, Debbie Madden and her husband, Rex, co-founded a consulting company that made the Inc. 5000 five times. They sold it to their partner and started Stride Consulting, with Debbie as its CEO. But their journey with this company took a very unexpected turn.
Debbie Madden → STRIDE CONSULTING
Three-year growth 1,917.8% • 2017 revenue $12.7 million
NEW YORK CITY • FOUNDED 2014
My first company was like a made-for-TV movie. The crash-and-burn type of scenario.
My husband and I started that company in 2002 and called it—the dumbest name ever and I’m embarrassed to repeat it—Fetch-a-Flick. We were going to bring DVDs and snacks to people’s door in under an hour. What could go wrong?
Very little went right. Then my husband almost died. He
