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Barnett Ellman

Barnett Ellman

Tyler Barnett, 25, and Jason Ellman, 25
www.barnettellman.com)
Los Angeles

Then:
The "young PR firm with an old-school swagger," as co-founder Tyler Barnett put it, emphasized the necessity of reaching young consumers with new media tools like social networks, along with handwritten letters and faxes. The four-employee company had over $100,000 in revenue in 2006 and estimated bringing in over $300,000 in 2007.

Now:
After being featured as a finalist last year, the firm started receiving calls from businesses trying to tap into the 18- to 28-year-old demographic, says Barnett. In the past year, the company has moved to a new office in Beverly Hills and started working with higher-end clients ranging from Chrysler to the major league soccer team Chivas USA. For 2007, revenue topped $300,000, and as of August, 2008, Barnett says the company had doubled its revenue since last year.