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"It's a very fast paced, fast growing company," says CEO Douglas Waggoner. "We hire 30-45 people a month. Most of our employees are Gen Y. There are nearly 800 people here and most are in their mid-twenties. [That creates] a lot of energy and independent thinking. Gen Yers really challenge the status quo." In the face of such astounding growth, the flagging economy looks more like an annoyance than a serious problem for a company not even five years old.

"What makes my position exciting is the advancement opportunity," says Jay Gustafson, Carrier Sales Manager. "My team's productivity has increased by 200%. We're experiencing growth in a down economy and there's lots of long term advancement." Gustafson says that one of the biggest perks is that as the company grows, so does his level of responsibility. An additional result of all the expansion is an increased level of friendly competition, which for many Gen Yers is a perk, too. "There are sales screens on the floor so you can see how your coworkers are doing," he says. "It creates a competitive environment, which is good for people who want to push themselves and good for the company."

You might think with so much going on at Echo there would be a lack of downtime, but even though some employees work 9-hour days, the work-life balance stays in check. "We have our own internal softball team, and we do a lot of different social events," says Anne LaPorte, a member of the recruiting team with the company for three years. "We work in an industry where our clients work fairly regular work hours, so it's easy to maintain a healthy balance." Gustafson agrees, adding that "The relationships don't end at work--people hang out, do after work athletic activities. It's a nice transition into the workplace."

And an expanding workplace it is. With offices in L.A., New Jersey, Minnesota, and the recently added Detroit location, there is nowhere to go but up at Echo.