Anointed Flooring did not simply endure the construction-industry crash, it prevailed. After “a really rough 2009,” says co-owner Camisha Farris, the company saw its revenue hit $500,000 last year, and added three employees. This year, revenue is on pace to rise to $800,000, and the company is starting to place bids as a prime contractor for construction management at-risk, instead of as a tier-2 subcontractor.

In recognition of the company’s accomplishments, the city of Charlotte last month presented Anointed with its inaugural Crowns of Enterprise Award as Rising Business of the Year.

Camisha, 33, is majority owner of the eight-year old flooring-contracting company. The business installs carpeting, wood, vinyl and tile for mostly commercial and government projects. She handles daily operations and business development, while her husband and fellow co-owner, Rodney, 40, oversees field work. Most of the work is handled by a group of individual contractors who work regularly for Anointed.

The company has grown by seeking strategic certifications as a minority and woman-owned small business. The paperwork can be onerous, but it has paid off. For example, because of its federal Section 3 certification, Anointed is doing several projects for the Charlotte Housing Authority. As a state-certified Historically Underutilized Business, it has been able to win several projects for UNC Charlotte, including carpeting the third floor of the new student union.

“Certifications are not guarantees of work,” Camisha says. “They are a marketing tool that gets your foot in the door. At the end of the day, you have to be reliable and perform the work.”

DID YOU KNOW?

•Anointed Flooring turned to a business coach last year to help put Anointed on its fast-track growth. Their weekly meetings have “helped us think outside the box, be more strategic and intentional, and stay focused,” Camisha says.