Name of company: Salo LLC
Name of woman leader: Amy L. Langer
Based in: Minneapolis
Description: Senior-level staffing in finance and accounting
2003 sales: $3.4 million
2007 sales: $42 million

What inspired you to start Salo?
"There was a hole in the marketplace," Langer says. "We are a staffing company, and we saw a model in place that could help people in challenging positions. We thought we could really do something cool."

Langer started Salo in a tiny executive suite with one other person, and she decided to go after top performers, not people in transition looking for a temporary position. To do that, she knew the company had to offer more.

"We offer rock-solid benefits, including medical, dental, 401(k), a pension plan, as well as vacation and holiday pay. We also invite our consultants to partake in peer group activities, continued education classes that are free of charge and training sessions that better their professional skill set."

What's been the key to your success?
"The big difference has been the talent that we've compiled," Langer says. "We have really sharp individuals on our team. And talent begets talent. We work hard at sustaining an innovative, fun and open culture. There is just this element of a sparkle, and fun. We have a rockin' office. It's all shared space. We have walking workstations [essentially treadmills with desks attached]. We have a Wii tennis setup, foosball tables, dart boards ... Someone's playing Guitar Hero as we speak."

What, in particular, kick-started your growth?
"The whole thing has been a growth spurt. I think passionate, energetic people working together and having a common vision have propelled us. There were a few key clients we were able to secure. We were able to get one project and turn it into a nearly million-dollar project."

How do you balance work and family?
Langer hyper-manages her calendar but confesses the work-life balance is handled one day at a time--and with a lot of help from her spouse and their nanny. "Delegating to people you can trust--that's what makes it doable for me."

How do you navigate through rough economic waters?
"Make sure you don't lose sight of your focus and vision," she says. "It's harder to do that in tough economic times than when things are going well. Tactically, it's a great time for looking at your company and determining where you're spending and where you shouldn't."

What's on your iPod?
"I usually have a good workout mix, because that's where I usually use it. I have snippets of business books, podcasts. I actually prefer to listen to business books than read them. I prefer to read novels. Indigo Girls--they're always on the iPod."

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