After a successful career as an executive in the staffing and recruiting industry, Mike Wiley decided to explore his entrepreneurial side and launched his own firm out of his parents' house in 2005. He abided by a two-year non-compete agreement, organized his plan and crossed his fingers. It's clear now, despite the recession and the staffing industry's 35 percent nosedive, that Wiley's decision was the right one.

The company grew substantially in 2007 and 2008 and has grown revenues by 25 percent in 2009. With 25 employees at its Blue Bell headquarters and revenues expected to climb another 20 percent in the next year, Wiley's McGrath Systems is poised to ramp up its efforts when hiring returns to normal. The company has thrived by adding IT, accounting and finance and administrative sectors to its list of human capital management services and funneling profits back into its own technology.

McGrath earned 2009 Emerging Business of the Year honors from the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. Known for its top-notch customer service and big-time clients like Lockheed Martin and Sunoco, McGrath also has focused on the potential direct hire or contract employees it recruits. With jobs in short supply across the country, Wiley has made it imperative for McGrath to stay connected with those recruits even when there's nothing available. In turn, those recruits are more likely to be available when positions have opened up.

The company is planning to roll out an enhanced platform that will integrate payroll and timesheet features, providing even more comprehensive services to its clients. McGrath is also lining up an internal metric system that will manage employees by key performance indicators and be on display on flat-screen monitors throughout its offices.