Wi-Fi firm RF Connect doubles revenue, opens offices in Texas, Ohio, and Florida

RF Connect is clocking big growth gains today, but that’s not the way it started for the Wi-Fi firm from Farmington Hills. Six years ago it was just four people trying to make their small business go.”It takes a while to get some momentum going with a start-up,” says Jeff Hipchen, one of the co-founders of RF Connect. “You cast a big net at the beginning and refine your business from there.”Today RF Connect employs about 30 people, plus another 10-20 independent contractors and interns. Staffing climbed by 50 percent in 2010 and Hipchen expects his company’s employment numbers to go up at a similar rate this year. The company has watched its revenue increase by triple digits over the last couple of years, landing some marquee customers such as the Nationwide Insurance and The Cleveland Clinic. That has allowed it to open new offices in Texas, Ohio, and Florida.RF Connect is mainly selling its wireless network expertise, which ranges from Wi-Fi to helping increase cell phone reception. One of its rapidly growing segments is a distributed antenna system that improves cell phone reception.  “For a small business in 5,000 square feet or less, it’s a great solution,” Hipchen says.Source: Jeff Hipchen, one of the co-founders of RF ConnectWriter: Jon ZemkeRead more about Metro Detroit’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.