Two years ago, Wonderland Homes had revenues of $16 million. Last year, the homebuilder rounded out the year with $34 million, and landed it as the Denver Business Journal's third fastest-growing private company in its category. The Flight II category lists companies with revenues between $18.2 and $44.9 million.

The downturn forced the homebuilder to pare down its staff by 76 percent, then concentrate on "the most successful product line that we were delivering to the market," said President Steve Phua to the DBJ. That product line was homes in the $300,000 range — mostly in Stapleton — and catering to both downsizing and first-time homebuyers. Wonderland Homes also invested in software that tracked homebuyers' activity from the first visit through warranties, which kept the staff thin, while maintaining peak efficiency. Read more...