“It’s the quiet ones you have to watch.” This phrase, one many of us have heard since childhood, remains true in business. Often, the companies that grow and expand without much fanfare are the ones that are suddenly celebrating double-digit growth and winning awards, leaving you to wonder where they came from.

That’s the story of Cereus Graphics in Phoenix, Ariz. Founded in 1973 as G&G Printers, the company became Cereus Graphics in 2001 after a series of mergers. Starting as a simple commercial print shop, it is now a regional powerhouse whose offerings include large format, packaging and design, labels, custom book publishing, booklets and postcards, promotional products, and embellished print. Services include marketing support and mailing.

Growth like this doesn’t just happen. It takes intentionality, and that intentionality can be summed up in the company’s philosophy: “to make customers happy.” It does this by adhering to a consistent set of guiding principles: