London-based Wild manufactures and sells natural, refillable deodorant and soap on a subscription basis. Launched in 2019 by co-founders, chief executive Freddy Ward and chief marketing officer Charlie Bowes- Lyon, it aims to reduce plastic waste while creating products using natural ingredients. The company has secured a total of £7.6m in equity funding, including a £5m deal in February 2022 to support its growth into international markets. Social media marketing campaigns and influencer relationships, have helped to generate a turnover of £26m in 2022.
Having a family has shown me there’s more to life than business
More Founder Stories
HOW A SHOP IN BOLTON GREW INTO A £30M GLOBAL FINTECH
Many people begin their lives with uncertainty, unsure of the paths they will take or the heights they will reach. This is the story of Aftab, whose story is one of extraordinary achievement and perseverance in the face of uncertainty and daunting challenges. Ace Money Transfer started out as the most unprepossessing of fledglings but […]
How we pulled off the best Dragons’ Den deal in history and exited for £12.5m
Entrepreneurs Henry de Zoete and Will Hodson made Dragons’ Den history by netting the best cash-to-equity deal in the show’s history and a year later, they sold their business, for £12.5m. Business-wise, years don’t come much better. Read their full story and more about what they have planned next here…
Insights from one of the UK’s best known tech entrepreneurs
First, he futureproofed the BBC by rolling out its iPlayer. Next, he founded and exited two pioneering media tech companies. Now, his new business – SeedLegals, backed to the tune of £4m so far by Index Ventures and other top VC firms – is fundamentally transforming the way start-ups launch and grow. Meanwhile, another Anthony […]
How my side hustle became a multi-million pound business
Lucy Locket Loves makes colourful fitness clothing and accessories for women. The Derbyshire business caters for a wide range of body shapes, with sizes spanning six to 26. Former personal trainer Lucy Arnold founded the company in 2018 after suffering a back injury. While recovering, she created leggings to sell to former clients. Customers include Made In Chelsea star Rosie Fortescue and the company launched a collection with Strictly’s Dianne Buswell last year.
THE MOMENTS THAT MADE ME AN ENTREPRENEUR: FROM PLAYGROUD RACISM TO BAD BOSSES
23 Years Ago The future co-founder of Universal Partners FX gallops to school with a rucksack crammed with Haribo. He’s ten years old, and Dhaval Patel’s classmates mob him in the playground and give him their pocket money for the sweets. Each Monday, Dhaval buys a bag of sweets with his allowance, sells it, then buys two bags on […]
Lessons from a ‘Best 100’ company: Hire on attitude, not skill
Moneypenny is the biggest and fastest-growing company of its type in the world. Founded by sister and brother Rachel and Ed Reeves in 2000 from a £10,000 investment, it provides call-answering, digital switchboard, live chat and tech based communication channels to 225,000 clients around the world – from small start-ups to Google-sized corporates. These impressive […]