From start-up to Europe’s largest online florist
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 TO HANDLE FAST GROWTH? ASK FOR HELP”
Connie Nam felt her confidence draining away. The founder of London-based lifestyle jewellery brand Astrid & Miyu had built a fast-growing, multi-million-pound company, but that didn’t matter. As unbelievable as it sounds, imposter syndrome was creeping in. The Seoul-born, US-raised Londoner explains why: “I’d hired someone who’d started to challenge how I ran the business. They were an expert in that field; I wasn’t. I saw myself as a founder, not a CEO, so the criticism hit home.”
We turned £3,000 savings into a multi-million pound clothing brand
Founded by Samantha and Stephanie Frost in 2013, Pretty Lavish started their company in their Hertfordshire living room, aiming to fill a market gap for affordable, high-quality clothing. Gaining popularity, the company opened its first store in 2017 and thrived during the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on knitwear and lounge attire. Leveraging Instagram and TikTok, […]
The quiet tech entrepreneur who’s modestly building a half-billion-pound empire
It’s not about having gleaming offices, hiring tons of staff and shouting about how successful you are. These can be the trappings of ego-trippers. Effective entrepreneurship is more often about coming up with an idea, proving the concept as cheaply as possible, and scaling it as quickly as possible.
The man on a mission to make parking forgettable
After experiencing the frustration of poor parking experiences, Dan Hubert launched AppyWay in 2013. His vision was to build a platform that would standardise, and centralise a digital version of the kerb. AppyWay’s platform aims to enable cities and fleets to optimise their operations and transition to net zero.
Dragons’ Den’s Jenny Campbell: “If people lack self-belief, energy and attitude, you won’t believe in them.”
Jenny Campbell does not do negative. If you fancy a moan about the weather, go elsewhere. If your toast landed butter-side down this morning, keep schtum. With Jenny, you’ll do well to keep it positive and energetic. Future Dragons’ Den contestants beware…