‘Why getting married was the best first step for our business’
More Founder Stories
‘The reality of being a founder…you make it up as you go along!’
Passenger Clothing sells durable outdoor clothing and accessories directly to the consumer. Based in the New Forest, it prides itself on being a responsible brand rooted in nature, connection and wellbeing. The company promises to plant a tree for every order and uses lower footprint materials like recycled cotton, hemp, recycled plastic and organics. In addition, its headquarters is powered by UK-generated renewable electricity.
How I overcame illness, tragedy and humiliation to build a multimillion-pound global brand
Rob Law has conquered more challenges than most, including family tragedy, personal illness and humiliation on national TV. Here, Rob reveals the tools he uses to dance around seemingly immovable obstacles and we uncover why having these tools in your kitbag is often the difference between success and failure…
James Cadbury: Building his own chocolate empire
Love Cocoa was created in 2016 by James Cadbury, who was inspired by his great-great-great grandfather John Cadbury who founded Cadbury Chocolate in 1824. Love Cocoa has an ethical and sustainable focus: its chocolate bars are free from gluten and palm oil and use recyclable and compostable packaging.
‘WE’RE FOUR YEARS IN AND WE’VE JUST TURNED DOWN AN £85M BID’
Until last year, Wayne Starkey still filed his own VAT returns. Many co-founders of four-year-old companies do – old habits die hard and it saves a few quid in accountancy fees. What VAT-DIYers don’t do, however, is turn down £85m buy-out bids. Ever. Yet that’s the jaw-dropping offer Wayne and co-founder James Whiting rejected just a few months ago. Those facts indicate how far and how fast The Skinny Food Co has come since its 2018 launch. They also reveal how down-to-earth yet ambitious these two entrepreneurs are.
‘YOU GOTTA HAVE FUN, GODDAMIT! THAT’S WHY WE BOUGHT A COMPANY RACEHORSE’
We live in an era of remote working, office pool tables and CEOs signing off emails with smiley emojis. But beneath the fluff, many people still believe deep down that fun and work do not go together – that fun is expensive and a distraction from the DEADLY SERIOUS business of running a company. In these people (you […]
You’re fired! But can I have a 50% stake in your business, please?
Despite being a naturally gifted entrepreneur, Susie turned her back on her business in 2011 to pursue her ‘dream job’ but didn’t quite live up to her expectations. We caught up with Susie to find out how she used her appearance on The Apprentice as a catalyst to become one of the UK’s most successful young female entrepreneurs