2005 could be the year that finally saw entrepreneurship become ‘trendy’. A raft of programmes, ranging from ‘Mind Your Own Business’ to ‘Dragons’ Den’, put businesses, and the people that run them, firmly in the nation’s consciousness.
This trend is supported by business start-up figures, which are sky-high. The UK has become a place where entrepreneurs are revered and emulated - the most successful becoming role models for the next generation of business leaders.
Our annual run-down of the top 50 entrepreneurs of the year features some well-known names, along with some newcomers who have burst onto the scene and taken the business world by storm.
You can comment on the list by emailing Oliver Milman, Startups.co.uk Editor, on oliverm@crimsonbusiness.co.uk
Sent to some of the world’s best spa hotels by her former publishing employers, it was unsurprising that Barnett, alongside her sister Deborah and private equity entrepreneur Jonathan Brod, decided to make a living out of living the high life. Since starting Essential Escapes, the UK’s first dedicated luxury spa operator, in 2002, Barnett has gathered a database of 3,500 customers. Profits have broken the £1 million mark this year.
If success were based solely upon thrusting self-promotion, the ubiquitous Jay would be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Branson and Sugar. That said, the approach of the Coaching Academy has paid dividends in 2005, with his new ‘Sack Your Boss!’ book selling successfully to budding entrepreneurs. Presenter of BBC’s ‘Get a New Life’ show, Jay is often found spreading the word about entrepreneurship, and himself, through conferences and seminars.
Following a high-profile 2004 in which she attempted to sell her shoe company LK Bennett, the female entrepreneur has slipped back away from the limelight. It’s a scenario she admits to being happiest with, declaring that she’d rather focus on running the business than talking about it. It’s little wonder she has generated interest – after starting up LK Bennett with her savings and a £15,000 bank loan 14 years ago, sales topped £46 million this year.
Little over a year ago, Keisner was sitting in a café enjoying a cup of coffee. This innocuous activity lead to the brainwave of advertising being integrated onto the tabletops of bars and restaurants using a unique tablewrap system. Within a year, Keisner’s new company, tabletalkmedia, has muscled in on the fierce advertising market by securing contracts with Mars, Sony Ericsson, Dove, Visa and Coffee Republic.
Seemingly not content producing products for the UK market, Caldeira’s eponymous manufacturing company has exported to the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand as well as a host of countries in the Far East. Caldeira recently secured orders in several other countries after exhibiting in trade fairs, and has received accolades for his trading success with China
Although Budge is not revered as one of the UK’s most iconic or glamorous female entrepreneurs, her story is nonetheless an interesting one. A single mother and daughter of a Leith dockworker, Budge set up her self-titled IT business 20 year ago, before selling it on to French company Sopra in June for £50 million.
Hindley has seemingly achieved the impossible – making caravans an option for luxury holidays. Set in Ribblesdale Park, Hindley’s 16 caravan ‘lodges’ come with hot tubs, plush interiors and maid service. With prices starting at £139,000 the caravans are not meant for everyone, but that’s the point. With plenty of interest so far, 2006 looks promising for the Lancashire-based entrepreneur.
Startups.co.uk’s top entrepreneur last year enjoyed an extremely lucrative 2005 on a personal level. He awarded a £1.3 billion dividend payout to Arcadia shareholders, of which he pocketed 92%. Green insists the pay-out is justified since operational improvements saw Arcadia generate over £400 million in 2005. His windfall represents a tidy profit on the £850 million he paid for the retail group just three years ago.
Founded in 2002 by Burt and McVeigh, 2e2 Group is a managed provider of skilled resources for firms’ IT infrastructures. The past 12 months has seen the business grow by 71%, with revenues of £46.2 million. In the past month, 2e2 swallowed up TriSys Ltd and Yul Data, giving them a foothold in the data protection, storage and security markets.
A year of steady progression for VC Net has seen Somers establish business in the US and Germany and build a 25% increase in turnover to £2 million. With over 200 blue chip clients, Somers expects a big year in 2006 and predicts a leap in turnover to £3.6 million.
On top of filling a massive niche in the market by employing the largest female construction workforce in the UK, Shelley has become an eloquent spokesperson on the role of women in work, especially in industries normally associated with men. Women Builders continued to grow in 2005, with Shelley becoming an increasingly public face.
While working at a catering company that supplied British Rail, Lucy felt that he could do the job much better and decided to go it alone. His catering empire has spread into restaurants that dominate the Royal Parks and English Heritage sites. With his business now worth £9 million, the ever astute Lucy is looking out for the next big thing in the restaurant industry.
Since starting up Cobra Beer in his Fulham flat in 1990, Bilimoria has seen the beverage become a curry house favourite. Cobra is one of the fastest growing beer brands in the UK, with turnover currently standing at £80 million. With over 30 countries enjoying the taste Cobra, Bilimoria has been concentrating on developing overseas links in 2005, especially Indo-British relations. Speaking engagements have also kept him busy.
Despite operating for just four months, Botterill’s web guide has taken on over 100 franchisees. The media company, set up by Botterill and his wife Sue, gives entrepreneurs a place in the internet business from £5,000, offers directories of local businesses and provides in-depth information to communities. Botterill plans nationwide coverage in 2006.
Bucknall reports that the last year has been “very, very stressful” but ultimately successful. Having raised a £2.5m mixture of debt and equity finance, Advanti acquired established IT services firm Scotsys, trebling its workforce and bolstering its market hold overnight.
Since its creation in 2001, Anthony Alan Foods, of which Maloney is managing director, has seen its turnover grow by 4,700%, with profit soaring by 1,000%. Despite presiding over such impressive figures, Maloney is keen to underline the business’ community-based work, pledging prize money from a recent awards win to business education in local schools.
Aside from running the rule over wannabe entrepreneurs on Dragons Den, in which he refused to invest during the entire second series, Richard has been busy with his research group, Library House. Hotxt, his new innovation, is described as ‘SMS over IP’. In layman’s terms he plans to provide a flat-fee texting service which would save customers 80% to 90% on their bills – something Richard feels could revolutionise the mobile industry. With a business brain like his, few would doubt him.
Despite vowing that she would never start nothing business when she left her creation, Coffee Republic, in 2001, the entrepreneurial bug has bitten Hashemi again. Clearly her best-selling book, Anyone Can Do It, and countless speaking engagements weren’t enough for the 37-year-old, who has launched Skinny Candy, a range of sugar-free sweets. With interest from Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and, unsurprisingly, Coffee Republic, Hashemi looks set to get back into the entrepreneurial groove again in 2006.
Stokes has overseen the rapid growth of Morgan Hunt, the fastest-growing recruitment company in the UK. With a turnover in excess of £30 million, 120 staff and contracts with over 500 public companies, it’s unsurprising that Stokes was named Businesswomen of the Year by the London Chamber of Commerce.
Tobin’s company, Redbus Interhouse, emerged from a turbulent period, in which its founder Clifford Stanford was given a suspended jail sentence, during 2005. Tobin’s tenure has seen an impressive turnaround in profits and growth, with a merger between Redbus and TeleCity creating the UK’s leading cocolation company.
With many women crying out for shoes that are comfortable, posture and back-friendly, as well as fashionable, it’s perhaps surprising that a company like Berd’s LoveThoseShoes.com hasn’t been set up before. Berd’s retailing of Earth footwear has seen turnover hit £2.5 million this year, with celebrity fans such as Gwyneth Paltrow helping sales to a stomping 5,000 pairs a month. Sales revenue is expected is reach £30 million over the next five years – not bad for a niche Berd only spotted while casually browsing the net.
