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Top Ten Tuesdays: Entrepreneurs to watch in 2015

Here at Bdaily we love an entrepreneurial success story. Here are my top ten entrepreneurs to watch in 2015:

1. Alex Stephany and Anthony Eskinazi

What a better a way to start the list than with the current record-holders for the most successful crowdfunding campaign ever on Crowdcube. When I first heard about JustPark I was kicking myself for not thinking of it first - Alex Stephany and Anthony Eskinazi have created an app which connects parking space owners with drivers looking for a convenient space.

After launching a £1m crowdfunding campaign, the duo hit their target in just four days and are now overfunding to the tune of £3.7m. We’ve learnt to never underestimate the power of finding a good parking spot, and I am really looking forward to seeing this concept take off for the sake of all road ragers out there (including myself!)

2. Donna Fenn

Remade in Britain, which was launched in November last year by Harrogate businesswoman Donna Fenn, has already seen success with more than 300 retailers registered to sell their upcycled creations through the site, with this expected to top 1,000 retailers by the end of the year.

Earlier this month, Kevin McCloud picked Donna’s company to join him on Grand Designs Live - a true honour for any entrepreneur. I am very excited to see what Donna gets up to in 2015, perhaps Channel Four should offer her her own show? I know I’d watch.

3. Jon Wright

Ex-pro rugby league player, Jon Wright, has 20 years’ experience in the health and fitness industry and it really shows. Budget gym chain Xercise4less has seen astonishing growth in the last year, and Jon has no intention of slowing down. When starting up in 2009, Jon was keen to keep prices as low as £9.99 per month. Six years later and budget gyms are all the rage, with the likes of The Gym Group opening new branches all over the country, Jon must be feeling pretty pleased with himself right now.

Just last month, Xercise4less announced plans to fork out £15.5m on 15 new sites across the country. By going against the grain, Jon has become a pioneer in his industry and all budding fitness entrepreneurs should be watching closely for his next move.

4. Ben Trattles, Warren Pearson and Harley Gibb

When I was at uni, you’d be lucky if I was out of bed and dressed by midday but this entrepreneurial trio have well and truly put me to shame. Northumbria University students Ben Trattles, Warren Pearson and Harley Gibb launched their own holiday startup late last year. Summer Takeover allows travellers to book everything in one place, securing a job, accommodation, the help of experienced representatives and an itinerary of activities in the first week which introduce them to the lifestyle.

And they aren’t stopping there - they are now looking to the future with a focus on increasing market share and consolidating their position in their five current resorts; Ibiza, Magaluf, Ayia Napa, Malia and Zante with plans to expand to more destinations in the future. Any excuse for another lads holiday, ey?

5. Sarah Stoker

Sarah Stoker launched Leggy Threads, an online fashion retailer specialising in luxury clothing for tall professional women, after experiencing difficulty finding good quality and fashionable workwear for her 6ft frame. What’s so impressive about Sarah is that she has built Leggy Threads from the ground up, completely by herself (with a little help from her husband Tony), while simultaneously running her own recruitment consultancy. I think 2015 will be a big year for Sarah, as she continues to source and collaborate with a range of British suppliers, manufacturers and designers.

6. Tom de Pelet

Tom de Pelet’s story is one of my favourites from the list. Tom appeared on everyones’ favourite Sunday night snorefest, Dragons’ Den, with his invention, the world’s loudest bicycle horn. The ever-miserable quintet rejected Tom’s plea for investment, and in the 10 months since filming, Tom has seen turnover of the horn and his new mini Hornit, for children’s bikes and scooters, hit £500k. This year, he expects to reach £1.2 million in sales.

Tom was inspired to design the bicycle horn after years spent cycling to law school in Bloomsbury and later to his City job. The safety of cyclists is at the heart of Tom’s venture and I personally find that to be incredibly admirable (and I’m also chuffed to see George beat the dragons).

7. Sarah Giblin

Manchester University graduate, Sarah Giblin, designed her own rucksack after spending many an hour on public transport. Ultra-aware of the security of her personal possessions, Sarah invented the Riutsack and clearly she wasn’t the only one with this problem, after raising £52.5k from a Kickstart campaign in a matter of weeks.

8. Dan Cluderay and Andy Needham

Another Dragons’ Den rejection story - Dan Cluderay and Andy Needham were looking for investment in their online-only discount retail store Approved Food, after being rejected by the Dragons’, the duo received double their initial proposed investment from elsewhere and the side is now UK’s largest online-only discount retailer. Last year, Approved Food shipped around 115,000 orders to tens of thousands of people across the country – resulting in a combined saving of more than £8.1million for its customers. Kerching!

9. Siobhan McMahon, Maria Ferguson and Beth Brierley-Jones

This trio of female entrepreneurs, who have worked for some of the North East’s biggest names in construction, have joined forces to launch their own businesses. Beth Brierley-Jones, Maria Ferguson and Siobhan McMahon have launched businesses in recruitment, planning and architecture. respectively.

The three ladies, who met as members of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) where Siobhan has the role of national Chair, have a combined 44 years of experience working within the industry. This is a great success story for women in a male dominated industry, as industry research projects the proportion of women working in construction will rise to 26% by 2020. Girl power!

10. Aran Bates, Sam Hussain and Jeff Pole

As the proud owner of a washing machine, I was a little surprised to hear about the response this trio have had after setting up digital dry cleaning solution for busy professionals in the Capital. Of course, Londoners are famously short on both space and time, and are clearly not as fortunate as me with my abundance of household appliances. Dapper Dry Cleaners offers businesses of all sizes a corporate service, giving employees the chance to schedule their dry cleaning with pre-booked pick-ups and drop-offs every week.

Although still at startup stage, Aran Bates, Sam Hussain and Jeff Pole have experienced an overwhelming response to their product and I can see the idea spreading to other busy cities very soon.

Is there anyone you think we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments!

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .