Matthew Riley, 33
Company: Daisy Communications
Web: www.daisycommunications.co.uk
Walking into Daisy’s purpose-built 20,000 sq ft offices for the first time three years ago was Riley’s proudest moment. Now firmly established as a one-stop provider of communications to more than 22,000 small and growing businesses by undercutting BT, this six-year-old Lancs-based business recorded a £23.6m turnover to 2007. Expect that figure to be £39.2m to 2008, £48.7m in 2009 and £100m the year after if all goes to plan. And what’s more he wholly owns the 136-person business, having used bank debt to fund 14 acquisitions. Turning green yet? The serial entrepreneur is not taking his foot off the gas though, and talking of green, the company’s just started e-billing to reduce its carbon footprint. Unsurprisingly, Riley was crowned Ernst & Young’s northern Entrepreneur of the Year.