Growing Business is proud to present its latest batch of Young Guns – our annual pick of the hottest young entrepreneurs the UK has to offer.
For the sixth year running, we set out on a mission to uncover the 30 most impressive and promising young entrepreneurs in the UK, and it’s now time to reveal the fruits of our search.
Neil Hutchinson was named haysmacintyre Top Gun at our annual lunch event, held in London’s lavish Kensington Roof Gardens. In just four years, the 30-year-old has transformed TrafficBroker from a bedroom start-up to one of the largest affiliate marketing firms in the UK, which is on course to turn over £25m next year.
The rest of this year’s list springs from a diverse range of sectors, with those featured running everything from a luxury lingerie boutique to a social enterprise investing in start-ups.
However, all demonstrated the main characteristics we were searching for: super fast growth and an outstanding proposition. We were also looking for entrepreneurs turning over £1m or more or who had raised at least £250,000, and all had to be aged 35 or under.
Many of this year’s Young Guns are also working to cultivate enterprise culture in the UK by helping more people to start up businesses.
Young Enterprise ambassador Dan McGuire has just launched the Two Hour Initiative to help promote business in schools, while Oli Barrett co-founded Make Your Mark With a Tenner, a competition where young people are tasked with starting up a business with £10.
So, without further ado, allow us to introduce you to the Class of 2008: http://www.young-guns.co.uk/2008.htm
If you think you’ve got what it takes to be a Young Gun in 2009, visit http://www.young-guns.co.uk/ and tell us why.
