WELCOME TO THE LEAP HUB
Bringing together the leaders of the UK’s most exciting fast-growth businesses.
The term “squeezed middle” is often used in the context of the UK economy, and it’s true of our mid-sized growth businesses too. We speak to these companies daily, and we know intimately the numerous places they’re feeling the pressure. But there needn’t be a squeeze on their options to grow. The OECD ranks Britain
Entrepreneurs often thrive in circumstances where traditional, established companies struggle – Microsoft, General Electric and Disney were all started during recessions. Nonetheless, 2008 was a precarious time to set up a mortgage business – as LendInvest co-founders Christian Faes and Ian Thomas candidly pointed out during a recent Leap 100 Breakfast. Although the online marketplace
When it comes to fundraising, not seeking advice or receiving advice lacking in expertise invariably results in the same outcome: all will be slower, less certain and more expensive in the longer term. In the early days of a startup, it is understandable why owners are reluctant to spend the time and money to build
Most of us will have received emails over the recent weeks from businesses asking us to confirm that we want to continue to hear from them. They will use phrases like “we take your privacy very seriously” and “if you don’t tick the box below, we will no longer be able to hold your data
Be More Pirate – a book challenging entrepreneurs to draw on the strategy and success of the Golden Age of Pirates – has just been published. Whether pirates were innovators or invidious – or a bit of both – it’s telling that many entrepreneurs feel more affinity with the swashbucklers of children’s stories than the
Before Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, maritime swashbucklers were about more than eyeliner and Orlando Bloom. In fact, it’s possible Robert Louis Stevenson was closer to the mark in presenting pirates as heroic outlaws, whose thievery and sword-fighting merit glorification over farcical misrepresentation. This is the view of entrepreneurturned-writer, Sam Conniff Allende. The Livity
Government intervention is not what most founders are typically looking for. But, in The Leap 100 April poll on corporate tax, respondents suggested they were either satisfied or very satisfied with tax provisions available to UK businesses. That may come as a surprise, but the answer to the second question, “which relief is most important
For entrepreneurs looking to take a step back from their business, a management buyout (MBO) might tick a lot of boxes. As well as rewarding employees, the most suitable buyer might come from within the company. However, it’s still a commercial decision, and traditionally the interests of all sellers haven’t always been automatically aligned, which
The entrepreneurial journey is packed with unexpected twists. It’s why so many founders pivot their core focus, form unlikely allegiances, or find themselves engaging in bizarre activities in the pursuit of success. Bloom & Wild’s lead floral stylist, for instance, has just returned from a press tour of Germany centred on Prince Harry’s forthcoming nuptials. Theirs
On Thursday 15 March, we had the pleasure of hosting two events - both centred around entrepreneurs - at Mishcon de Reya's offices.
Sam Gordon and Sophie Eden are disruptors in an unlikely field: headhunting.
Few entrepreneurs start a business relishing the opportunity to deal with the nitty-gritty of bureaucracy – in fact, avoiding it is the reason many choose the startup life in the first place.
British men are nearly twice as likely as women to be entrepreneurs. This isn’t just bad for entrepreneurship, but society at large suffers when the ideas of half the population aren’t adequately represented.
Entrepreneurs are often as grateful for the opportunities that don’t come to fruition as those that do.
Exit is a word that has so much meaning for an entrepreneur.
The Author is Luke Nolan, founder and CEO of Student.com
The APPG for Entrepreneurship launches its first survey aimed at uncovering the views of Britain's business owners.
BRITAIN’S got talent. This country’s success is built upon a mix of unconventional innovators, plucky entrepreneurs and hardworking employees.
CHIEU Cao, co-founder of Perkbox, is on a mission to transform the workplace.
While Millennials may have different expectations to employees of previous generations, with the right incentives their ambitions can be harnessed so both employers and employees benefit.
Remainers and Brexiteers – from Tony Blair to Nigel Farage –acknowledge that leaving the European Union means we’ll have to upgrade our relationships with other parts of the world.
Last year, Brexit meant Brexit, we were told.
There is more than one way for a company to internationalise.
The history of the modern world is bound up with that of Britain.
Napoleon once said “an army marches on its stomach”.
Cyber attacks are above the radar.
We asked Jason about how he started his business venture and how important are as well as which books and advice would he give to entrepreneurs.
Smarkets has been named 'The Leap 100 Company of the Year' at the City A.M. Awards 2017.
Rishi Khosla and Joel Perlman, founders of OakNorth, talk about their mission to enable millions of SMEs around the world to achieve their growth ambitions.
Doug Monro, Co-Founder of Adzuna, talks about the challenges in growing its recruitment search engine.
Earlier this month, Mishcon de Reya's Academy welcomed SY Lau, Senior Executive Vice President and Chairman of Group Marketing and Global Branding at Tencent, who gave a talk on China and the digital world.
Not so long ago, Web 2.0 revolutionised the internet.
In this month’s Leap 100 poll, we asked our Leap 100 com-panies about the Treasury’s consultation, “Financing growth in innovative firms”. Ahead of the November Budget, the Treasury is asking why, when the UK has such a great track record in starting innovative businesses, we arguably grow so few to scale. It identi-fies the principal
With the current Conservative leadership narrative resembling a combination of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors and Julius Caesar, there’s plenty speculation about which path history will take – “Will Boris get the boot?”, “Will May resign?” etc. Cue Smarkets – a stock market for betting: you bet against other betters, not the house. Founder Jason Trost’s
Michael Kent, CEO and Founder of Azimo, talks about harnessing the power of technology in offering cost-effective and on-the-go financial services for the digital generation.
In last month's Leap 100 poll, 65% of respondents said that they were "a little concerned" about the approaching EU General Data Protection Regulation.
Selling up and moving on is never easy, especially for entrepreneurs who have devoted so much time, energy and passion in building their business.
GYMBOX founder Richard Hilton stumbled upon the idea for his company as a skinny 19-year-old living in New York and working in advertising.
The corporate offence of “failing to prevent the facilitation of tax evasion” comes into force on 30 September 2017. Ahead of this date, corporations must ensure that they have developed a plan for implementing “reasonable prevention procedures”. For further information on this offence please click here. Failure to Prevent Model The new corporate tax evasion
Understanding generation-Y The ability to attract and retain the best talent has always been high on the list of priorities for an organisation. However, with the changing nature and profile of today’s workforce, it is arguably a critical time to retest, refocus and maybe even rethink how this can be achieved most effectively. Generation-Y comprises
Bernhard Niesner, Co-Founder and CEO of busuu shares with us his experience in finding and building culture to retain talent and the importance of ’embracing the struggle’ in the life of a start-up. 1. What is the mission of your business and how do you hope it will change the world? busuu’s mission is to enable everyone
Figures reported by City A.M. this week show that London is creating jobs at the fastest rate in over a year.
Following your passion requires discipline – and that mantra has worked pretty well for Gousto founder, Timo Boldt.
No entrepreneur relishes restructuring their business. It can be complex and time consuming, but that doesn’t stop it from being worthwhile.
Today Nik Whitfield, CEO and Founder of Leap 100 company Panaseer, talks to us about encouraging honesty and communication within his team and the importance of adopting a 'glass half full' approach to the scaling-up journey.
It has today been reported that Britons could gain more control over what happens to their personal information under proposals outlined by the government. Responding to this development, Mishcon de Reya Cyber Security Lead Joe Hancock said: “These proposals are intended to transfer the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) into UK law, which means
We’re a nation of monoglots. Despite spending countless hours learning languages at school, many of our efforts are wasted.
There are mounting concerns about the skills shortage of school leavers.
Take a trip down any British High Street, and the chances are you’ll end up spending money in a franchised business.
Today, Will Swannell, Co-Founder and CEO of venue website, Hire Space, shares with us his experience of co-founding a fast growth business, including the challenges of building a high calibre team and the importance of taking the time to step back and see the bigger picture. 1. What is the mission of your business and
Adam Blaskey, Founder and CEO of The Clubhouse, discusses the biggest challenge he's faced as a business founder and why he values sharing a building with The Clubhouse members.
A fair few years ago, I lost a bet for which the punishment required me to eat a jar of baby food. I not only lost the bet, but also my battle with that tiny jar – I couldn’t get past the first mouthful. It was inedible. I have a feeling these days losing that
Last month, large scale cyber attacks took down NHS servers across the UK, as well as disrupting an estimated 200,000 individuals and businesses across 150 countries. Cyber security, from encryption to passwords to defences against ransomware, has once again become a headline issue for businesses. Almost all of The Leap 100 firms are taking steps
NOBODY starts a business with all the answers, but for startups and scaleups, your people are your business. They, and the things they create, are your primary asset, and when it comes to protecting it, the onus is on entrepreneurs to get it right. You can’t always rely on the law being on your side;
Today we're catching up with Timo Boldt, CEO and founder of recipe box company, Gousto.
Ahead of London Tech Week and our Leap Tech Forum: 'Going for Growth', learn how the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is likely to impact upon fast-growth tech companies and the steps you should take to protect your business.
Jacyn Heavens, CEO of award-winning electronic point of sale (EPOS) provider Epos Now, tells us about surviving fast-growth and what he loves most about his job. 1. What is the mission of your business and how do you hope it will change the world? I founded Epos Now in the belief that all businesses, regardless
A dog is for life, not just for Christmas.” Not any more, thanks to Rikke Rosenlund, founder of BorrowMyDoggy. As we discovered at a recent Leap 100 breakfast, now a dog can just be for Christmas. Or even a weekend.
For your business to succeed Passion is the driving force for starting and planning a business. But it’s not the only thing that keeps it going: it needs to be aligned with the rules of engagement. Rules of engagement will ensure that, when the going gets tough, the business has a clear protocol of actions
Some people love politics – the cut and thrust, cheering and jeering, pavement pounding and leafleting in support of their tribe. Others, not so much.
"If you don’t like what’s being said, change the conversation.” The sage words of Don Draper, protagonist of hit adland drama Mad Men.
Now entering its third year, The Leap 100 is a group of some of Britain’s most exciting, fastest growing companies. Over the next 12 months, we will follow this latest cohort in pages of City A.M., through regular polls, entrepreneur profiles and expert comment.
FinnCap is a unique business grown from unusual circumstances. Most significantly, FinnCap is now almost entirely owned by its employees.
You don’t need to IPO to achieve rapid growth. Just ask Richard Branson.
Highlights from our January 2017 event.
In an unprecedented time of change, the Leap 100 companies are making the most out of new opportunities.
As we approach March 31st, entrepreneurs should be vocal about the sort of visa system they need post-Brexit.
With Trump in the White House and a hard Brexit on the horizon, protectionism is back on the menu.
Until robots replace workers, entrepreneurs will need to think about how to keep their employees happy. But there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
Rated People isn’t your normal tech company. Its chief executive Celia Francis is pushing boundaries in the world of work.
A MBO can be a fantastic opportunity, but it’s not for the fainthearted.
Stephen Phillips may have worked in market research for most of his career, but now he’s swimming against the tide.
On any given day, typing the words “cyber attack” into Google News will give you a fresh medley of hacking stories.
If you're looking for examples of tomorrow’s titans, the high-growth superstars that will change our world, you can find an abundance in Britain today.
For UK-based entrepreneurs, their fight against cybercrime will be fought from their workplace.
Success - while preferable to the alternative - brings its own challenges.
Entrepreneurs are control freaks; that’s what makes them successful. To continue to thrive, the founders sometimes need to let go.
Highlights from our January 2017 event, including an interview with Kate Richardson-Walsh, former Captain of the Team GB women’s hockey team.
Decoded is in the business of technology education. It has built a strong brand by offering classes like Data in a Day, while growing at a steady clip. But its founders want more.
As politicians enjoy saying, “the time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining”. This is also true of businesses.
Catch-up on the latest Jazz Shapers episode, featuring Daniel Gandesha of Property Partner.
You can’t walk down a London street these days without tripping over a flourishing market, street feast or pop-up bar. The stoics have lost; epicures, connoisseurs and bons vivants have won. We’re all hedonists now.
The Leap 100 are bullish about the future. “Nothing can stop us,” says one founder, echoing the optimism of fellow members.
Protecting intellectual property is probably not the first thing that springs to an entrepreneur’s mind during the heady days of founding their business. But it can’t be ignored.
Rytis Vitkauskas doesn’t strike you as the sort of person to court celebrities…
There's no getting away from it: Brexit has been a shock to the system and most entrepreneurs – particularly founders of fast-growing firms – wanted the result to go the other way…
Highlights from our June 2016 event, featuring Lord Daniel Finkelstein OBE, journalist and politician, former Executive Editor and now political columnist and Associate Editor of The Times.
It's a sign of the times that Glen Calvert, now 33 and with over seven years’ experience managing startups, doesn’t see himself as a young entrepreneur.
There are times when any employer must make tough management decisions.
Coffee culture is having a renaissance. We are aping London of the eighteenth century, when our ancestors couldn’t get enough of the brown stuff.
Building a business is a labour of love. Not just for the founders, but also for the employees and investors.
Twenty-two entrepreneurs from last year’s Leap 100 have become advisers to this year’s programme.
THE Leap 100 is a list of 100 of the most exciting, fast-growing companies in the UK. But it’s more than a list…
Leap 100 companies have been the driving force of British growth…
Each company in the Leap 100 is different. But they all excel in four crucial areas which distinguish them from Britain’s many other innovative and growing companies. In the entrepreneurs, we have looked for leadership and ambition, and in their companies we have looked into their team and money. This is why these qualities are
The Leap 100 isn’t a passive programme. Every month the pages of City A.M. will be ablaze with stories about the trials and tribulations of the founders we’re following.
No foundation is unshakeable. Adapting to challenges is critical.
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