🚀 🇬🇧 Fastest growing companies in UK
🚀 🇬🇧 Fastest growing companies in UK
🏆 Is the West Midlands a new Silicon Valley?
✝️ Podcast: What role does faith play a role in a founder?
👔 CBI new Chairman
📚 London’s newest bookstore
Welcome to the 18 new subscribers. If you are new here, my name is Jimmy McLoughlin, a former Downing Street adviser turned podcaster. I write this notebook on the most interesting things I have seen on the future of work, jobs, technology and politics.
🚀 🇬🇧 Who are the fastest growing companies in the UK?
The Sunday Times has pulled together ‘the hundred’, it replaces ‘the fast track’ report profiling the quickest growing companies in the UK. The report was such a bible it sat on my desk in No.10 Downing Street and whenever I needed some inspiration (or a potential visit for the Prime Minister in one of the regions, I would always pick up the report - to see if we could put an interesting company in the mix)
It is being supported by The Times Enterprise Network and indomitable duo, Richard Tyler and Hannah Prevett.
And so to the British Museum for the awards evening.
Now sometimes I think awards ceremonies should have their own measurement on the GDP growth indicators seeing as how many there seem to be. Awards ceremonies now occur for the best funeral awards and an awards ceremony for wait for it ……… the best awards ceremony (no genuinely, it is a thing, see here)
However, it is a useful example of showing how live events have actually become far easier to organise with modern technology. Although the importance of a good host cannot be underestimated to keep things light, entertaining and running to schedule, Hannah Prevett did a superb job of that and Jim Armitage was able to make the fireside chat interesting. which can be a challenge post 930 at these awards.
This was obviously a crème de la crème event of British entrepreneurs, and a couple of things stuck out for me: how many of the companies were based from outside London, 7 out of the 10 fastest growing were from outside the capital.
There was a sense of nervousness about the economy, Reiss Edgerton who was the overall winner with AYBL Group gave a speech reminding entrepreneurs that it could not be stellar growth continually and entrepreneurs should not put themselves under too much pressure to grow over the next few months as the economy becomes choppier.
Reiss at 29 was one of the youngest attendees, but it rather typified how many of the businesses have built customer acquisition channels through social media, Ooni, Lounge underwear and Huel were all in the top 100 and so therefore ….
🏆 Is the West Midlands a new Silicon Valley?
Well, no, but there are some interesting patterns, one of the reasons Silicon Valley is such a success is because of the ‘spin out’ effect, someone works at Google / Facebook / Apple takes that experience and then goes and starts their own business.
The West Midlands has been known as a manufacturing hub, particularly cars with JLR and Aston Martin.
It is now though, clearly becoming an e-comm / social media world leader …
Let me explain, most know the story of Ben Francis and Gymshark (and listen to one of our most popular ever Jimmy’s Jobs episodes with Ben and Gymshark Chief Brand Officer, Noel Mack here)
Across the road from Gymshark is a company called Lounge underwear founded by husband and wife duo, Daniel and Melanie Marsden in 2015, they are now ranked number six on the Hundred list with over £60 million in sales.
In addition, the fastest growing on the list was AYBL Group now based in Redditch. Their Chairman is one Lewis Morgan, who co-founded Gymshark alongside Ben Francis, although has now exited. They have over £23million in sales.
It demonstrates how the West Midlands is generating its own network effects of twenty something founders.
I would have asked Andy Street, the West Midlands mayor about this for our conference episode, unfortunately he got called on a visit with the PM (Ah, how that brought back some memories!) so we have had to reschedule later in the year.
However, instead we interviewed Ben Houchen who became Tees Valley Mayor at age 30, listening to how he used Facebook was very interesting and that episode will be out in ten days times.
✝️ Podcast: What role does faith play a role in a founder?
I first met Dan Bladen through Brent Hoberman whilst at working in No.10. Visitors to Downing Street are made to leave their phone in the hallway for security reasons and we were exploring if Dan’s company could provide some charging for the visitors whilst in meetings.
When Covid struck, Dan had to pivot his business from a hardware company to a SaaS model and rebranded the business Kadence and we interviewed him for Jimmy’s Jobs.
I remember in our first meeting, Dan referencing he was a Christian and it stuck with me and perhaps the most interesting part of this interview was towards the end where I asked him about his faith.
In a world where we often ask about founders mission and purpose, it was a really interesting to hear a completely different answer.
👔 CBI new Chairman
Brian McBride was one of the most impressive individuals I encountered when I was at No.10, he has been a major player in the UKs e-com rise having been handpicked by Jeff Bezos to run Amazon UK, then became Chair of ASOS, and now is Chair of Trainline.
Born in Glasgow, he has just become Chairman of the CBI.
He reveals in this interview, that the CBI ‘are no longer at war with the Conservatives’, but perhaps more revealingly he didn’t attend the party’s conference in Birmingham this season.
As focus shifts onto Labour, this will undoubtedly be one story to keep an eye on.
Full interview with Sam Chambers in the Sunday Times here.
📚 London’s newest bookstore
I haven’t got a be more Frank section this week (it is amazing how little time one spends consuming social media when spending three days at conference!)
However, I do present you with these stunning pictures of fellow Substacker, Tom Rowley’s new bookstore in Balham. I went and visited him on Friday and recorded on a podcast on his journey from quitting his dream job at the Economist to opening the store.
There’s also a bar …. Cheers! 🍷 🍷
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