Interview with Charlotte Harrington

Charlotte Harrington

Sustainable beverage business Belu was doing well by doing good long before it was fashionable. A social enterprise launched in 2007, its purpose is to change the way the world sees water. It’s donated all of its profits since 2011 to Water Aid, in a partnership fixed until 2030.

Interview with Shaun Doak

Shaun Doak

React Group Plc isn’t your typical cleaning company. Alongside conventional services like the regular commercial cleaning of windows, facilities and facades, it looks after what you might call ‘extreme’ cases: ad-hoc specialist cleaning of crime scenes, railway fatalities and biohazards.

Rachel Heather & Tracy Egan

Rachel Heather & Tracy Egan

Over half of British women wear size 16 or above, and the figure is rising. Yet for years plus-sized fashion was largely an afterthought. “Curvier women want the same look and contemporary style as everyone else, but they’ve just felt forgotten,” says Tracy Egan, who for 20 years manufactured quality clothing for high-street retailers with business partner Rachel Heather.

How DG International plans to become a billion pound business

Consumers are demanding fast deliveries and businesses are looking for cost-effective, efficient transport options to customers worldwide. One company that provides these solutions is UK based DG International, a logistics firm that specialises in logistics and supply chain management.

How Fashion UK aims to treble its business

Fashion UK isn’t your average fashion business. Licensing is at the heart of the Leicester-based company, which makes and designs clothing featuring popular characters from the likes of brands such as Disney, Warner Bros, Netflix and Lego.

How next-day delivery ensured success for customer-focused Mattress Online

Mattress Online started in December 2003, appropriately from co-founder Steve Adams’ bedroom. Starting with just five products, it took two weeks for the company to sell its first mattress, and another two weeks to make another. Sales fortunately picked up in January – the peak month for furniture and homeware shopping – and the company has never looked back.

Winner Interview – Au Vodka

The chemistry swots among you may find it fitting that this year’s fastest-growing company is named after the chemical symbol for every winner’s favourite element, gold.

GX winner AU Vodka has dazzled the drinks industry with its signature gold bottles – concealing often startlingly-coloured spirits – and its highly effective social media and influencer marketing.

Lior Shiff, CEO, Tripledot Studios

Companies that monetised games through in-app purchases, like the business I co-founded in 2007, Product Madness, used to look down on companies that monetised through advertising, because the revenue per player was much lower.