Business Buddies
The children who pitch their ideas have to first secure the support of a business buddy from a panel of young entrepreneurs who are already successful in their own fields.
Published: 11 January 2016
The business buddies are:
Amber Atherton
Amber featured on the hit E4 reality series Made In Chelsea and founded her jewellery company My Flash Trash when she was 16 in 2006. She recently featured in Forbes' ‘30 Under 30’ for 2016, a list of influential young leaders. She is passionate about encouraging young people to start their own businesses, and judged at the National Enterprise Challenge Finals.
Ben Towers
Ben started Towers Design aged 11 by making websites for companies for £50. Now, at the age of 17, he is running three businesses. He heads up his own digital media agency, with a team of over 15 professionals working for him. He recently featured in The Times Superteen Power List and was hailed by Richard Branson as one of the UK’s most exciting entrepreneurs.
Bianca Miller
In 2014, Bianca was a finalist on The Apprentice. Prior to this in 2012, at the age of 23, Bianca launched her own personal branding company, The Be Group. This was named as one of the Startups 100 businesses of 2013. She also is the founder and CEO of Bianca Miller London, which offers a range of skin-toned hosiery.
Emily Brooke
Emily turned a passion for cycling into a new concept that hopes to make urban cycling safer. Her bike light features a laser that projects the symbol of a bike down onto the ground in front of a cyclist so they can be seen in a driver’s blind spot. Emily has raised investment from some influential people, including the Branson family. The Blaze Laserlight now features on the London ‘Boris bikes’. In 2015, Emily won the Veuve Clicquot New Generation Business Woman of the Year Award.
Emma-Jayne Parkes
After graduating from London College of Fashion in 2008, Emma-Jayne co-founded SquidLondon, a water-wear design company. Their key product is umbrellas that change colour as soon as the rain hits the panels and they are now stocked in over 18 countries worldwide. They have won many awards including the ERDF ‘Most innovative business in London’ Award and the Lloyds Bank Creative Enterprise Winner.
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas was just 18 years old when he became Chef Patron of Luke’s Dining Room in Berkshire, making him the UK’s Youngest Head Chef. Luke has been cooking since the age of 12, balancing his school studies with training in some of the country’s top kitchens. He has gone on to open four restaurants in the UK and Dubai.
Suleman Sacranie
Suleman is an online entrepreneur who started and sold his first company at the age of 19. At 21, he started the ‘99p Shopper’ franchise. He is the owner of seven successful businesses, including the Mad About Deals online wholesaler, and his latest business venture that involves putting virtual doctors into pharmacies. Suleman won Midlands Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014 and featured on the BBC’s Million Dollar Intern.
