The Entrepreneurs

Greg Jackson has worn many hats over the course of his career. He co-founded marketing-technology business C360 in the early 2000s and then sold it to the Tangent Group in 2006; after that he went on to work for several companies across various sectors, from healthcare to finance. Then, three years ago, he launched Octopus Energy, a green-energy provider set up to rival the so-called “Big Six” energy companies that dominate the UK market.

Tim Brown was a professional footballer in his native New Zealand before deciding to create environmentally friendly footwear. He is the co-founder of Allbirds, a booming shoe brand with sustainability at its heart; earlier this year the company sold its one millionth pair.

Adorno is a digital platform for design-lovers that enables people to discover and buy one-of-a-kind and limited-edition pieces direct from designers around the world. Part marketplace, part online gallery, the site was launched last year by Copenhagen-based entrepreneurs Kristian Snorre Andersen and Martin Clausen, and has already garnered fans worldwide.

Ben Branson spent a decade working for creative agencies, helping other people to build their brands. But in 2014 he decided to put his skills to the test on his own project. That project was Seedlip, a non-alcoholic spirit born out of Branson’s passion for natural botanicals and hobby distilling. Seedlip has since become a huge success and is stocked in high-end London retailers and served in bars and restaurants across the globe. Branson explains how his experience designing toothpaste tubes helped him build the brand and reveals why he’s confident the market for non-alcoholic drinks is only just getting started.

When Umberto De Marco went looking for a pair of sustainable trainers and returned empty-handed, he made a decision: he would create the world’s first luxury sustainable sneaker brand. Little more than 50 years ago his father Enrico invented an eco-friendly synthetic-leather material. Coronet Group, the company that spun out of that invention, is today a global manufacturer that supplies fashion labels such as Louis Vuitton and Armani. Having put Coronet’s expertise to use, De Marco has launched a line of trainers made entirely in Italy from high-quality vegan leather.

We assess the importance of business mentors. As anyone who has founded a company will know, having an experienced adviser who can lend advice and an ear during the tough times can be key. But it’s a two-way street: as an older entrepreneur you can learn a lot from having a younger mentee.

Jessica Herrin is the founder and CEO of Stella & Dot, a San Francisco-based jewellery-and-accessories retailer built on what it calls a “social-selling” model. The company has reimagined direct sales for the digital age, engaging with tens of thousands of entrepreneurial women around the world who want to work flexibly from home. Herrin launched the company in 2003 and by 2010 it was valued at €318m.

We’re in Paris talking to a group of experts and entrepreneurs about funding – how start-ups should go about securing it and what investors are really looking for.

Bremont watches

Giles and Nick English are the brothers behind UK watch brand Bremont. Both aviation enthusiasts, the co-founders launched the firm in 2002 and named it after a French farmer whose fields they once accidentally landed in during a foggy cross-Channel flight. Giles and Nick are passionate proponents of British engineering and craftsmanship, and have set out to make as many of their watch components as possible in their factory in Henley-on-Thames. Over the past 16 years, they’ve built Bremont into a respected and successful name in an industry still dominated by strong Swiss brands. Giles gives us the brothers’ story.

Marco Abele is the founder and CEO of Tend, a Zürich-based digital platform focused on “life-enriching investment”. Driven by blockchain, Tend allows investment in luxury assets through co-ownership, such as shares in high-end sports cars, homes, vineyards and whiskey collections. Abele’s track record in finance means he knows how to create wealth for his clients – and now he’s launched a platform to encourage them to enjoy investment.