Latest news with #ShaliniKhemka
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'My currency is the people I get to know not the money I make'
Shalini Khemka puts her people person skills down to moving schools every six months in her early years, with her father's locum work as an orthopaedic consultant. 'I enjoy being with people because I had to keep mixing with new people,' says Khemka. Her 30-year career has taken in a raft of business and advisory roles, from co-founding the world's first online "bank to bank" trade finance company to launching E2E, an entrepreneurs networking platform. E2E was founded by Khemka in 2011 largely due, she freely admits, to the mistakes she encountered in her first co-venture and the need to share with other entrepreneurs. Networking and people skills to the fore. Read More: 'Future is the USA' for Pasta Evangelists, the £40m British made success story It was also never intended to be the business it is today, with over 24,000 members and 80% based in the UK, it holds around 50 events annually. 'It's been a massive privilege,' she says. 'My currency is the people I get to know, currency isn't the money I make. It's actually the life experiences.' 'I've got some people I can phone, but I also wonder when people are not part of this kind of community, who do they phone? How do they solve it? That's the problem we're trying to solve for our members.' The premise is for the community of entrepreneurs, investors and non-execs to make connections for founders, raising capital and securing talent. It is geared towards founders with a £1m plus turnover with its sweet spot in the '10m to £100m range'. 'If they're looking to fundraise, they're a decent founder and we believe in their credibility of the business and where they're trying to take it, we will support them,' adds Khemka. Born in India, Khemka graduated with an economics degree from University of Essex and worked for Coopers & Lybrand before writing a business plan for the world's first trade finance platform while at Deutsche Bank ( When its global head of trade finance left and started a company, in 1999, with three other co-founders, Khemka became the fourth using the business plan that she had concocted to trade letters of credit online. Read More: 'In our workplace, we look for passionate, slightly unhinged mountain climbers' It was only when she joined the private equity arm at Lloyds (LLOY.L) TSB five years later that she realised shortcomings with her first company and the first seeds were sown at E2E. Her learnings were three-fold — raise money on time, don't exit too early and have the right advisors around you. 'I had met some amazing entrepreneurs and I realised that I wasn't so amazing and that I'd done some really poor things,' she says. 'So I thought, why don't I help other people not make the mistakes I had?' Initially, Khemka had sought to help other founders through her employment with Lloyds Development Capital (LDC), who were then backing Richard Branson and the Virgin Racing team. This is where luck plays an important part in life, she adds. 'I got an opportunity to ask Richard to be the president, initially he said no three times, but on the fourth attempt he said yes, and that helped me open the doors to the business it is today.' With membership starting from £750, E2E's current community consists of 24,000 SMEs who contribute £230bn in turnover to the UK economy and employ over 1m people. Its tech platform links founders with entrepreneurs based on profile and interests, with expertise ranging from tax issues, boardroom challenges and mental health issues. 'It's very common for entrepreneurs to go through so much stress and they can't talk to their immediate family," says Khemka. 'It's actually better sometimes to talk to a CEO equivalent and how they have coped with it.' Read More: Meet Britain's 'king of billboards' who sold his business for £1bn In 2023, Khemka launched the E2E 100, which showcases the top British companies that are excelling and recognise scale-up entrepreneurship. 'We have to celebrate entrepreneurship a lot more in the UK,' she adds. 'And this is one way of celebrating the people who have made the biggest impact. "But I'm also doing it to understand what's working well for them, what's not working well, to share with the broader community and be able to then go to government. One of the things that we need to do is make access to funding a lot easier here. Khemka said last autumn's budget revealed Labour as "not the government for business" following the tax adjustments which would affect both small and large businesses and stymie investment. 'The big thing I'd like to try and achieve is to keep building this ecosystem, keep making the UK the place to start and scale rather than to start and then go elsewhere," she says. 'I want to be solutions-based rather than problem-based and the solution for that is to open the doors for institutional investors to find the UK more attractive through the VC funds.' It is little wonder that the people person come passionate campaigner for entrepreneurs is venturing towards 25,000 members. 'My dream is that this business becomes the go-to organisation if you're a founder,' she adds. Read more: The boss who has found 'nature's answer to plastic' 'I had one good idea and turned it into a £3m voiceover and talent success' The life lesson behind a 335-year-old funeral business? 'Never sleep on an argument'
The Independent
12-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
E2E Female 100 list for 2025 revealed
The E2E Female 100 track is a definitive index recognising the outstanding achievements of the 100 fastest-growing female-led or founded businesses in the United Kingdom, based on their remarkable success over the past few years. For more information and to see the full E2E Female 100 2025 track, click here. E2E, Creditsafe and Experian gathered the data underpinning this prestigious recognition, ensuring a rigorous selection process that acknowledges businesses solely for their measurable impact on the commercial landscape. Spanning a multitude of sectors, these league tables serve as a testament to the remarkable achievements led by women across the UK. To celebrate such achievements, E2E is hosting an E2E 100 gala reception scheduled for July 2025, hosted by Shalini Khemka CBE and chaired by Lord Bilimoria CBE DL. Women featured in this year's track, with their companies demonstrating extraordinary growth, are Dr Angie Ma, Co-founder at Faculty Science Ltd; Natalie Campbell and Charlotte Harrington, Co-CEOs at Belu Water; Trinny Woodall, Founder at Trinny London; and Darina Garland, Co-Founder and Co-CEO at Ooni. The E2E 100 is a visionary initiative spanning six league tables, paired with online panel discussions and in-person gala receptions. This initiative stands as a tribute to the exceptional talent of UK entrepreneurs, showcasing their unwavering commitment to excellence, consistent growth, and groundbreaking business strategies that resonate not only within their respective sectors but nationwide, and in some instances, globally. Highlighting talent from every corner of the UK, the E2E Female 100 track showcases the rich diversity of businesses founded by women and the monumental successes they have achieved while navigating the challenges of an uncertain economic landscape. Speaking about the track, Shalini Khemka CBE, founder of E2E says: 'The E2E Female 100 recognises the phenomenal accomplishments of women within the business community. It highlights their expertise, determination, and perseverance in an often challenging landscape. 'We're still in a crucial phase where increased visibility for women is essential to achieving balance in our economy — whether that's through acknowledgement, fair pay, or equal access to opportunities. I believe this track plays a vital role in driving that change. 'By bringing attention to the impressive achievements of women entrepreneurs, the E2E Female 100 not only honours their success but also champions their rightful place in the business world.' Andy Morley, Chief Revenue Officer from The Independent, said: 'We're delighted to celebrate this impressive group of women, each of whom has made significant progress within their industries over the past three years. The partnership between E2E and The Independent on the E2E Female 100 offers a unique opportunity to showcase outstanding female talent throughout the UK. It's a powerful statement that not only motivates the next generation of women in business but also highlights E2E's unwavering support for female leadership and entrepreneurship.' Lord Bilimoria CBE, DLsaid: 'As a founding board member of E2E, I've had the privilege of seeing it flourish under Shalini Khemka CBE's leadership, evolving into a key network for founders, executives, and investors. 'The Female 100 demonstrates E2E's ongoing dedication to recognising the most rapidly growing female-led businesses across the country. It's an outstanding initiative that applauds the success of these inspiring women while encouraging future entrepreneurs. 'E2E's commitment to promoting diversity and empowering women in leadership roles is a significant contribution to the entrepreneurial sector, helping create a future with limitless opportunities.' The data for the tracks is independently gathered by Creditsafe, E2E and Experian according to specific criteria and official data. Each track is supported by our partner Universal Partners.
