Latest news with #SoleBliss
Times
27-06-2025
- Business
- Times
Meet the UK's fastest-growing companies in 2025
As hiring at large companies falters, Britain's fastest-growing private companies are picking up the baton. The 100 small firms that feature on this year's Sunday Times 100 ranking have created 10,500 new jobs in the past three years and are planning 5,300 more over the next 12 months. Our annual spotlight on the entrepreneurs selling must-have goods and services, and driving economic growth, shows that despite headwinds of higher business taxes and fragile consumer confidence, good ideas, endeavour, resilience and a large dose of luck remain a reliable formula for success. On our ranking you'll discover companies designing shoes worn by the Queen (Sole Bliss), food eaten by Stormzy (Wingstop UK) and beer drunk by Jeremy Clarkson (Hawkstone). • Explore the Sunday Times 100 — interviews, company profiles and more The supermodel Kendall Jenner is a fan of the activewear produced by Manchester's Adanola, while the former special forces marine Anthony 'Staz' Stazicker completed a record seven-day climb of Mount Everest in May wearing kit made by ThruDark, the outdoor clothing brand he co-founded. We also have inventors such as Laura Waters and Kelli Aspland, the Welsh pair behind Solar Buddies, whose patented child-friendly sunscreen devices will be seen on beaches this summer. Professor Neil Barron created a material called Barronium, a patented, fused composite armour, which his company Litelok, based in Swansea, is now selling in locks to protect high-value bikes and motorcycles from Britain's prolific thieves. On average the companies grew their revenues by 111 per cent a year for the past three years to a combined £3.4 billion, an increase of £2.8 billion. They all say they make a profit, one of our criteria to qualify. Another is that they can't have more than £250 million in annual sales. This year we have also separated fast-growth technology companies into a sister ranking, the Sunday Times 100 Tech, which is now published each January. The companies are based all over the UK. Notably, ten are in Scotland and Wales, whereas none were located there last year. London has slipped, down from 43 to 36 companies, while the northwest of England has 18, up from just 10 last year. Some 28 businesses are led by female founders or co-founders, such as Aimee Smale of the fashion brand Odd Muse, Pip Durell of the on-trend shirtmaker With Nothing Underneath and Lottie Whyte, the co-founder of the exercise recovery equipment maker MyoMaster, who slayed Steven Bartlett on Dragons' Den when she and her husband, Joe Gray, successfully pitched for investment on the TV show last year. The recognition of our ranking matters, perhaps as much as the TV show. 'I should play it cool, but I've been studying this ranking way before I started this company. It's been on my vision board for a long time. I'm just really excited to be included,' Whyte, 36, says. Many of our entrepreneurs are still only 30 and under, such as Simmy and Jhai Dhillon, the brothers who co-founded the meal subscription service Simmer Eats, and the school friends Daniel Yuen and Kieran Riddell-Austin, whose Liverpool-based clothing brand Montirex made bumper profits on their revenues of £76.7 million last year. Taking the top spot for the first time is Oscar Ryndziewicz, the founder and chief executive of Glasgow-based Dfyne, an activewear brand. His parents came to Britain from Poland: his father first, saving up cash from jobs such as making sandwiches at the Cheltenham Cricket Festival so he could afford to bring over his wife. Oscar was born a few years later and, after a few false starts, the 35 year-old now leads a highly profitable business that employs 120 people and hit revenues of £66.8 million this year. It grew its revenues by a phenomenal 517 per cent a year to this May, and will leap forward further in the next 12 months. What has helped them all succeed? Trying things appears to be a common characteristic. 'If you don't try, you are never going to get lucky,' says Ryndziewicz of Dfyne, who admits to his fair share of luck. To start with, his girlfriend Eilidh, an NHS orthoptist, maxed out her credit card to help him get Dfyne off the ground. The pair married this month, so it seems taking risks has its rewards. ▲ 517.32% Activewear brandOscar Ryndziewicz started Dyfne after his girlfriend, Eilidh, let him max out her credit card. The company hit sales of £66.8 million this year and the couple married on June 7. ▲ 434.11% Health products retailerThe brothers Lestat McCree and Max Clarke created Healf in 2020 to help consumers navigate the explosion of wellness products. They made sales of £40 million this year. ▲ 325.14% Consumer cleaning productsFed up with toxic cleaning products in plastic packaging, best friends Purdy Rubin, an NHS nurse, and Charlotte Figg, a horticulturist, decided to do something about it. ▲ 268.40% Fashion brandAimee Smale began Odd Muse as a lockdown hobby while a fashion student in 2020 and just four years later had racked up annual sales of £25 million. ▲ 205.46% Meal delivery serviceSet up by Simmy Dhillon (soon to be joined by his brother, Jhai) with just £10 of ingredients, Simmer Eats began in a university kitchen in 2017 and has grown to revenues of £36.1 million. ▲ 197.72% Management consultancyTim Bretman, an ex-Royal Marine, founded this consultancy in 2020, helping government departments and big companies innovate and upgrade their IT. ▲ 192.00% Fashion brandThe former Ashton United football players Dan Wilkins and Adam Morning launched this firm in Accrington in 2017, initially selling hats. Its clothing now brings in sales of £12.5 million. ▲ 186.80% Technology consultancyBased in Langstone, Newport, this company was started in 2020 by the serial entrepreneurs Mark Sweeny and Tim Warner — both of whom proudly support the Welsh tech scene. ▲183.54% Jewellery brandFounded in 2021 by Olivia Jenkins, Jack Zambakides and Oliver Smithson, this brand was created in memory of Olivia's late mother, Deborah Louise. Sales hit £6.6 million last year. ▲174.66% Children's toiletries brandCasyo 'Krept' Johnson — one half of the hip-hop duo Krept & Konan — leads this natural baby-care label. It was inspired by his daughter, Nala, and hit sales of £5.5 million this year.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Queen Camilla's ‘Health Issues' Revealed After King Charles' Cancer Found ‘Incurable'—She's on ‘Her Last Legs'
A lot of the conversation about the British Royal family in the last few years has been about the health of different members of the family. Sure, the feuds take a lot of the attention, but it's impossible to ignore that the health of various members of the royal family has been under scrutiny lately. This includes King Charles, who has cancer and is reportedly very sick, and Kate Middleton, who was diagnosed with cancer as well, and who is now cancer-free. Health speculation now includes Queen Camilla, too. The Queen is reportedly not doing very well, with a source telling RadarOnline, 'Camilla really is on her last legs – literally. Along with all her other health issues, she can now hardly walk.' More from StyleCaster Trump Accused of Stealing King Charles' Thunder After the Royal Made a Clear Stance Against the President Prince William Faces Devastating News After King Charles' Cancer Found 'Incurable' Related: See what Queen Camilla looked like throughout the years The source explained her issues in detail and what is being done to manage them. 'She gets these Sole Bliss shoes made by a company in London shipped into the palace by the truckload as she is trying to cover up her feet deformities on royal engagements. She has the shoes hand-tooled to cover up the bony looking growths on the sides of her feet and totters around in them trying to pretend like there's nothing wrong.' However, the source also added that 'sooner or later she could be headed for a wheelchair – if she lives much longer,' explaining that 'Her spending on medics and specialists is through the roof as she's too vain to admit she needs a wheelchair.' Reportedly, the Queen has been warned against painful surgery to remove bunions. The outlet also reports the Palace has hidden the Queen's ailments for a while, as she reportedly had to have surgery for a pickled liver due to her decades of drinking years ago. She also recently had pneumonia. However, it seems now the stress of her husband's illness and the desire not to appear crippled in public are putting great strain on her. All of this comes amid reports that King Charles' cancer is reportedly incurable, but manageable, according to royal writer and associate editor of the Daily Telegraph, Camilla Tominey. 'The talk now is that he may die 'with' cancer, but not 'of' cancer following a rigorous treatment program,' she wrote. Tominey also said that planning for Charles' 80th birthday in 2028, while 'very tentative,' is going ahead. Not just that, there are reportedly plans for King Charles and his son, Prince Harry, to reunite publicly at the Invictus Games in Birmingham in 2027. 'There is an awareness that the impasse cannot continue forever, not least if it starts to reflect badly on the king.' Prince Harry recently spoke of his desire to reconcile with his father, referencing his illness specifically, and indicating that he didn't know how long his father had left. The hope would be that the reunion would also include Prince Harry's kids. However, it looks like there are plenty of health concerns in the royal family, and right now, there's very little anyone can do but see how things develop. Best of StyleCaster The 26 Best Romantic Comedies to Watch if You Want to Know What Love Feels Like These 'Bachelor' Secrets & Rules Prove What Happens Behind the Scenes Is So Much Juicier BTS's 7 Members Were Discovered in the Most Unconventional Ways
The Independent
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Creator of shoes worn by the Queen among innovators honoured at awards reception
The creator of a shoe brand whose products are worn by the Queen has been honoured during an awards reception at Windsor Castle. The King welcomed recipients of The King's Awards for Enterprise at Windsor Castle on Thursday, and chatted to the entrepreneurs and innovators whose practices and products have earned them the prestigious recognition. Among the award winners was Lisa Kay, the creator and chief executive of Sole Bliss, whose products Camilla has frequently been seen wearing at public events, and is said to love for their stylish yet comfortable design. Ms Kay, whose business won an award in the international trade category, shook hands with Charles at the reception, and the pair exchanged a few words. She said: 'I (told the King) that Her Royal Highness has purchased our shoes, so hopefully she finds them comfortable. 'He said, 'She like a heel that's not too narrow', so I said 'Yes, a block heel, I understand', he said: 'Yes, a block heel!' 'He said it gets harder to wear heels as you get older, and I said 'I understand'.' Sole Bliss was launched as a 'very small' business in 2017, Ms Kay said. Its popularity soared after Camilla was spotted wearing a pair of Sole Bliss shoes at the 2018 Royal Cornwall Show. 'A year after we launched, that was amazing,' Ms Kay said. She added: 'Women generally just need comfort, so you're not thinking about your feet, you're thinking about where you are, what you're doing… 'It's for every job really – but especially royalty.' Julia Roberts, Dame Helen Mirren, and Olivia Colman are among the celebrities who were also seen wearing Sole Bliss at public events. Asked how she felt about receiving the King's Award for Enterprise, Ms Kay said: 'It just means the world. 'It's so exciting, you can see I'm very overwhelmed,' she added, laughing and fanning her face with her hand. Ms Kay was also praised by Dame Annabel Whitehead, a courtier and former lady-in-waiting to the late Queen Elizabeth II, who walked up to her during the reception and said: 'We all love you here.' Also at the event were the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke of Gloucester, and the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle. The awards recognise outstanding achievements by UK firms in the categories of innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility. They are the most prestigious business awards in the UK, with recipients recognised as being among the best of British businesses. Some 197 businesses received awards across the four categories and can now use The King's Awards emblem for the next five years on their products and to promote their services. The viral cuddly toys company Jellycat was also among the winners, with production director Jack Gatacre describing the reward as 'a great honour'. 'We're very happy that people do love our brand,' Mr Gatacre added. The Prince and Princess of Wales were gifted two Jellycat plushies during a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace last month. Seeing the toys, which were in the shapes of a pickled onion and a lemon tart, William said: 'These are like gold dust. My children go crazy for these things. This is a children's currency.' Asked how he felt knowing that George, Louis, and Charlotte love Jellycat plushies, Mr Gatacre said: 'It delights me, it delights everybody at Jellycat that we can make people happy across the world.' Previously known as The Queen's Award for Enterprise, this is the 59th year of the Awards and the third year recipients received a King's Awards for Enterprise following the scheme's name change.
Belfast Telegraph
12-06-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Creator of shoes worn by the Queen among innovators honoured at awards reception
The King welcomed recipients of The King's Awards for Enterprise at Windsor Castle on Thursday, and chatted to the entrepreneurs and innovators whose practices and products have earned them the prestigious recognition. Among the award winners was Lisa Kay, the creator and chief executive of Sole Bliss, whose products Camilla has frequently been seen wearing at public events, and is said to love for their stylish yet comfortable design. Ms Kay, whose business won an award in the international trade category, shook hands with Charles at the reception, and the pair exchanged a few words. She said: 'I (told the King) that Her Royal Highness has purchased our shoes, so hopefully she finds them comfortable. 'He said, 'She like a heel that's not too narrow', so I said 'Yes, a block heel, I understand', he said: 'Yes, a block heel!' 'He said it gets harder to wear heels as you get older, and I said 'I understand'.' Sole Bliss was launched as a 'very small' business in 2017, Ms Kay said. Its popularity soared after Camilla was spotted wearing a pair of Sole Bliss shoes at the 2018 Royal Cornwall Show. 'A year after we launched, that was amazing,' Ms Kay said. She added: 'Women generally just need comfort, so you're not thinking about your feet, you're thinking about where you are, what you're doing… 'It's for every job really – but especially royalty.' Julia Roberts, Dame Helen Mirren, and Olivia Colman are among the celebrities who were also seen wearing Sole Bliss at public events. Asked how she felt about receiving the King's Award for Enterprise, Ms Kay said: 'It just means the world. 'It's so exciting, you can see I'm very overwhelmed,' she added, laughing and fanning her face with her hand. Ms Kay was also praised by Dame Annabel Whitehead, a courtier and former lady-in-waiting to the late Queen Elizabeth II, who walked up to her during the reception and said: 'We all love you here.' Also at the event were the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke of Gloucester, and the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle. The awards recognise outstanding achievements by UK firms in the categories of innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility. They are the most prestigious business awards in the UK, with recipients recognised as being among the best of British businesses. Some 197 businesses received awards across the four categories and can now use The King's Awards emblem for the next five years on their products and to promote their services. The viral cuddly toys company Jellycat was also among the winners, with production director Jack Gatacre describing the reward as 'a great honour'. 'We're very happy that people do love our brand,' Mr Gatacre added. The Prince and Princess of Wales were gifted two Jellycat plushies during a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace last month. Seeing the toys, which were in the shapes of a pickled onion and a lemon tart, William said: 'These are like gold dust. My children go crazy for these things. This is a children's currency.' Asked how he felt knowing that George, Louis, and Charlotte love Jellycat plushies, Mr Gatacre said: 'It delights me, it delights everybody at Jellycat that we can make people happy across the world.' Previously known as The Queen's Award for Enterprise, this is the 59th year of the Awards and the third year recipients received a King's Awards for Enterprise following the scheme's name change.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Creator of shoes worn by the Queen among innovators honoured at awards reception
The creator of a shoe brand whose products are worn by the Queen has been honoured during an awards reception at Windsor Castle. The King welcomed recipients of The King's Awards for Enterprise at Windsor Castle on Thursday, and chatted to the entrepreneurs and innovators whose practices and products have earned them the prestigious recognition. Among the award winners was Lisa Kay, the creator and chief executive of Sole Bliss, whose products Camilla has frequently been seen wearing at public events, and is said to love for their stylish yet comfortable design. Ms Kay, whose business won an award in the international trade category, shook hands with Charles at the reception, and the pair exchanged a few words. She said: 'I (told the King) that Her Royal Highness has purchased our shoes, so hopefully she finds them comfortable. 'He said, 'She like a heel that's not too narrow', so I said 'Yes, a block heel, I understand', he said: 'Yes, a block heel!' 'He said it gets harder to wear heels as you get older, and I said 'I understand'.' Sole Bliss was launched as a 'very small' business in 2017, Ms Kay said. Its popularity soared after Camilla was spotted wearing a pair of Sole Bliss shoes at the 2018 Royal Cornwall Show. 'A year after we launched, that was amazing,' Ms Kay said. She added: 'Women generally just need comfort, so you're not thinking about your feet, you're thinking about where you are, what you're doing… 'It's for every job really – but especially royalty.' Julia Roberts, Dame Helen Mirren, and Olivia Colman are among the celebrities who were also seen wearing Sole Bliss at public events. Asked how she felt about receiving the King's Award for Enterprise, Ms Kay said: 'It just means the world. 'It's so exciting, you can see I'm very overwhelmed,' she added, laughing and fanning her face with her hand. Ms Kay was also praised by Dame Annabel Whitehead, a courtier and former lady-in-waiting to the late Queen Elizabeth II, who walked up to her during the reception and said: 'We all love you here.' Also at the event were the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke of Gloucester, and the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle. The awards recognise outstanding achievements by UK firms in the categories of innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility. They are the most prestigious business awards in the UK, with recipients recognised as being among the best of British businesses. Some 197 businesses received awards across the four categories and can now use The King's Awards emblem for the next five years on their products and to promote their services. The viral cuddly toys company Jellycat was also among the winners, with production director Jack Gatacre describing the reward as 'a great honour'. 'We're very happy that people do love our brand,' Mr Gatacre added. The Prince and Princess of Wales were gifted two Jellycat plushies during a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace last month. Seeing the toys, which were in the shapes of a pickled onion and a lemon tart, William said: 'These are like gold dust. My children go crazy for these things. This is a children's currency.' Asked how he felt knowing that George, Louis, and Charlotte love Jellycat plushies, Mr Gatacre said: 'It delights me, it delights everybody at Jellycat that we can make people happy across the world.' Previously known as The Queen's Award for Enterprise, this is the 59th year of the Awards and the third year recipients received a King's Awards for Enterprise following the scheme's name change.
