Britain’s fastest-growing companies: Follow this year’s Leap 100 and prepare to be inspired
Now entering its third year, The Leap 100 is a group of some of Britain’s most exciting, fastest growing companies. Over the next 12 months, we will follow this latest cohort in pages of City A.M., through regular polls, entrepreneur profiles and expert comment.
Alongside experts at City A.M., The Entrepreneurs Network and Seven Hills, we’ve chosen 100 companies on the cusp of greatness. They have been selected based on their leadership skills and ambition, as well as the quality of their team and money raised.
This isn’t a definitive list – given the wealth of great entrepreneurs and speed of change, no such list is possible – but we believe these companies are critical to the future success of our country. If tomorrow the founders unilaterally decided to shut up shop, we would all be noticeably poorer for it. And if our previous cohorts are any indication, these companies have a disproportionate chance of succeeding.
Read more: Fast growth UK firms have shown how much can be achieved in just two years
All companies matter, but those growing fast are more likely to increase productivity, innovate and create jobs – as such, they have a disproportionate influence on the nation’s wealth and happiness. The government is understandably focused on getting more of exactly these sorts of companies about to make a leap, but growing can be a challenge. Everything has a cost; even success.
Running a business of any size is fraught with huge tests, but scaling a company presents unique problems. At Mishcon, we have experience of these challenges. We’ve been growing at over 15 per cent per annum over the last five years, and this requires careful management – everything from maintaining our culture to putting in processes to benefit from efficiencies of scale.
In the process, we’ve learned that it pays to be open to ideas from other companies. That’s one reason we regularly bring together the leaders of current and previous Leap cohorts, whether at our monthly roundtables, workshops or evening seminars. We get to the bottom of the growth and existential challenges faced by these entrepreneurs.
We support entrepreneurs because we believe in supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Entrepreneurs are a diverse bunch, but they have a lot in common. They are passionate, inquisitive, optimistic and calculated risk takers. These are the attributes we aspire to cultivate, and it’s why we work with so many entrepreneurs.
Read more: The only way is up for Leap 100 companies
At our regular masterclasses, our lawyers will help inform Leap 100 entrepreneurs about the legal challenges, but it’s a two-way process. The Leap 100 keeps us young; we have as much to learn as to teach. As a firm we don’t ever want to get too comfortable; Leap 100 founders imbue us with their sprit. They inspire us.
If you want a monthly dose of inspiration, follow the stories of these Leap 100 companies on these pages and online through the hub (www.theleap.mishcon.com). We hope it will support your business ambitions – and perhaps it might just be the impetus for a few of you to take the leap!