Latest news with #PerfectTed
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The U.K.'s Fastest-Growing Startups. What Are Their Growth Secrets?
Marisa Poster says her company identified an unmet need What does a successful British startup look like in 2025? Well, viewed through the prism of VC funding, a typical fast-growth company is probably developing AI solutions or working in quantum computing, climate tech or life sciences. But that's not the whole story. Founders club, For Entrepreneurs By Entrepreneurs (FEBE) has just released a list of 100 rapidly growing businesses, painting an alternative picture of entrepreneurship in Britain today. Styled as the FEBE Growth 100 and produced in collaboration with Virgin , the list draws on a list of metrics - including two-year compound growth, revenue performance and founder involvement - to create a ranking of private companies that are still owned and run by their creators. And while technology ventures certainly do feature, the majority of the companies are consumer-facing and not necessarily tech-driven. A case in point is the company that occupies the 'number one' slot, namely Perfect Ted. Co-founded by Marisa Poster, Levi Levenfiche and Teddie Levenfiche, the business specializes in Matcha drinks, including lattes. Close behind is haircare brand REHAB at number 2, with food delivery service Simmer Eat and party games company, Lucky Egg at positions 3 and 4, respectively. Tech enters the picture at number 5, in the shape of Manchester-based innovation studio Conductr. Elsewhere, you'll find fintechs, restaurant chains, fashion retailers and business service providers. But here's the question. Other than providing a talking point and perhaps also a celebration of entrepreneurship, do lists of this sort provide any insights into business success? Or to put it another way, do they point to any common factors that have helped some very diverse ventures to pile on sales year-on-year? To find out, I spoke to three of the entrepreneurs whose companies are featured. The aforementioned Marisa Poster, Simmy Dhillon of Simmer Eats and Jacyn Heavens of B2B business services platform EPOS Now. Leveraging Personal Experience There were some common threads, perhaps the most obvious being the ability of the founders to identify hitherto untapped demand. 'I'm very happy with our growth so far, and I think it's a testament to serving a need that was unmet,' says Marisa Poster. 'I personally had a problem with the type of caffeine that I was consuming and couldn't find anything that would work with my kind of neurodivergent brain.' If conventional lattes and espressos didn't work, neither did energy drinks, seen by Poster as hyper-masculine. What she did hit upon was Matcha, based on tea leaves and used in Japan for ceremonial purposes. Detecting a gap in the market, Poster launched a drinks brand. It was a play based on personal experience. The same could be said for the thinking behind EPOS Now. As Founder Jacyn Heavens explains, when he launched a restaurant and bar he quickly realised that small businesses can struggle when it comes to administration. 'I really wasn't prepared for how complicated it is to run a small business,' he says. 'I remember when I started our business, I needed to do everything from stock control to employee management, to negotiating with suppliers to figuring out what my prices should be. Literally everything.' EPOS Now started out as a cloud provider of point-of-sale services. Since then, features have been added to the platform, including. Perhaps not surprisingly, given the activities that Heavens found so onerous, the functions include stock control, employee management and pricing advice based on data. Finding Customers Having an idea is one thing, connecting with customers is quite another. Heavens' approach was to use a combination of SEO and Google Adwords. 'I learned AdWords, learned how to build a website, and built it all up in a basic e-commerce site. And off we kind of went.' The model, as he describes it, was to augment SEO marketing with paid ads, with everything feeding through to a landing page and call centre. Simmy Dhillion took a different approach. Simmer Heat started out using a university kitchen to create and then deliver healthy meals that could simply be heated up, with students as a key customer group. The approach the company took was direct. 'It started off me going into university halls and handing out little business cards, speaking to people on the bus,' says Dhillion. Social Media was also important. Simmer Heat asked their customers to post pictures online when they received deliveries. By replying to the posts, the company built a relationship with buyers. In addition, the company has worked with influencers to get the story across. For its part, Perfect Ted has something of a kick start. Following an appearance on the U.K. entrepreneur pitch show Dragons Den - modelled on Shark Tank - the company gained an angel investor (Stephen Bartlett) and a lot of publicity. There was a further boost when supermarkets began to stock the brand. Building Momentum The challenge facing all businesses is to build momentum and how that is done clearly depends on the nature of the business. Working in the B2B market, Heavens says the biggest challenge was to stay ahead of the competition. When the company started, there were very few cloud-based POS providers. Now it is common. To maintain growth, the company expanded the platform into a complete business admin service while also taking a risk on expanding to the U.S. Turnover has now hit £150 million. Dhillon says that building fundamental skills with Social Media have enabled Simmer Heat to grow without a large marketing budget. 'A lot of brands start off with a large budget and they are a bit lazy in terms of thinking 'we can pay to force ourselves in front of customers, so let's just keep paying and paying and paying.' We had to kind of do that the other way in terms of earning our place in front of customers,' says was then augmented by some, but limited paid advertising. Perfect Ted has taken a similar approach. The company uses employee created content on social media. There is some paid marketing, but the budget isn't huge, Is there a secret sauce that helps to underpin growth? For Heavens, the key is listening to the customer and being fanatical about acting on feedback. Dhillion says it's important to test out new things and not be afraid of failing. Poster agrees that it's important to try out ideas even if some fail. Both see it is important to have staff who are themselves entrepreneurial. As Poster puts it:'willing to drive the car.' And of course, there is no common route to success, aside from the drive of the owners, finding a product that resonates with the target market and then finding a means to connect with customers and keep on connecting.
Irish Examiner
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Desire Lines: Savida brings the style, Kathryn Thomas' Pure Results heads for Kilkea
The dress From our daughters to our mothers, our friends, and the editors and influencers we look to for style guidance, it seems like everyone is clothes shopping in Dunnes Stores these days. Savida has just launched their summer campaign, and we'll be running for this red shirred dress, perfect for when the sun comes back. €35. Chanel's Les Beiges Bronzing Cream returns for summer with five sun-kissed hues. The bronzer Chanel's Les Beiges Bronzing Cream returns for summer with five sun-kissed hues. From light to dark bronze shades, the iconic gel cream bronzer, €60, promises golden caramels to satin golds, warming the skin with a healthy glow. Apply with the fingers for a natural look. A summer must-have, whatever the weather. Modern Hairspray by Sam McKnight, mini €14, Brown Thomas The hair product Once again, we've opted for a cabin bag only on our travels and then ended up stressing for days about which beauty bits to leave behind. It's given us a whole new appreciation for Modern Hairspray by Sam McKnight, a stellar multi-use product that offers heat protection up to 230C, as well as a fine hairspray that can be used for curling, straightening, and taming flyaways. The 50ml is perfect for travel. €14. Kathryn Thomas pictured at Powerscourt Springs. Pic: Marc O'Sullivan The retreat Kathryn Thomas is taking her Pure Results retreat to a new, and special, location this summer. The wellness weekend takes place on June 21 and 22 on the grounds of Kilkea Castle, the 12th-century destination where she was married. This two-day, one-night retreat includes fitness and yoga sessions, a coaching workshop, and gourmet meals by Michelin-starred chef Cormac Rowe. It's all designed to nourish body and mind and give you time to rest and recharge in the 180-acre private estate. Shared twin room: €495 per person. Single room: €595 per person. The Oakberry Açaí Bar is open for business at Kildare Village. Expect the brand's signature all-natural açaí bowls, smoothies, Perfect Ted matcha lattes and much more in a grab-and-go format The new opening The Oakberry Acaí Bar is open for business at Kildare Village. Expect the brand's signature all-natural acaí bowls, smoothies, Perfect Ted matcha lattes and much more in a grab-and-go format — a quick and healthy recharge while shopping. Oakberry's South Anne Street South location in Dublin is already officially the brand's top-performing store in Europe. Untitled 1 from the series 'After Magdalene' (2006-2009) The exhibition Dublin City Council's LAB Gallery has just opened its latest exhibition, 'What does it mean to know?' Magdalene laundries may be closed now, but their legacy lingers and this new work asks whether we, as Irish people, have reckoned with this painful past. Irish artists Ethna Rose O'Regan and Sinéad McCann, have worked in collaboration with writer and sociologist Louise Brangan to produce two new artworks: No babies were born there, a large-scale sculptural text work, and I'm still there, a light and sound installation. O'Regan's photographic series, 'After Magdalene' (2006-2009), was made in the last of the Magdalene laundries on Seán McDermott St, which officially closed in 1996 and is, poignantly, mere minutes from The Lab Gallery. During this exhibition, the artists involved and the Dublin City Council staff at the Lab will be sensitive to and supportive of any patron who may find the exhibit or experience distressing in any way. From June 12 to July 26, The LAB Gallery, Foley St, Dublin 1, Monday to Saturday 10-6pm. Lough Key Forest Park, the home of Night and Day festival. The festival Roscommon County Council has happily confirmed the return of the Night and Day Festival, a three-day outdoor music festival in lovely, leafy Lough Key Forest and Activity Park. From June 27 to 29, the festival forms part of Roscommon's outdoor recreation campaign, Breathe in Roscommon, which celebrates the county's natural beauty and endless opportunities for outdoor adventure in Ireland's Hidden Heartlands. This year, there's a new wellness area alongside a musical bill that includes José González, KT Tunstall, Paul Brady, The Wailers, The Stunning, Lisa Hannigan, Sultans of Ping, Adwaith, and Fionn Regan among others. Compiled by Vickie Maye, Nicole Glennon and Jillian Bolger. Email: weekend@
Entrepreneur
13-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
"Call A Spade A Spade"
You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Ahead of Father's Day, (Sunday 15th June), global payments provider SumUp spotlights the lessons UK business leaders learned from their dads - shaping their businesses through grit, gratitude, and getting things done Research shows a clear link between parental influence and entrepreneurial ambition: nearly 40% of UK founders had a parent who ran a business, and 68% of young people with a business-minded parent or relative are more likely to consider starting their own venture. This "role-model effect" highlights how growing up around business thinking, self-belief, and risk-taking significantly increases the likelihood of pursuing entrepreneurship. In an attempt to help inspire and equip the next wave of British entrepreneurs, SumUp offers a rare glimpse into the personal stories, values, and learnings that have shaped the UK's most exciting business minds. From early lessons in resilience and frugality to values like integrity, consistency, and leadership, the advice shared continues to shape how today's entrepreneurs build businesses, lead teams, and make decisions across industries including fashion, drinks, and communications. Corin Camenisch, Product Marketing Lead at SumUp comments, "We believe the wisdom passed down through generations plays a huge role in shaping entrepreneurial success. These lessons influence not only individual journeys but also the broader future of UK business. With this in mind, we wanted to spotlight the stories behind some of today's most exciting founders and the advice they picked up from their dads. Whether it was a mindset shift, a quiet push at the right time, or simply watching someone build something from nothing - those early lessons often become the foundation for how we lead, take risks, and grow. Entrepreneurship isn't just about strategy and numbers - it's also deeply human, and the guidance we get growing up can be the difference between giving up and going for it. By sharing these reflections, we're not only celebrating the founders, but the everyday wisdom that keeps business owners going." Levi Levenfiche, co-founder at PerfectTed, the UK's fastest-growing sport and energy drink brand and Europe's largest matcha green tea brand, earning the distinction of being Steven Bartlett's most successful Dragons' Den venture. What's the best financial advice your father gave you? "Penny-wise, pound foolish," "Take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves," "You cannot put percentages in the bank," and "Turn off the lights." My parents grew up with nothing - as children of immigrants to the UK during WWII - and throughout our childhood, my dad reminded us of the importance of financial prudence. He would always get annoyed when we left the lights on or wasted food. That mindset has stuck with me and today informs how we run PerfectTed. We have always obsessed over saving money where possible and my dad's mantras such as "penny-wise, pound foolish", "take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves", "you cannot put percentages in the bank", and of course "turn off the lights" have been a major influence in our success and profitability. My dad's mantras have been a major influence in our success and profitability." On leadership: Expectations are set at the top. And, as soon as you lower your standards, a new benchmark is set. My dad's business is owning and managing rental properties. While he is the owner of the business, and there is a small team that manages and maintains the apartments, my dad has and will always be the first person to answer a tenant's call no matter the problem. My dad has and will always be the first person to unclog a pipe, to pull weeds from the driveway or fix a broken window. No job has ever been beneath my dad, and that is a lesson we have taken into our business. Despite having a growing team, we are always the first to take out the trash. 99% of people will never see the physical labour that is required from us as founders, but, like our dad, we have never shied away from getting our hands dirty and being the first person to step forward and take action. On work ethic and resilience: The hardest arithmetic to master is that which allows us to count our blessings. My parents never had the opportunities that we had growing up. My dad (and my mum) left school at 16 to start earning money, despite wanting to go into higher education. They worked incredibly hard (my mum in a hair salon, and my dad in real estate) to make a life for my 3 brothers and me. The work ethic, the resilience, and the drive for success that we carry - that is embedded in PerfectTed's culture - have their roots in the struggles that my parents overcame. [He] instilled gratitude and grit in his sons. Personal advice: "Just go for it." My dad is my hero. If nothing comes of our efforts, I would be happy just knowing that our efforts made him proud. My dad has always said, about everything in life, "just go for it," and had he not encouraged us to take risks (not gambles - he has always been incredibly anti-gambling) there would be no PerfectTed. Eshita Kabra-Davies, founder of By Rotation, the world's first social fashion rental app - and the world's largest shared wardrobe - enabling over 500,000 users to both monetise their wardrobes and enjoy high-end fashion for a fraction of the cost. The best financial advice: In business, money saved is money earned. On leadership: A leader is a learner - you'll realise all the things you are and you aren't - and hopefully if you're a good leader, you'll inspire the greatest conspirers to build and deliver your vision with you. On work ethic and resilience: What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, so never stop persevering - especially when the others burn out. You want it more than them, and so you will have it, if you keep going. Personal advice: You'll never be the same person you are once you set out on your entrepreneurial journey. If you like who you are and where your life is today, well, then you're in for a total ride for what By Rotation will turn you into! Mark Rushmore, co-founder of SURI, the UK's award-winning sustainable oral care brand revolutionising the electric toothbrush industry to tackle the 4 billion discarded each year with eco-friendly innovation and global recognition. On leadership: Be direct and honest - call a spade a spade. Watch carefully how people behave, not just what they say and prioritise respect over being liked in business. My dad has an incredible ability to be able to identify the core of an issue and deal with it directly - even if that means an uncomfortable conversation. I've found this an efficient way to address challenges and ultimately get to the best solutions. Any time I've had a significant or challenging issue at work I always seek my father's advice, as he's very good at seeing problems and solutions clearly. On work ethic and resilience: Anything you can visualise is achievable. This was a powerful belief of his. He also encouraged me to write down my goals, a practice I still follow. It's quite amazing how many of those goals have actually materialised, even recently with SURI being featured by Gwyneth Paltrow's 'Goop'! When it comes to work ethic, my father has always led by example. Starting with very little, he worked incredibly hard from the age of 16 to build a better life for himself and our family, and he shows no signs of stopping. For instance, every year he dedicates his time to creating a detailed, multi-page family photo album for my mother's birthday. It's a truly labour-intensive project, and I believe these albums will be treasured by generations to come - they're certainly more precious to me than anything money could buy. Personal advice: There is much more to life than just business and financial success. What you do for work does not define who you are. I've proactively taken a couple of sabbaticals to travel the world and go on adventures. My father didn't take more than 2 weeks of holiday in one stretch throughout his career. Although he didn't have the opportunity to do this himself, his ability to resist 'the norm' and create his own path inspired me to do the same, albeit with travelling. Julian Treasure, founder of The Sound Agency, author of Sound Affects, and creator of The Listening Society. He's also the speaker behind the UK's favourite TED Talk - one of the most-watched TED Talks of all time, "How To Speak So That People Want To Listen" What's the best piece of financial advice your father gave you? Never chase money. If you do the right thing, money will find you. On leadership: The best is the enemy of the good. On work ethic and resilience: You start from where you are. Personal advice: Happiness is never over there. It's only ever here and now.
Times
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
What I learnt … going live on TikTok
Marisa Poster, 28, is the co-founder of Perfect Ted, a seller of matcha powder and energy drinks containing matcha, which she started with brothers Teddie and Levi Levenfiche. The company had a turnover of £9.4 million in 2024 and says it is on track to make over £30 million in 2025. The team went on the BBC TV show Dragons' Den in 2023, securing £25,000 in exchange for a 5 per cent share taken by Steven Bartlett and Peter Jones. Perfect Ted did its first TikTok live two weeks ago gaining nearly 200,000 viewers, with 120,000 of those consumers new to the brand. I technically fit within the Gen Z group of consumers but I've been slow to adopt TikTok personally. Yet I've seen how
Metro
24-04-2025
- Business
- Metro
Obsessed with matcha? Perfect Ted's new flavoured lattes are a 'game-changer'
Metro journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission – learn more Calling all Matcha fans as we've got some news that you're about to become obsessed with. Europe's top matcha brand and the UK's fastest-growing energy drink company, Perfect Ted, has just launched the nation's first flavoured ready-to-drink matcha lattes. Made with all-natural ingredients, the blend of ceremonial-grade matcha from Uji, Japan, is mixed alongside gluten-free oat milk and natural flavours. The result? A smooth, jitter-free energy boost that will power you through whatever you need – from work to your next work out. Available in two delicious flavours – Strawberry Matcha Latte and Vanilla Matcha Latte – each can provides 60mg of slow-release caffeine (similar to an espresso shot) and the pre-mixed beverages are also naturally sweetened with agave. Best of all? There's no refined sugar, artificial sweeteners, or synthetic caffeine at all. How good is that? Enjoy a chilled vanilla matcha latte with premium Japanese matcha and creamy oat milk. This smooth, natural energy boost has 60mg of caffeine and is sweetened with agave, free from refined sugar and artificial additives. Buy Now at £18 for 12 cans per case Speaking with co-founder Marisa Poster, she said: 'Our mission is to make matcha as accessible as possible. People love the benefits, but not everyone has time to prepare it. Our canned lattes make enjoying high-quality matcha easy—anytime, anywhere.' Stephen, who's managed to get his hands on a can (or two) has rated the ready-made Matcha Latte from Perfect Ted the full five stars. He went as far as calling them 'top notch' in fact. 'These are absolutely banging! They've got the level of sweetness just right to be able to have one first thing in the morning. My wife's ended up stealing half my first box.' Another five-star reviewer called David followed suit, and added: 'Really great flavour, smooth to drink, and has that hint of matcha I love.' He also called them 'smoooth', to which we would have to agree. No idea what matcha is, or ever tried it before? Perhaps you've been looking for an alternative to your morning coffee – and fancy switching it up? Well here at Metro HQ, we've got you. Matcha is a powdered green tea superfood, and celebrated for its ability to deliver long-lasting, focused energy. More Trending Unlike coffee or synthetic energy drinks, matcha's caffeine provides a steady boost for 4–6 hours with thanks to its unique blend of caffeine and L-theanine, ensuring a calm, sustained lift without jitters or crashes. Additionally, matcha helps promote the production of serotonin, dopamine, and alpha brain waves, enhancing relaxation and focus. Pretty cool, right? Rich in antioxidants (we're talking 50 times more than spinach!), matcha is scientifically proven to improve mental clarity and alertness. So what are you waiting for? Add a pack into your online cart before it's too late. Follow Metro across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Share your views in the comments below MORE: From chaos to clarity – how Noli's AI technology is changing the world of beauty shopping and waste MORE: Shopping expert reveals must-have items for your home and beauty routine from Victoria Beckham, Dusk and more MORE: Marks and Spencer join forces with fashion designer Olivia von Halle for a range of chic loungewear
