Virgin StartUp

"It’s okay if everything isn't perfect, you're on your own journey." Back in 2019, Susan Bonnar got a Start Up Loan with Virgin StartUp and went on to be the South East Start Up Loans ambassador in 2020 . Talk about community legend! Years later and still a vibrant member of our community, she was back again to support her fellow founders, and joined The British Business Bank to have a fireside chat at the event. We are so happy to have been part of your early startup journey, and we're still cheering you on with The British Craft House 👏

How does a CEO of a multimillion pound retailer stay focussed on what matters? In a sneak peak of our new Behind the Desk of a CEO series Julia Cove-Smith, former CEO of Emma Bridgewater, took our Community through how to adapt your plans based on data, without getting distracted. Julia spent 14 years at the brand, and led it through a significant stage of growth and development into a B Corp. ⭐️This brand new Behind the Desk of a CEO series is exclusively live on the Virgin StartUp Community.⭐️ Head over to the Community to get your hands on the full video and advice from Julia and other mentors: https://virg.in/4dwtUEL

DRUM ROLL PLEASE 🥁 Our Female Founders Competition Finalists have been announced... Congratulations to: ✨ Charlotte Y., founder of Muihood 🤰🏽Lara Solomon, founder of Hoopsy 📁 Sophia Lan, founder of WInvest Collective 🧅 Renuka Ramanujam, founder of HUID 👏 Well done to every founder who entered, we've had a blast finding out about all your brilliant businesses. For our finalists, it's time to get ready to present in London. Each finalist will be teaming up with one of our incredible mentors, who'll support our superstar founders with getting their presentations is perfect shape for the final. Pitch practice begins now! The countdown to the final is on. #Fiverr #FemaleFounders #LineUp #Finalists #Competition Fiverr

Don't be alarmed.... But there're only 60 working days until Christmas 😱 No sweat, our mentors have got your back to help you make the last few months of year brilliant for business. Whether you’re looking to break into the food and drink market, integrate sustainable practices, streamline operations, or build a high-performing team, our mentors are here to guide you. And this month, you can book exclusive 1:1 Mentor Office Hours with industry leaders, including experts from Oddbox, Flexa, and the Former CEO of Emma Bridgewater—and many more. 🔥 Don’t Miss Out! These free 1:1 session fill up fast, so be sure to check our stories or visit the Community platform to secure your slot. Keep your notifications on so you’ll be the first to know when new sessions go live! 🎤 Coming Up: October Changemakers Event Get inspired by the co-founder of TRIP at our upcoming Changemakers event—another exclusive opportunity for members to meet up and get inspired from one of the fastest growing companies in the UK 📈 Ready to make Q4 your best quarter yet?  Start here: https://virg.in/4emfPLm

Finlay Doyle did what most freshers at University wouldn't ever dream of. He quit drinking. Going sober was the right move for Fin, but he missed the socialising that often came with grabbing a drink with friends. Not content with existing non-alcoholic options on offer, he decided to do something about it. He dropped out of university to build his own non-alcoholic wine - MIUE. 👋 Goodbye student life, hello startup. With the help of a Start Up Loan from Virgin StartUp, Fin took his idea to reality, and his brand is launching soon. Thanks Fin for the insight, we can't wait to raise a glass when Miue is here. #startupfunding #business #businessfunding

"I wanted to make something that felt like me." 🌈   Last week, Olivia Rubin uncovered how a personal passion project turned into a must-have designer piece.   "It wasn't the intention to start a business," she explained, it took off from bringing joy to others who were craving colour after she started posting clothes she made on Instagram.   Join the #VirginStartUpCommunity to watch the full recording dropping tomorrow: https://virg.in/4dlYkcV   Thanks to Virgin Money for making these events free for founders everywhere. #VirginStartUpChangemakers x+why Virgin StartUp

Looking back at another night filled with connection, honesty and sparks at our Changemakers event last week ✨ Our guest Olivia Rubin didn’t set out to build a business. What launched her eponymous label into the mainstream was a patterned skirt she made for herself, after many months without expressing her creativity. As she shared her creations, people began requesting pieces for themselves. So, what can we learn from Olivia’s inspiring journey? ✨ Never underestimate the power of your individual creativity✨ Olivia shows that personal passion can lead to amazing opportunities when you trust your vision and invest in what you love. 🌎Sharing is caring - make your passions known to the world🌎 By sharing her designs online, Olivia connected with others who would actually become her customer base. You never know who might be inspired by what you create, so don't be afraid to share it. 📲 Free marketing tools like Instagram and other social channels could be key to your success📲 Using Instagram reels, Olivia has managed to reach her audience and launch her brand without needing a huge budget. Sharing your startup story and your products on platforms like Instagram can connect you to a global audience and build a loyal following. Join our Community to re-watch when the video is live: https://virg.in/3TEbw5O Thanks to Virgin Money , founders attend our Changemaker events for free. #VSUChangemaker #VirginStartUpCommunity #OliviaRubin #FashionBrand #FashionFounders #FounderTips #ColourTrend Olivia Rubin

✨ How a Wedding Day S.O.S Became the UK’s Leading CBD Brand ✨ Picture this: 👰💍 Daniel Khoury faced a last-minute injury just before his wedding to Liv, almost derailing their big day. But thanks to CBD, Dan made it down the aisle and danced the night away, sparking an idea to challenge the wellness industry. In 2019, they left their law and finance careers (👋 bye, 9-5!) to launch TRIP. Their mission? To create a premium CBD brand that’s effective, beautiful, and rooted in purpose. Fast forward, and TRIP is now the UK’s leading CBD brand, helping thousands find calm and balance. It’s more than just wellness—it’s about building a disruptive brand with purpose and redefining health and wellbeing. Want to learn how they turned wedding woes into wellness WINS? 💪  Join us for an IRL vibes-only night at our October Changemaker event in London, where Dan from TRIP will share his story in person! Sip & chat with founders making BIG moves 💖 💫 Free tickets available, but spots are limited: https://virg.in/4euFge1 Thanks to Virgin Money for making these events free. Swipe to see what else is coming up on Community, including the opportunity to get all your cloud questions answered with a 1:1 call with the UK's only B-Corp certified hosting and cloud provider, Krystal with Ben Oates. #VirginMoney #Changemaker #TRIP #CBD #CBDWellness #MarriedFounders #CouplesToCoFounders #VirginStartUpCommunity #Hosting #Domains

The Virgin StartUp team had a blast at the Start Up Loans Ambassador event last week, celebrating the founders who were selected by the British Business Bank for 2024. Congratulations to George Greer co-founder of Project Harmless, Daniel Levene, co-founder of Two Blues Solar and Natalie Press, founder of Woof The Yorkshire Dog Shop, Oakwood Leeds. We also got to hear from funded founder Lucy Busk (Wright), co-founder of Nice | B Corp™ as a speaker too. Think you've got a business idea that could turn into a reality with some support? Start Up Loans gives you founder friendly funding on your terms to start or grow, with fixed interest rates and no early repayment fees. Early stage founders in the UK can find out more and apply on our website: https://virg.in/3MSk0CJ #SULAmbassador #StartUpLoans #StartUpLoansBacked

🎟️ 🫢 Come with us to a Virgin StartUp Changemaker event at x+why Thanks to our brilliant Changemaker, Olivia Rubin, and our host, Natalie Pearce, for taking us behind the seams of what it's like to build a fashion brand that goes global. A shoutout to our audience for their questions - we hope you enjoyed networking after the talk. Thanks to Virgin Money for making these events free for founders. We can't wait to bring you with us on the next one. Keep your eyes peeled for the next Changemaker - any guesses?