Margaret Manning, Reading Room
'My world completely changed when I made Courvoisier The Future 500 media top 50,' says Margaret Manning, CEO of digital communications agency Reading Room, 'and I'm sure my inclusion was a contributing factor to the amazing year I've had.'
Indeed, over the past 12 months Manning has been showered with acclaim. Named female entrepreneur of the year at the 2008 Fast Growth business awards, she was also voted first woman in science and technology and named as a finalist in the National Business Awards for entrepreneur of the year. Manning was elected a women of achievement ambassador by the Lloyds TSB Inspirational Women Association and invited to judge the international entrepreneur of the year, by the Prince's Youth Business International charity.
Manning says Courvoisier The Future 500 network itself has enhanced her business. 'Digital communication is what we do, so I've been fascinated by the growth of The Future 500. It's one of the most active groups I've come across and is a broad and interesting group of people.
A team builds the community by leading discussions and emailing news, opportunities and events. We've just received tickets to a Francis Bacon exhibition at Tate Modern, for example. I'm involved in a campaign to protect Bacon's old members' club in Soho, so there's a great deal of crossover.'
Reflecting on her successful year, Manning pinpoints Courvoisier's The Future 500 as the starting point. 'I'm not sure if it was prophetic or causative,' she admits, 'but every successful business needs its first taste of recognition. Mine was Courvoisier The Future 500.'
Emma Courtney, Courtney Consulting
Being included in Courvoisier The Future 500 last year gave Emma Courtney the confidence to set up her own business. 'I think I made it into the 500 last year because I was a CEO at the age of 29, but it meant a great deal personally to be recognised.
'I've always been a people person,' Courtney explains 'and I was motivated by working with clients. As CEO, I missed direct client contact and so I left ABL Cultural Consulting to establish my own consultancy.'
Courtney is also at the research stage of writing her own book on commercial marketing in the cultural sector and has made contact with Ian Sanders about the process: 'Ian wrote Ditch Your Job, Start Your Own Business & Set Yourself Free and was included in Courvoisier The Future 500 Business category last year. Ian saw my profile on the network and suggested we meet up. That sort of proactive and "in it together" approach has been fantastic and everyone I've met via the network has been friendly and keen to help.'
Courtney says she is hugely enjoying the creative clients she gets to help and is looking forward to using Courvoisier The Future 500 network moving forward: 'It's hard to engage people in the 20-30 age group when it comes to art and culture, but Courvoisier The Future 500 network lets me tap into a fantastic group of people and bounce ideas off them.'
Matt McNeill, Sign-Up.to marketing
Since joining Courvoisier The Future 500 Matt McNeill's permission marketing software company, Sign-Up.to, has doubled its revenues and moved to bigger premises to accommodate an increasing team of staff. McNeill has also signed a host of big name clients, including Kia Motors, Siemens and the Economist.
'We've expanded our services to provide additional consultancy, with one of our key new clients being the artist Seal,' McNeill reveals. 'We're managing his online marketing globally.'
McNeill's electronic ticketing company, eTickets.to, has also expanded. Named innovative startup of the year at the 2007 Startups awards, eTickets.to provides ticketing solutions for large and small events around the world, including Exit festival in Serbia and Rhythm and Vines festival in New Zealand.
McNeill says that being selected as a member of Courvoisier The Future 500 has helped to raise the profile and credibility of his group of companies over the past 12 months. 'Networking with other members has been really useful, for both advice and contacts,' he says. 'We've worked with fellow Future 500 member Trusted Places, which has a similar client base to us, but sharing ideas with any of the like-minded people we meet through Courvoisier The Future 500 network is invaluable.'
Deborah Barnett, Essential Escapes
Deborah Barnett says that joining Courvoisier The Future 500 transformed her luxury spa travel business into a credible company. 'We recently completed an investment deal for £240k from the Capital Fund and a private corporate financier, both of whom had seen our entry in Courvoisier The Future 500 last year. This was hugely exciting for us as we are expanding the business and growing at a much faster rate than before.'
Since joining Courvoisier The Future 500 Barnett has launched a new marketing department and expanded her staff base to nine. The company, which she runs with her sister, has also added a new brand to its portfolio with Tots Too, the family division for luxury spa holidays. Barnett says Tots Too is proving so popular that it has already overtaken the Essential Escapes brand.
'Courvoisier The Future 500 raised our profile nationally,' Barnett claims, 'and I consider networking events to be crucial to business. I've been to a few of the Future 500 evening events and they have been beneficial. I haven't identified any direct business opportunities yet, but am looking forward to meeting the new members and identifying any potential working relationships.'
Justin Cooke, Fortune Cookie
'Being selected as a member of Courvoisier The Future 500 is an accolade of which I am very proud,' says Justin Cooke of digital agency Fortune Cookie. 'Without doubt, being considered one of the 500 leading talents in the UK has reinforced the perception of Fortune Cookie as a world-class digital agency and contributed towards what has been a truly phenomenal year.'
In the past 12 months, Fortune Cookie bought out its venture capital investor to become independent again. The agency, which is introducing a 'pay on results' structure for its clients, has been nominated for over 28 design awards, including .Net magazine's best agency. It has grown by 58% in size and revenue and won global web projects for major names including Prudential, CBS and Oxfam. Cooke says he would like to move his business into emerging markets and aims to increase Fortune Cookie's presence in China and the Middle East.
'Entrepreneurs are often lacking support,' says Cooke, 'Courvoisier The Future 500 fills that gap. It's a network without borders and no matter where I am in the world, I can stay in touch with its members. In today's global, networked community we are surrounded by opportunities and Courvoisier The Future 500 is a gateway to this world.'
Ian & Denise Bell, Heritage Prime Food
Biodynamic farmers Ian and Denise Bell are pioneers. At the cutting edge of agriculture, they were recognised by Courvoisier The Future 500 for their determination to make changes for livestock, customers and farmers. 'We're leading the way in biodynamic food production,' says Denise Bell. 'As an authority in biodynamic production we're setting up an educational centre for farmers, growers and the general public. We're also establishing a biodynamic cookery school and food processing.'
They're supporting biodynamic farmers and producers in creating a greater awareness of biodynamics, highlighting the wonderful benefits of supporting such methods and prioritising quality food.
Since being included in Courvoisier The Future 500 the couple has helped to organise food events to raise awareness, including Biodynamic Food Fortnight, London's first such event, with biodynamic menus featuring Heritage Prime at Roast, Le Gavroche and Cafe Spice Namaste in London, the Picture House in Bristol and the Coach and Horses in South Petherton.
Customers were calling in advance to ensure their meat was on the menu. The meat is also available for home purchase (heritageprime.co.uk, 01308 482688).
Spurred on by their Courvoisier The Future 500 nomination, they negotiated with Harvey Nichols' food hall to showcase biodynamic food from producers nationwide and are planning to introduce their peers to 'earnestly British meats of rare quality' at a Courvoisier The Future 500 drinks evening at Harvey Nichols.
'After 17 years of pioneering work,' Ian Bell says, 'the principal benefits of Courvoisier The Future 500 have come from the recognition and emphasis that has been given to our radical farming method. Our expertise in this field has been acknowledged as a principle means of securing a truly sustainable food supply, offering a solution to the problems that face the planet today.'
Tom Pakenham, greentomatocars
'Courvoisier The Future 500 has worked for us in three ways,' says Tom Pakenham, co-founder of eco-friendly private car hire service, greentomatocars. 'The recognition was a big confidence booster for starters. Then there's the impact on sales. We have a feedback form that we send out to new customers, which includes boxes to tick showing how they heard about us: a number of customers saw last year's supplement in The Observer. We've also had interest from several journalists as a result of the press coverage.
'Finally, we've benefited from the network itself. We're very interested in what other members are doing and log in on a regular basis. We're looking forward to finding out about this year's members.'
As well as enjoying Courvoisier The Future 500, Pakenham and his business partner Jonny Goldstone have launched greentomatocars in Sydney, invested in the world's first plug-in hybrid taxi, started a profit share scheme for their drivers and office staff, and are currently promoting their greentomatokit: a low-cost, high-impact, energy, water and waste-saving kit for the home (greentomato.org).
Jason Graham, belowzero and Absolut Icebar
'When the producers of the BBC's The Last Millionaire needed contestants, they looked to Courvoisier The Future 500,' says Jason Graham, a founder director of the innovative belowzero and Absolut Icebar in Mayfair, host to the UK's first permanent ice bar where everything, including your cocktail glass, is made of ice. 'The BBC wanted to find the UK's most successful entrepreneurs, and Courvoisier The Future 500 is a directory of them.'
The six-part show, which kicked off in November, sees 12 young entrepreneurs put into pairs and sent to a different foreign city each week. They are given five working days in each city to make as much profit as they can from an initial €50. 'The show is made by the same production team as Dragons' Den and The Apprentice, and is one of the most amazing challenges I've ever taken on,' Graham explains, 'and I met 11 incredible people along the way.'
Away from the spotlight, Graham says belowzero and Absolut Icebar is forging ahead, contrary to the bad tidings of the credit crunch. He plans to open more bars and is starting a consultancy for boutique hotels.
Marco Puig, Director
Director Marco Puig wonders if 'Courvoisier karma' may be responsible for his incredible year. 'Having featured in Courvoisier The Future 500,' he recalls, 'Amarillo Films, the production company I'm represented by, confidently backed my short film Yes. The film is a werewolf musical love story starring Earl Carpenter, who was the Phantom of the Opera for three years. The film was nominated for best newcomer in the Soho Rushes festival.'
Puig also won a job directing The Kooks' video for single 'Sway.' 'Everyone loves the electrifying performance we got from lead singer Luke Pritchard,' says Puig. 'I'd just completed lessons in method acting so that I could relate to actors and get performances from singers on a totally different level than usual.'
Puig says his production design work is also developing and jobs have included an HSBC TV ad in Mexico during which Puig lived out a childhood dream by working with a troupe of monkeys, trained for the commercial.
'Exposure from Courvoisier The Future 500 has helped,' Puig says. 'As well as boosting my production work, I'm also collaborating with Rebecca Manley on a film night, which should be another great experience.'
Rebecca Manley, Slinky Pictures
During a busy year, animation director Rebecca Manley has directed an animated title sequence for BBC family drama Summerhill, made models for E4 Music's rebrand, landed two commercial spots for Starbucks, co-directed short film Breaking the Mould, with Luca Paulli, and created animated content for the release of Snow Patrol's latest album, A Hundred Million Suns.
Manley says she has 'really enjoyed being part of Courvoisier The Future 500 and met many friendly and talented people through the network'. She has also attended social events including the first Beachdown festival on the South Downs.
Manley is putting together the first Courvoisier The Future 500 screening evening, where she hopes to show five films, including Breaking the Mould, to encourage filmmakers and industry professionals to discuss future projects. Manley says: 'I'm very excited about the future of the Courvoisier The Future 500 network and look forward to my continued involvement in the project.'
