Virgin StartUp

Virgin. Gymshark. SheerLuxe. Slazenger. What makes a brand go from unknown to remembered by thousands? How do you earn attention, build community, and stay relevant? This National Mentoring Day, we’re bringing together some of the people who’ve helped build, grow, and reinvent these brands to talk about exactly that. 🤝 Join us at Virgin HQ for Building a Brand People Remember - an afternoon of honest stories, practical brand and marketing advice, and ideas you can take straight back to your own business. 👉 In the first session, Sam Kelly, Chief Experience Officer at @Virgin will be joined by Georgie Coleridge Cole, Founder and CEO of SheerLuxe, and Steve Hewitt former CEO of Gymshark, to talk brand, culture, trust and scale. 👉 Then we’ll turn to creativity and reinvention with Alexei Hamblin, Creative Director at Slazenger exploring how you make a 140-year-old brand culturally relevant to a new generation - without losing what made it special in the first place. Building a brand you want people to remember? Get yourself in the room. 📆 Tuesday 27 October ⏰ Doors open at 11.30, event runs 12-4pm 📍 Virgin HQ, London 🎟️ Secure your ticket through the comments or head to our site. pssst. there's a limited number of early bird tickets if you're quick! #Startups #Branding #Networking #StartupEvents #Mentoring

How much money do you actually need to start a business? 🤔💸 Before you start looking for funding, there’s a more important question to answer: how much will it actually cost to get your business off the ground? There’s no universal number. A consultant working from home will have very different startup costs from someone launching a product, opening a café or building a tech business. A lot of startups mistakenly start with a number, then work out how they'd spend it. But the best thing to do is to calculate your costs, to then arrive at your number. We've pulled together a guide to help you calculate your startup costs, including examples of one-off costs vs ongoing expenses, the importance of working capital, and potential funding options. 👉 https://lnkd.in/e7yR7XVb Let us know if you find it helpful! #StartupFunding #Startups #BusinessAdvice #StartupUK #SmallBusiness

Virgin StartUp is calling on ministers across Westminster to help widen access to entrepreneurship, as new research reveals a stark divide in who feels able to start and grow a business in the UK. The latest findings from Virgin StartUp’s Founder Barometer report show that two thirds (67%) of founders from lower socio-economic backgrounds feel unsupported by the government, compared with just one third (33%) of founders from upper-middle socio-economic backgrounds. That lack of support comes alongside greater mental health pressure on founders from lower socio-economic backgrounds. While one in three (33%) founders overall report worsening mental health – up from 18% this time last year – the figure rises to 43% among founders from lower socio-economic backgrounds, compared with just 15% of those from higher socio-economic backgrounds. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eK3chEq7 #StartupsMagazine #Entrepreneurship #VirginStartUp #Startups

We asked 1,000 founders about the reality of building a business in Britain today. Our 2026 Founder Barometer uncovered some striking contrasts. 65% of founders are now using AI. But adoption rises to 89% among founders from higher socio-economic backgrounds, compared with 57% among those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. The confidence gap is just as stark: 70% versus just 27% for working-class founders. Then there’s the 59% who don’t believe the government listens to small business owners at all. These aren’t just percentages. They tell us something about who feels heard, who feels confident, and who has access to the tools shaping the future of business. Want the full picture? Comment “Founder Barometer” and we’ll send you the full report. #UKFounders #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #StartupUK

Ancient + Brave | B Corp has a highly distinctive and recognisable brand that helps it to stand out in an increasingly competitive market. We asked the founder Kate Prince all about that branding journey and she shared the intricate details. A lot of startup advice will tell you to not overthink the brand, especially in the beginning - but Kate did the opposite. She admits to over thinking every aspect, from the name to the graphics on the packaging. From there, it's continued to evolve into the brand that it is today. How have you approached your startup's branding? Share below!

You've got the products, now how do you find the customers? For Ancient + Brave | B Corp once they had established their early customer base, one of the most effective ways for growing their brand was by sending their products to people who aligned with their values. Kate Prince, the founder of Ancient + Brave, recalls how game-changing it was when Davina McCall shared on her own page just how much she loved their collagen product. It's not a certainty that anyone will share it, and you do have to have patience. But when it works, it works. Have you tried 'gifting' before? How did it go for you? Share your experiences with us below!

Do you ever feel like you can't launch that business, because you don't want to be the face of the brand? Take it from Kate Prince - the founder of Ancient + Brave | B Corp - you don't have to. You may not recognise Kate, but there's a strong chance you'll recognise Ancient + Brave. Kate didn't want to make herself the face of the brand as a personal choice. She'd much rather be behind the camera than in front of it. And, as the brand turned over £20 million last year, attracting ambassadors like Davina McCall - it's safe to say it's worked! What are your thoughts on founder-led brands and being the face? We'd love to hear your take 👇

How do you become the leader your business needs? Build a culture people want to be part of? Stay visible when self-doubt creeps in? And turn the purpose behind your business into real commercial value? This September, we’re welcoming someone who knows a thing or two about all four. Meet Lauren Currie OBE, six-time founder and Founder & CEO of UPFRONT on the Changemakers stage. Lauren has been an entrepreneur for 17 years, building businesses, brands and movements along the way. Today, UPFRONT works with organisations including Nike, Just Eat Takeaway, the Ministry of Defence, British Red Cross and Pleo, and has supported more than 17,000 leaders across 50+ countries. But Lauren’s experience goes far beyond building her own businesses. She spent seven years as Chairwoman of Pregnant Then Screwed, has advised senior leadership teams across the public and private sectors, written the bestselling Be UPFRONT: 24 Rules for Life Changing Confidence, and received an OBE for services to design and diversity. Her superpower? Turning purpose into commercial value. This one’s for founders: • Learning how to lead as their business grows • Building a strong culture alongside commercial success • Looking to turn purpose into tangible business value • Working on the confidence, visibility and influence that comes with being a founder Join us for an honest conversation about leadership, ambition, purpose and creating change, from someone with 17 years of entrepreneurship behind her. 📅 Wednesday 16 September | Virgin HQ 💬 Live fireside chat + community networking 🎟️ Tickets are free, grab yours through our link in bio #NetworkingEvents #FounderEvents #FounderCommunity #StartUps #Entrepreneurship

What’s coming up inside the Virgin StartUp Community this September 👀 From 1:1 mentoring and founder conversations to practical sessions on funding and AI, there’s plenty happening this month 👇 📅 16 September - Mentor Drop-In with James Eder, Co-founder of Student Beans (now Pion) (premium members) Get 1:1 support from the entrepreneur, coach and author of The Collision Code, drawing on more than 20 years of leadership experience. 📅 16 September - Changemakers with Lauren Currie OBE, Founder and CEO UPFRONT Join the six-time founder and bestselling author at Virgin HQ for an honest conversation about leadership, ambition, purpose and creating change. 📅 22 September - Ask Me Anything with James Eder (premium members) Missed the 1-1 mentoring? Bring your questions on entrepreneurship, leadership, confidence and creating opportunities to this live group mentoring session. 📅 29 September - Ask Me Anything with Tom Gozney Founder & CEO of Gozney (premium members) Ask Tom about building a category-defining global brand, product innovation, entrepreneurship and scaling a business. 📅 30 September - Mentor Office Hours with Alfred Wong, D.Phil., Scale-Up & Product Strategist (premium members) Tap into 30+ years of experience across FMCG, product development, supply chains and taking products from prototype to commercial scale. 📅 8 September - How to Fund Your Startup Bring your funding questions to the Virgin StartUp team and learn more about Start Up Loans, eligibility and whether one could be right for you. 💛 The Virgin StartUp Community is more than events. It’s a place to ask questions, find support, build relationships and keep moving your business forward. Join for free, or upgrade to Premium for exclusive mentoring, expert events and deeper founder support. (linked in comments) #startups #ukstartups #smallbusiness

What advice does the founder and CEO of Ancient + Brave | B Corp have for new founders? Was there a point that she almost gave up? What does purpose-led mean for them? If you're building a brand from your kitchen table right now, just know that Kate Prince, the founder of Ancient + Brave was there once too. She felt the imposter syndrome, she wanted to give up at times. This is your sign to keep going.