Richard Reed co-founded Innocent Drinks with two friends in 1998. The company - which prides itself on acting responsibly - has grown quickly and now has a turnover of £76 million.
Saira Khan was runner-up in the first series of The Apprentice. She has since used her larger-than-life personality to inspire and encourage budding young entrepreneurs in her role as presenter of the CBBC show Beat the Boss.
Actress Tamzin Outhwaite cut her teeth in West End musicals, but her passion and determination led her to win roles that gave her national exposure in the likes of EastEnders, soldier drama Red Cap and Vital Signs, where she plays a mum of three.
In 2005, Sir Alan Sugar selected former London Underground employee Tim Campbell as his first 'apprentice'. Tim has since left Amstrad and founded The Bright Ideas Trust which supports young entrepreneurs.
Linzi Stoppard is an electric violinist who pushes the boundaries of musical convention with her passionate, live sets of rock, chill, dance and contemporary melodies.
Inspiring Story: Koopa
Koopa made chart history by becoming the first unsigned act to enter the UK top 40.
In summer 2007 Coventry-based band The Enemy hit the number one spot in the album charts with their debut album, We'll Live and Die in These Towns.
Jake Maskall is an actor whose recent parts included Danny Moon in EastEnders and the starring role in Christopher Marlowe's Mephistopheles.
Sarah Beeny self-trained in the building industry, and set up her own property development company at the age of 24 with her brother and boyfriend.
Jacqueline Gold, Chief Executive of Ann Summers and Knickerbox is one of Britain's most charismatic and successful businesswomen and an inspiration to thousands of women.
Ruth Badger was runner-up in the second series of The Apprentice. Here she tells us how she's made her mark in business.
Rebecca founded UR-In The Paper in 2005 when she was a student of English and History of Art. She won the People’s Choice Award at the Enterprising Young Brits Competition in November 2006.
Lisa, Helen and Janet Tse are the three Chinese sisters behind Manchester’s innovative bar and eaterie, Sweet Mandarin and Helen is author of a book of the same name.
In 2004 Jennifer Irvine launched a home-delivered meals service tailored to meet client’s individual dietary requirements and preferences: The Pure Package.
Clare is a playwright, poet and stand-up comedian. She founded Open the Door Theatre In Education by accident during the summer of 2003.
Motivated by her desire to move out of the dog-eat-dog world of investment banking and inspired by her own negative experiences of the building trade, Kerrie decided to take the plunge and set up her own property maintenance company, A Woman’s Touch.
Emily Cummins is a serial ethical inventor and entrepreneur. Her latest invention is a solar-powered fridge that she developed on her self-funded gap year in Africa.
Lucy Martin lives in Wimbledon with her husband and three children. She left her career in a City law firm to set up her own childcare agency - Gina’s Nannies.
Farzana Baduel was still a student when she set up a service to help people reclaim their tax. taxClaim has since gone from strength to strength.
Lisa Newton started her bookkeeping service Boogles in May 2004 - the same month she graduated from City University, London. She's never had a full time 9 to 5 in her life.
