Dan Conlon is the founder of Donhost which he started in 2000. This was one of the most successful web hosting companies at the time, growing at a rapid pace and was eventually acquired by Pipex Communications in 2005.

At this point he took the position of Managing Director before moving on to work on another start up, humyo.com, at the beginning of 2007. He co-founded humyo, a secure online storage facility, with Peter Dubens.

The 27 year old took advantage of the dot com boom early on, building Donhost into a formidable player in the industry. During his time as MD of Pipex, post acquisition, he built up a company with over 1000 employees.

An entrepreneur at heart he moved onto his latest venture humyo. This venture has led to many award nominations and recognition. In the six months before February 2008, the company grew by 510%.

Humyo is privately funded by Dan and his co-founder.

Ok Guys, do you all remember Jessica mah, the young female entrepreneur i interviewed a while ago.

Well, Reports from techcrunch says her company Indinero has just recently raised over $1M
Confirmed investors in the round includes 500 StartUps ‘ Dave McClure, Microsoft’s Fritz Lanman, and YouTube’s Jawed Karim.

Indinero is the Mint for small businesses and is off to a running start as this latest round is set to close between 1 and 1.5 million.

Apparently she has to turn down other investors, i guess it shows the potential of her company, i guess your company must really kick ass to be compared to mint.

We await reports of the closure of the deal, YHP wishes jessica the best!

Adnan started up online selling wristbands on eBay when he was 15. It was then that he figured out the world of online commerce and soon after, he became interested in creating websites.

In February 2006 (aged 16), he started up a website called Blogtrepreneur (www.blogtrepreneur.com). For 2 years, he built the site up and learnt about internet marketing, website monetisation and search engine optimisation.

The site started to make 4 figure profit levels per month and in December 2008; the site was acquired by US Company, YoungEntrepreneur.com Inc.

Soon after in January 2009, he founded Car Throttle (www.carthrottle.com) which is based on his passion for performance cars.

Currently, the site receives over 75,000 page views per month and profitable, and currently have advertising contracts with some of the largest auto insurance companies in the UK.

Perhaps what is the coolest thing is that I have got to review some very sweet cars, including a Lamborghini Gallardo, Porsche 996 Turbo and VW Scirocco! He says

Adnan currently works also with a team of 5 part-time writers based globally who help to contribute to news articles and who also receive press cars from manufacturers due to their relationships with companies such as Ford, Infiniti, Acura, Audi, Nissan and Volkswagen.

Finishing off our discussion he said:

The business was largely grown out of my University room as I am a student at UCL.

Due to my passion for entrepreneurship, I managed to become elected as President of UCL Entrepreneurs. Alongside my committee, I was responsible for growing the Society from 30 to over 150 paying members boosting us into the Top 10 Societies List. We also co-organised the 2010 National Student Enterprise Conference alongside NACUE and UCL Enterprise.

From the kitchen to being globally accepted as a Chocolatier, Louis Barnett aims to take his Chocolate producing company “Chokolit” ethically serious which was launched in 2005.

Louis Barnett is dyslexic, yet it didn’t make him dormant. Academically, life wasn’t a bed of roses as he struggled from being bullied and fitting in within an ordinary school.

Due to his parent’s best interest, he became a home student. In Louis’s case his disappointment became an advantage.

Through home tutoring, Louis Barnett realised his passion for chocolate. Creating chocolate cakes started as his first task, which became a hit within his family and friends that he became a wanted cake baker by many.

His new found love deepened, as he begins to takes his hobby more serious. Due to personal research, he came across how the usage of palm oil affects animal and our planet; this caused him to vow to not use such within his products.

He has been asked to join a restaurant and deli, both offer wasn’t taken as he started his own business at the age of 12. Unknown to him, he became UK’s Youngest Entrepreneur.

At the age of 13, he became Waitrose youngest supplier, at 14 likewise occurred for Sainsbury – once again, he became Selfridge’s supplier at 15.

Also at the age of 15, he was the first person to be sponsored and supported on an “official” training course as Chocolatier Owner, in the academy of Barry Callebaut (World’s major supplier of chocolate products) in Banbury, UK.

Recently he has created a chocolate bar named “Biting Bars TM” which has indirectly sent a message across with the aim to protect wildlife and the environment, which donate 10p to different charities. Many more of his products broadcast awareness of global climate change, animal endangerment and human impact.

Chocolate is tasty, delicious and mouth watering – to top it up, its ethical and created by Louis Barnett – Chokolit is breaking boundaries!

Have you ever been to a Gig? Had fun, right?

Imagine the mess after an Open Field Gig event…James Dunlop put this into consideration and created “Myhab”.

James is the CEO and founder of the company Myhab which began whilst he was a student in University of West Bristol.

It became official in 2008, and started travelling to big gigs and festivals from 2009 onwards.

Myhab as a company is defined as the luxury festival accommodation service. Myhab creates tents at affordable prices for people.

It has also been hired by big companies such as The Big Green Gathering (took place in 2007) and many other novel festival organisers.

Myhab as a tent is a disposable habitat that is aimed to help reduce the unnecessary amount of tents left behind within different functions. It is also aimed to be a reusable/recyclable, luxury accommodation service for festival-goers.

It may look like a beautified cardboard box however, it has two cushion pads for sleeping, a chance to personalise with a name, a locker secure by a pin yet there is also made spaces for two.

Myhab also has a set of trained people as a team, for customers with their personal enquiries within festivals and gigs.

James has now made it possible for all to have fun yet leave limited stress for festival organisers.

Before I discuss the issue at hand, i just wanted to say, either you go to university or not, it doesn’t matter. what matters is understanding the reason why you’re not going or going. .

Each path have their advantages and disadvantages, both path requires a certain level of discipline, dedication, focus and passion.

I guess this article in some way is for those that are considering not going to university or can’t get into their preferred university because of the recent space issues.

I hope I’m able to show you there is no definite answer to either going to university or not, just a choice that seems right to you.

Ok now to the good stuff.

I’m sure most of you have read the article on BBC reporting that at least 150,000 students are set to miss out on a degree level place in university this year, even though students got a record “A-level” results.

With 27% of entries gaining As or A*s, can i also add that students starting this year are likely to graduate with an average debt of nearly £25,000.

Over half a million students have applied to universities in the UK (660,000 according to figures on the BBC website and in 2009 only 482,000 got places in university)

Why the sudden rise?

Huge number of job losses has prompted parents into re-applying for places at university to get additional qualifications, which means competition for the small amount of jobs available.
Nothing else to do, no jobs, why not apply? At least there is money in it! Student loans = Guaranteed money.

What is the point?

This got me thinking, what is the point of going quickly into the lion’s den? When you could just take your time to think if you will really want to go?

I say save you the stress of dropping out? Or screw it, just start a business?

I guess you could see it as a blessing in disguise, if it all doesn’t work out, you could always apply to go back the following year.

Most people that are unsure about what they want, end up going for the first year and then dropping out, this way at least they get a taste of what the hype is all about.

But then again, what is the point of them all going to university to graduate only to keep searching for jobs?

Why not start early? Give yourself a head-start, instead of spending 3-4 years of time getting a degree that could prove irrelevant to the rest of your life, you could actually spend time doing something you love and enjoy.

Unemployment rate is increasing and instead of creating jobs, most people are too busy trying to get all levels of degree and then what? Hang it on the wall and live with your parents.

Rather than creating jobs most are waiting for employment, so why not be of the few creating jobs?
The opportunity to focus on your business without any stress of coursework or exam weighing over your shoulders, you can actually focus on building a great business or product.

Networking and building contacts can also be useful, especially those through conferences and parties.

Should i just go to the university – The perks! Is it really that important to have a university degree with a debt of over £20,000?

By attending university, we all know after turning up half drunk to lectures; the next best thing is making contacts and useful networks during your time at the university, oh yeah, your degree as well.

Ok, i am not trying to put you off going to the university, far from it, as you know i love the university life.
I mean we have countless numbers of entrepreneurs that have also gone to the university, graduated and then gone onto building successful companies, so what are you really missing on Late night parties

• The independent life

• Lectures

• Getting a degree

• Getting drunk

• Building networks and contacts

• Having the time of your life

• Student loan debt

Ok i agree that sounds amazing! I would be pissed off if i was you as well.

So here is it again:

Some 660,000 students have applied to university in the UK.
Overall there are more places on offer this year, but the numbers are capped and universities face fines for over-recruiting. In 2009, 482,000 students got places.

If you didn’t get in, screw it, start a business now!

Emily Olson is the founder of Foodzie, which was launched in December 2008, when she was 24. Foodzie is an online marketplace for artisanal food producers and growers.

She came up with the idea after working at a speciality food store, where she realised the difficulties that these producers had in getting their products into big retailers. Foodzie allows the passionate producers to connect online in an easy and efficient way.

To help here in starting the business she called on Rob LaFave and Nik Bauman, two university friends who had entrepreneurial ambitions.

Emily says “Being in the food business is not as glamorous as it seems, but everyone we work with is doing it because they are very passionate.”

After a year in business Foodzie was working with 250 vendors and was getting hits of 85,000 a month.

Foodzie offers many interesting in not a little odd varieties of food. Some products you are unlikely to find anywhere else, including Gobba Gobba Hey treats (Whoopie Pie-like confections, called “gobs,” made with all-natural ingredients and offered in exotic flavor combinations), and Bacon Jam (No, really it’s actually very good!)

Here is a little video to tell you more!

Michael Simmons is an author, teacher but primarily one of USA’s motivating young entrepreneur.

As an author, he has formed an interesting guide book for present and future entrepreneurs.

His book, “The Student Success Manifesto ” has been highly rated by educators, entrepreneurs, professionals, students, and best-selling authors Mark Victor Hansen and Stephen Covey.

As an entrepreneur he has been decorated with three “Entrepreneur of the year” awards (from different organisation) all under the age of 25.

His first company “Princeton Web Solutions” began whilst he was 16, which provides advice and help to those in need of starting business website. Michael has been rated #1 within the youth-run web development company in the nation by Youngbiz Magazine.

As a teacher, he is highly respected within Extreme Entrepreneurship Education/tour which is co-founded by Michael.

Extreme entrepreneurship education as a tour, aims to educate young adult regarding the world outside their education institution. Michael and his Partner, Sheena Lindahl (likeminded smart entrepreneur) has been the first pair to ever create a tour that teaches students about entrepreneurship.

Michael and many other speakers go from colleges and university within USA in order to present and states Extreme Entrepreneurship Goal. USA isn’t their limit; they aim to take over the world.

Michael Mothner started working on Wpromote, a search engine optimization (SEO) company, in 2001, but he didn’t really fully take it on till 2004 after an infamous interview for a position at Goldman Sachs in New York.

When the MD of Goldman asked Michael about Wpromote, Mr Mothner replied he had had some success with the company in which he had started. To this the interviewer said, “So why, with this success, do you want to join Goldman?”

At this point Michael stood up and said, “You know what? You’re right. I don’t think this job is right for me.’”

This was the beginning of a journey that would lead Michael to being owner of a company that is on target to registered $12million in sales this year.

His decision to walk out on that interview obviously paid dividends. He could have easily settled for a comfortable desk job at the highly prestigious Goldman Sachs, but that would have been boring now, wouldn’t it?

Wpromote has grown rapidly since 2004 when sales were $500,000. In 2007 sales had increased to $6.2 million and they are hoping to rake in double that figure by the end of 2010.

Even after the economy went south, Mothner continued forward like a steam train, vowing to run the company as he would if he will own it forever.

Fraser Doherty is the founder of Super Jam. It all started when he was 14 and his ‘Gran,’ as he calls her, taught him to make jam.

The young Scot decided to commercialise the product in 2006. He did the research and found that jam markets had declined as there were no healthy jams on the market. He decided to engineer his own healthy jam based on his grandmother’s recipe but without the added sugar.

This kitchen to grocery shop shelves story is one of super determination (see what I did there).

Doherty’s in, came when he met a buyer for Waitrose. He pitched his idea and they were impressed, so with this encouragement he went and got a factory that was willing to do business with him.

Being of such a young age and having limited funds, people were reluctant to do business with him, but he never gave up. He hired an ad firm to design the labels, and they came up with a superhero theme.

Fraser returned to Waitrose, product in hand only to be turned down. “They thought the labels were silly, the factory I chose was too expensive, and they didn’t like the flavours,” he recalls.

He is a resilient lad and so he went home found a cheaper factory that was willing to do business with him, even putting up £100,000 in working capital to buy initial stock. He also got the ad firm to re-brand the product with a more professional and homely look.

On his return to Waitrose, he received a more positive response and they decided to launch the product in their Edinburgh branch.

This was a great success for Waitrose who sold 1,500 jars of jam in a day, which is even more than they would usually sell in a month.

Super Jam currently sells to over 1,000 supermarkets in the UK including Tesco and Asda and 2009’s revenue was $1.2million.

He is a refreshing change to the conveyor belt of online entrepreneurs, as the younger generation ditch traditional methods to embrace new technologies.

Thanks Gran!