Forbes today released it’s fifth annual edition of its “30 Under 30 Europe” list - featuring 300 young visionaries boldly redefining ten industries across 32 European countries. The list highlights young disruptors, visionaries and rising stars from across Europe, who are transforming industries and setting a new agenda. The list includes 30 honorees in each of the 10 categories; all aged under 30 years old - Sheffield-based young creative entrepreneur Lucy Arnold was ecstatic to find out today that she had been featured in the retail ecommerce category - reinventing how we shop, online and off.
Multi-awarding winning Lucy Arnold, 29 is the Founder and CEO of Lucy Locket Loves an active wear brand that promotes being happy, health and strong.
Lucy set up Lucy Locket Loves in April 2018 and her brand has continually grown in popularity, she now employs a team, has a huge social media following of over 100,000 fans, has just relocated to a new site in Sharrow, Sheffield, South Yorkshire and had an impressive turnover of over £2.9m in 2019 (this converts to $3.2m USD) – all in just two years! Given this, it is clear to see why Forbes have chosen to name Lucy Arnold in the Forbes fifth annual 30 Under 30 Europe.
Among those featured on this year’s list are: Greta Thunberg, Celeste Waite, Michael Ward, Tom Daley, Cara Delevingne, Lewis Capaldi and youngest on the list 11 year old Team GB Skateboarder Sky Brown…
Forbes state on their website that their “fifth annual Under 30 Europe list delivers a much needed dose of positivity… highlighting the young visionary leaders brashly reinventing business and society. One theme unites them all: a deep connection to the planet we all share. From a Finnish duo turning used coffee beans into footwear to a Dutch team designing solar powered cars, the ingenuity and creativity Europe’s young entrepreneurs shows that the best is yet to come. This year’s list is the result of thousands of international nominations, months of investigative reporting and the seal of approval from our panel of expert judges. The result: 300 young visionaries boldly redefining ten industries across 32 European countries.”
From an early age Lucy Arnold had an entrepreneurial streak. At 14, she used to make earrings, selling them to her friends. At 17, she would trawl through charity shops and eBay for gems. Since then, she has had three successful businesses which have led her to where she is today.
Lucy said; “There are no words to describe how incredibly happy I am - I am absolutely delighted to have been featured in this years prestigious Forbes “30 under 30 Europe” I am honoured - The past two years have been a whirlwind and I feel so lucky and beyond blessed to have built up such as a well-received brand and products.
“I’m getting better, but like many – I have tough days where I really struggle to recognise my own achievements and winning something like this will really help build my business confidence and remind me that I have built something great. I have not only built a profitable business, but a community where women feel safe and included and that’s better than the pay cheque.”
“I couldn’t have done this without the incredible support of my partners, parents – who both work with me – and the team. But, most importantly, we couldn’t have had any of this amazing success and recognition without our amazing Locketeers - our customers, fans and followers.”
Previously a personal trainer based in Sheffield, Lucy didn’t plan on setting up another business, but a sports injury left her unable to work full-time running a gym and training clients. On packing away her sportswear, she noticed that all the designs were quite plain and bland - this was when the idea for Lucy Locket Loves was born... a fitness clothing brand that is fun, stylish and eye-catching, whilst also being comfortable, affordable and accessible - Lucy promotes body positivity and her active wear range is suitable for everybody offering size 6 to size 26 which makes her stand out in a market offering such a limited size range.
Lucy wanted her leisure and fitness brand to reflect her own positive outlook on life – and her products do just that! Full of colourful, funky patterns and fun designs. Lucy champions the power of positivity “When life is bad, it’s insufferable; when life is great, it is rapturous. And you’re going to experience both, if you’re paying attention. Happiness and un-happiness are mandatory feelings. It’s impossible to have one with the other. There has never been a person who has only felt happiness; we are not Care Bears. But sometimes this is easy to forget.”
Lucy is a shining light for many – a cheerleader – She has amassed a large, loyal social media following, where she shares her personal and business journey. These global platforms are something she says keeps her motivated and helps her through the good and bad days. She engages personally with her followers about the business and documents her journey through anxiety and stress, along with her experiences of being the owner of a rapidly expanding business. In turn, her online community share how much her openness helps them, and that transparency has built a genuine connection with her customers.
She is also regularly seen on the sidelines at sporting events, local park runs and marathons across the country with team locket - cheering on the Locketeers!
The transformation has been swift, and Lucy is rightly proud of her accomplishments, reiterating that she still is overwhelmed with emotion and pride when she sees someone out on a run and wearing a pair of her leggings.
