Trailblazers often leave a wake of critics as they blaze forward with determination; they are bucking trends, shaking things up, doing things differently and that’s bound to upset the crowd.  What is key to the success of these entrepreneurs is their ability to take so many of us with them on the journey; their ability to engage us in their dream, their vision.  To leave the critics behind, mumbling to themselves that “it will never work” as the rest of us encourage and enthuse and hang on every word.

Blazing a trail can be a lonely path and creating a loyal following, or a Tribe, makes it a less daunting prospect.  Establishing people around you who don’t just ride your coat-tails, or soak up your glory, but who want to carry the compass, share the load, endure the ups and downs with you – this has been key to all the names on the list.  They all speak of the people “I could not have done it without” the shoulders they’ve leaned on, the strong resolves they’ve counted on.

It is good to see three women in the top ten, women who’ve made a mark on our world and each blazing a trail whilst making a difference and a fortune.  What sacrifices they have made to achieve this success we can only guess at (and our Press often do) and how lonely must their journeys have been?  In a “man’s world” women are certainly trailblazing and I believe the idea of five women in the top ten is not far away.

So what inspiration can we take from this list of entrepreneurs, these trailblazers?  If we take time to read their stories, look at their business values, the way they work with the people around them, I believe we can learn a great deal about business and about ourselves.  Trailblazing is a choice; a choice to rise above your critics, to seek out the best people around you, to embrace your dreams and forge forward despite all the odds.  Trailblazing is not always about wealth or business success, but it is always about doing it differently, standing out from the crowd.  In the words of R.W. Emmerson “Go not where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”.

Smarta survey of Small Business Owners :
The full list of the 60 most inspirational entrepreneurs of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee:

1.   Sir Richard Branson – Virgin
2.   James Dyson – Dyson
3.   Lord Alan Sugar – Amshold Group, Apprentice
4.   Dame Anita Roddick- The Bodyshop
5.   Nick Robertson – ASOS
6.   Martha Lane Fox – Lastminute.com, Lucky Voice
7.   Karan Bilimoria – Cobra Lager
8.   John Bird – The Big Issue
9.   Sir Martin Sorrell – WPP Group
10. Michelle Mone – Ultimo
11. Sir Tim Berners-Lee – Inventor of the World Wide Web
12. Mike Lynch – Autonomy
13. Simon Cowell – Syco
14. James Caan – Alexander Mann Group, Dragons’ Den, Hamilton Bradshaw
15. Duncan Bannatyne – Bannatyne Group, Dragons’ Den
16. Hilary Devey – The Pall-Ex Group, Dragons’ Den
17. Peter Jones – Phones International, Dragons’ Den
18. Deborah Meaden – Dragons’ Den and various investments
19. Tim Smit – The Eden Project
20. Richard Reed – Innocent Drinks
21. Bernie Ecclestone – F1
22. Charles Dunstone – Carphone Warehouse
23. Brent Hoberman – Lastminute.com, Mydeco.com
24. Mike Ashley – Sports Direct
25. Jamie Oliver – Jamie’s Italian
26. Johnnie Boden – Boden
27. Sir Terence Conran – Designer, Restaurateur
28. Steve Pankhurst- Friends Reunited
29. Sir Clive Sinclair – Sinclair Radionics, Sinclair Vehicles
30. Cath Kidston – Cath Kidston
31. Theo Paphitis – Ryman, Boux Avenue, Dragons’ Den
32. Michael Acton Smith – Moshi Monsters, Firebox.com, MindCandy
33. Michael Birch- Bebo
34. Hayley Parsons – GoCompare
35. John Timpson – Timpson
36. Dame Vivienne Westwood – fashion designer
37. Sarah Beeny – Mysinglefriend.com, Tepilo
38. Jacqueline Gold – Ann Summers, Knickerbox
39. Peter Cullum – Towergate
40. Dame Mary Perkins – Specsavers
41. Sir Philip Green – Arcadia Group
42. Sir Tom Farmer – Kwik-Fit
43. Charles Saatchi – Saatchi and Saatchi
44. Kanya King- MOBO Awards
45. Anthony Bamford – JCB
46. John Caudwell – Phones 4U
47. Chrissie Rucker – The White Company
48. Simon Fuller – XIX Entertainment
49. Toni Mascolo – Toni and Guy
50. Sir Tom Hunter- Sports Division, West Coast Capital
51. Simon Woodroffe – YO! Sushi
52. Julian Dunkerton – Supergroup
53. Sir Gulam Noon – Noon Products
54. Peter Boizot – Pizza Express
55. Delia Smith – Author, Chef, TV presenter
56. Linda Bennett – LK Bennett
57. Mike Clare – Dreams
58. Simon Nixon- Moneysupermarket.com
59. Charlie Mullins – Pimlico Plumbers
60. Stelios Haji-Ioannou – EasyJet