By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs
Series: 15-18
Notable investments:
- Thortful
- War Paint
- T Plus Drinks
Tej Lalvani is the CEO of Vitabiotics (you might recognise Wellwoman, Perfectil and Pregnacare). He took over the company from his father Katar Lalvani 20 years ago and now it turns over £300m annually. It was founded by Kartar in 1971 and he’s stayed on as the firm’s chairman.
His first job was in McDonalds and, after studying pharmaceuticals in London, Germany and India, Tej took on every role in his father’s pharmaceutical firm. His first role as a junior was driving forklift trucks in the warehouse.
He joined Dragons’ Den in 2017 and was described as a ‘shrewdest’ and ‘coolest’ entrepreneur by the BBC’s commissioning editor for entertainment. The broadcaster says that Tej invested £1,897,666 while he was in the Den. He teamed up with Jenny Campbell in 2018 to invest in Look After My Bills, an energy saving provider which does your switching for you. They took just 3 per cent equity from the firm in exchange for £120,000. The firm then sold to GoCompare in 2019.
The latest to leave the Den, Tej is focusing on his own business ventures and the growth of Vitabiotics, his core company. He wants to make it the largest specialist vitamin company in the world.
Tej supports a number of charities through Vitabiotics:
- Battersea
- International Health Partnership (IHP)
- ZSL London Zoo
- Bliss
- Diana Award
- Wellbeing of Women (WoW)
- University of Westminster, School of Integrated Health
- Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS)
With a passion for music, he also composes music for keyboard, drums and guitar.
The post Tej Lalvani appeared first on Small Business UK.
via https://www.aiupnow.com
Anna Jordan, Khareem Sudlow
