A former technology marketer at Sky and T-Mobile, James Bagley says his move into the wine trade was a revelation. “Arriving at Naked Wines and seeing the effect of a culture that empowers people and takes pride in doing things differently was my light-bulb moment,” he says. The business launched during the recession in 2008 and Bagley says innovation was key for it to succeed against established companies. “Six years on, we have managed to turn an age-old business on its head – creating a unique, disruptive business model that has revolutionised the way that wine is sold,” he claims. “It takes courage to embrace a culture of innovation and continuous improvement‚ but it still very much forms the backbone of our strategy.” Serving customers goes beyond just selling wine though. Last year, the business brought together its customers and winemakers to raise £60,000 in one afternoon to launch  a soup kitchen in South Africa, which he marks as his proudest moment. “This wasn’t just about selling wine, it was about responding to the plight of one of our winemakers and doing what  we could to help. That kind of thing marks the virtuous circle that exists between us, our suppliers, and our customers.”