There are some people who have a few momentary flashes of brilliance and then there are those who seem to bask in the eternal glow of the light bulb floating overhead. Here are a few noteworthy individuals that are making big waves.

Dale Partridge

This entrepreneur and socially conscious maven of optimism is changing the freelance world by promoting and practicing transparency in all things. He even prominently posts his monthly earning on his site for all to see.

One of his holdings, Sevenly, is a charitable outreach that picks a noble cause every week and then donates $7 dollars of every product they sell to the cause for the entire week. Partridge built this platform on the idea that people matter more than business and it is this philosophy that permeates throughout all his ventures.

Sir Richard Branson

Probably the most commonly known name on the list, Branson is the founder of the Virgin Group. The billionaire’s entrepreneurial streak hit young when at the age of 16 he started a magazine called Student. In 1970 he established a mail-order record business that morphed into Virgin Megastores and eventually the Virgin Group.

The Virgin conglomerate now encompasses everything from investment to space travel.

Tom Whittaker

Tom Whittaker was the first disabled person to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Since this accomplishment he has set a goal of scaling the tallest peaks on every continent. Whittaker’s clear and determined mindset has sparked speaking engagements around the world. He promotes the vision that the mind is more powerful than the body and battles to raise awareness of people with disabilities.

Sahar Hashemi

Sahar started her professional life as a lawyer and was soon disillusioned. After opening a coffee bar in the UK with her brother she learned the value of the entrepreneurial spirit. Since then Coffee Republic has gained recognition across the Isles as a premiere coffee and snacks spot. Hashemi also founded the Skinny Candy line which produces delicious candies with a fraction of the standard calories and fat.

Her focus now is on instilling the entrepreneurial spirit into all levels of large corporations.