SPONSOR: Kirklees College

HISTORY: Amy Wray launched Applegate Properties in 2010 from a spare bedroom, just £600 in savings, an old laptop and a secondhand camera.

Today the property sales and lettings business has five full-time staff and three part-time workers and operates from well-appointed offices at Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth.

Researching the market back in 2010, Amy found that the biggest reasons for people leaving their estate agent was lack of communication and poor customer service. So by focusing on communicating with clients and offering high standards of service, Applegate Properties draws 70% of its new clients each month from recommendation.

In the past 12 months, Applegate has achieved the fastest average sales time in comparison with its competitors while in February the company invested in software to improve its social media performance.

Examiner Business Awards 2015. Young Business Person Amy Wray

Also nominated in the category sponsored by Kirklees College were Dan Bamforth, of Towndoor Ltd, and James Howard, of Yorkshire Payments

Award-winner Amy was “elated” at scooping the award but was quick to praise the team around her.

Amy said: “I’m delighted but also surprised. It has taken five years of hard work to get to this point.

“The people I work with are an amazing team and we all love coming to work.

“I’m determined we can carry on growing and developing the business. Tonight the awards, then Holmfirth, Huddersfield and the rest of the world.”