Young estate agent with digital ambitions named top entrepreneur
Katie Cromwell set up her business two years ago after realising how profound Purplebricks' influence on customers had become.
A young Welsh estate agent has been named as one of the country’s top young female business stars by a leading media organisation’s annual poll.
33-year-old Katie Cromwell, who is the founder and director Pontarddulais-based firm No. 86 Estate Agency, joins this year’s list of entrepreneurs alongside those working in the legal, banking, brewing, photography, camping, health and fashion industries.
Cromwell started up her business two years ago following a six-year career within two well-known estate agent chains Dawsons and Peter Alan in neighbouring Swansea, and says she wants to blend the best of the online service offered by hybrid agents such as Purplebricks but also provide a traditional, face-to-face personal package.
Her company has 71 properties for sale at the moment and offers vendors and buyers a sales ‘portal’ similar to those of larger hybrid and online estate agents.
She says that at her old roles she could see the way the industry was going and knew ‘things needed a shakeup’ which led her to establish No.86 Estate Agency.
Following the success of her estate agent business she now plans to expand it via franchising in other areas of Wales by signing up other experienced agents with excellent local knowledge.
Cromwell’s one-office business has plenty of competition locally from other online franchise-style companies including Purplebricks, Springbok, Express Agency and Yopa.
The annual poll of business talent by WalesOnline has been going since 2014 and includes women entrepreneurs and business stars under 35 years old.
