87. Apparition Marketing & Design

Founder: Rachel Ducker
Founded: April 2009
Website: www.apparitiondesigns.co.uk

A one-stop shop for creative marketing, East Anglia-based Apparition Marketing & Design was launched when founder Rachel Ducker was just 23. Offering PR, design, website and print services, the company has worked with more than 500 clients over the last three years, including University College London: not bad for a start-up which started life in a bedroom at Rachel’s parents’ house.

Just seven months after launch, Rachel – who had eschewed university for real-world experience in the creative industries – won the East of England Young Businesswoman of the Year award, the first in a handful of business awards successes. Today, Apparition Marketing & Design has grown to a team of 20, and is expanding rapidly, with healthy profitability.