Holmes & Partners Ltd, a Leeds-based Immigration and Visa specialist, has won the West Yorkshire Start Up of the Year Award at the 2023 Start Up Awards.
The firm was set up in March 2021 by Michelle Holmes, a South African immigrant. After her redundancy, Michelle chose to embark on a bold new venture, founding a boutique immigration services company. The firm provides client immigration services personalised to each client. This is possible due to their small team.
Michelle has a unique perspective on UK immigration. Before founding Holmes & Partners, she emigrated to the UK from South Africa, alone. Eight years later she became a British citizen. Michelle understands the stress and confusion that can come with the visa process.
Michelle says: “Taking the risk to invest everything I had at a time of economic uncertainty was an easy decision, as I was certain that a company that operated in this way is what the industry needed, and I knew I was the person who could achieve it.”
Michelle takes a unique approach to her immigration services, focusing on the individual and taking the time to offer in-depth advice, which many other immigration companies do not.
“My aim is to continue to provide personalised immigration services for all and make the visa process easy and accessible for anyone who’s looking to move to the UK.”
Michelle is working to provide free resources to anyone who is starting or currently undertaking the visa process, to ensure that everyone can understand what is needed.
Backed by a team of four employees, three of whom have been through the immigration procedure, Holmes & Partners has gone from strength to strength with a growth of 150% in their first year of trading and 60% in their second year.
Michelle comments: “I am extremely proud of what Holmes & Partners has achieved in just over two years, the entire team is incredibly ambitious, and I am excited for what the future will bring.”
Holmes & Partners picked up their award at the 2023 Start Up Awards and beat numerous successful businesses.
