A GROWING businesses which bills itself as a “one stop shop” for web development and online marketing won this year’s Team of the Year Award after coming runner up two years ago.


Athena Web Designs’ team scooped the award at Cirencester Business Awards, organised by the town’s Chamber of Commerce.


Directors Michelle Warner and Annemarie Thurgood started the business four years ago, offering website design and marketing.


As their customer base grew the pair started to offer more online services.


Today they consider themselves a one – stop shop, offering everything from search engine optimising help to business cards and flyers.


They moved the business to Cricklade Street, Cirencester, two years ago.


“I think what makes us different to our competitors is that we have a shop on the high street,” Michelle said.


“A lot of online businesses can feel a bit faceless because you never actually meet the people you’re working with.


“We also cut down on all the jargon other businesses use to make what we do easier to understand.”


At the start the pair had to network and promote themselves a lot but as word spread and people started noticing their shop business has started to grow.


Partly, though, this is a growth in the web design market, which has exploded in the lpast few years.


As the business grew the team brought on John Evans and later on Ross Hayes, who joined the company as part of a year’s placement out of university.


Their camaraderie helped them win this year’s team award.


“We were a little surprised to win but as a team we get on really well,” Michelle said.


“We all have different personalities and strengths and weaknesses which we all recognise.


“We also all get on really well.


“In a big business you could just go and hide but we’re a small team so we’re really lucky that we get on so well.”


Athena Web Designs plans to keep expanding, and to keep winning awards.