Wampit celebrates a year of online success

The company, which operated from offices in Westferry Circus, first featured in The Wharf just as it launched last April and Adam, 33, and Paul, 43, have been delighted with its progress.

Adam said: "We've got 355,000 users and we think it'll be up to half-a-million within six months. After that, who knows?

"We were confident it would work, because it's different to anything else out there. Wampit gives people a much more direct experience of the business they are looking for. It's not a dry listing and people really like that."

Part of Wampit's success has been it's low-cost, low-hassle approach for companies looking to join. Standard entries are free, while bolt-ons, such as website links and priority listings, cost from just £6.

Adam said: "Most directories have a package you are obliged to sign up for and it's not always what people want. Ours is a pick and mix approach, so companies can tailor their entry to their requirements.

"You don't spend a fortune and there are no hidden costs. We're offering something different to Yell."

And how has the unusual name - Wampit is a village in Papua New Guinea - gone down with users?

"Very well," said Paul.

"It's turned out to be very memorable because it's pretty unusual. The colour of the website is distinctive too, so people seem to remember both."

While business growth has been good, both partners are keen to attract investment.

Adam said: "We're looking for an investor because that would really accelerate what we want to do over the next year. We've got lots of very exciting plans in the pipeline, so it could be an ideal opportunity for someone."

Visit wampit.co.uk.