Businessman sells start-up three years after launch

A young entrepreneur with isles connections has sold his business to a major partner.

Edinburgh-based Gavin Bell has signed an agreement with e-commerce specialist Velstar, just three years after launching his paid advertising agency, Yatter.

In that time Mr Bell has overseen a rapid growth in business, with over 60 clients on his books.

“Velstar’s impressive growth and shared vision to be the UK’s number one independent agency made them the perfect partner for Yatter’s next chapter,” said Mr Bell, whose father is former council convener and police chief inspector, Malcolm Bell.

“Building Yatter has been a rewarding journey, and I’m thrilled to see our team’s expertise in paid
advertising join Velstar’s growing capabilities.

“I look forward to working closely with Velstar over the coming year to ensure a seamless
integration that enhances our client offering and drives even greater results.”

Founded in 2016, Velstar surpassed ambitions of reaching a £6m turnover by this year, and is forecast to generate more than £10m of annual revenue in 2024 – an increase of 250 per cent in two years.

Offering strategy-building, copywriting and creative services, the acquisition will bolster Velstar’s current marketing capabilities, bringing the total headcount to more than 150 client-focussed employees.