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National awards recognition for Bradford on Avon search marketing entrepreneur

June 30, 2026 Anita Jaynes

1 min read

Tom Vaughton, Founder of the Bradford on Avon-based specialist search marketing, GEO and data analytics agency Varn Search Marketing, has been named a finalist in the prestigious 2026 Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

Shortlisted in the South West Established Business of the Year category, Tom is recognised among the UK’s most exceptional and resilient business leaders.

Described as the ‘Grammys of entrepreneurship’, the Great British Entrepreneur Awards celebrate the stories, decisions, and ambitions of the people behind the UK’s most impactful brands. This year’s shortlist was selected from over 5,000 applications nationwide, representing the core engine of the British economy.

Tom launched Varn 16 years ago from a spare bedroom in Wiltshire with a straightforward mission: to demystify the search engine optimisation (SEO) industry and strip away confusing technical jargon.

Since 2021, Varn has grown its revenue from £600,000 to £1.4 million and is on track to surpass £2 million this year. The team has expanded from nine to 29 search and data specialists, with a new London office opening in January as the hub for Varn Health. The agency also maintains a 94% client retention rate, with many customer relationships spanning more than a decade.

Varn is also widely recognised for its unconventional, high-productivity workspaces. Alongside its main headquarters, the team utilises a unique outdoor Varn Woodland Office set within 30,000 trees, which offsets the agency’s carbon footprint. Far from a novelty, company data shows the team achieves an 87% productivity rate when working in the woodland, compared to 79% in a traditional office environment, while fueling a staff happiness score of 4.6 out of 5.

Varn operates on a philosophy of wealth creation for distribution, proving that commercial excellence and social good can thrive together. The agency funds the non-profit VarnFest Future Leaders event at its woodland office, partnering with charities like Babassa and Not Impossible to provide workplace skills, mentorship, and networking opportunities to young people across the South West.

Tom Vaughton, Founder of Varn, said, “I am incredibly proud to be named a finalist, but this recognition is a true testament to our team and our values. For years, I fell into the trap of thinking leadership meant holding total control. Learning to step back and trust an expert team is what truly unlocked Varn.

“We are managing the single biggest revolution in how humans find information via AI search, while proving you can build a highly profitable agency without losing your sense of fun, human care, or commitment to doing good.”

Frankie James, Founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, said, “This year’s cohort represents billions in turnover and tens of thousands of jobs, but what I’m proudest of is the determination behind those numbers. These are founders who have stuck with it through every kind of year, and championing them is exactly why we do this.”

The winners will be announced later this year at the national awards ceremony.