IT took courage, without a doubt, and a leap of faith.

But 25 years on, businesswoman Robyn Holmes knows she made the right decision.

Robyn is now celebrating the silver anniversary of her company which she founded when she was 29.

Robyn Holmes, who is now 54, founded Prime Appointments in 1992 with friend Margaret Locke.

Mrs Holmes, of Great Horkesley, attended Bramston School, now Maltings Academy in Witham, before going on to work at HSBC for five years and then for an agency.

She said: “I wanted to provide a good service and I feel that sometimes you can do things a bit differently and I felt that I had enough working experience.

“I think at 29 I felt I was able to do it. I was a woman and had just had a baby, he was only a year old.

“I think now it was a bit brave but I didn’t give it a second thought. I didn’t imagine we would be where we are today.”

Mrs Holmes prides herself on giving an honest service and explained the recruitment industry is often seen as people making a quick buck

Having met Mrs Locke in a pub over a glass of wine in 1988, the pair took a leap of faith and took out a £15,000 loan from a retired entrepreneur.

Mrs Holmes bought Mrs Locke’s share after her retirement nine years ago.

In addition to running the company, she is mother to two children, Jack O’Brien, 26, and Katie Holmes, 20, with Jack working as a member of the senior management team.

Mrs Holmes said: “I remember living in Earls Colne at the time and taking Jack to nursery in Sible Hedingham then driving to Witham, then doing the same to pick him up again. It was an hour journey.

“With Katie I had a caesarean, I had two weeks off before and two weeks later I was back.

“I remember one of our clients thought I should be back at home looking after the baby. He thought I had come back too early. I believe I have done the best I can.

“I think the children have benefitted from me working and them getting quality time at the weekend.”

The business was predominantly female at one stage but now has a mix of men and women including a senior management team with five women and two men.

Mrs Holmes’ husband, Peter, 50, gave up his job shortly after Katie was born and spent his time caring for the children while she worked full time.

Mrs Holmes explains: “My husband always used to be there for the children, he gave up his job in golf club management and I worked full time.

“He later did three days a week project management. and he managed the build where we are now.”

The firm grew and now employs 41 permanent staff now and about 400 temporary staff with a payroll of at least £100,000 a week.

Prime Appointments has now bought its premises in Newland Street, Witham, having rented a building further down the road.

And as well as success, it has also enjoyed fame thanks to one of its previous employees, popstar Olly Murs.

The business was mentioned in his book, Happy Days.

Mrs Holmes said: “We had Olly join us a week before he turned 21, he was here for four years doing industrial recruiting and left us in the recession and went travelling, then temped for us.

“He still comes in to see us now and we have even kept his old business cards.”