Camran Ishaq headed out for a relaxed “curry and Diet Coke” and left with a branch of Whitegates.
That was in 2018 and since then, Camran has made huge progress growing his branch of the iconic brand in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.
And that progress should come as no surprise given Camran was raised on entrepreneurship and business in the area thanks to his father, who owned a convenience store for 35 years before branching out into property.
“I worked in local authority housing for around 15 years,” reflects Camran.
“But I was always heavily involved in the family businesses from a very young age.”
His role in local authority housing led to him strike up a rapport with the previous owner of Whitegates Dewsbury.
“The deal to buy Whitegates Dewsbury was, in theory, struck over dinner,” laughs Camran.
“There must have been something in the curry that night, or maybe the Diet Coke, as a casual dinner date turned into something far more significant!”
Camran wasted no time in setting about moving his new business to the next level and just over a year after receiving the keys, completed his first independent agency acquisition, growing his managed portfolio by 30%.
“The acquisition of Wilman & Son has provided us with a firm foothold on the lettings market in our area and enables us to add further investors and landlords to our books going forward.”
“Whitegates Dewsbury has a fantastic reputation built over 25 years and the brand has always stood out. There is a fantastic network behind the scenes, too, providing support, guidance and assistance.”
“The Property Franchise Group provided consistent support during the recent acquisition and that kind of support gives you everything you need to run a successful business.”
“It’s hard work, but incredibly rewarding and satisfying.”
