About our founder

Andrew Bartlett founded Roam in 2016 and within just three years the company has not only made terrific success locally but also nationally. In partnership with some of the biggest names in the hospitality scene, it can only be said it is a business building more momentum every day. So, who is behind the brand?

Andy was born and raised in Darlington, County Durham and is now based there. Andy’s family had a business which has dedicated their lives to caring for children in social care and as such, Andy was raised in an environment that looks after the most vulnerable children from the north east and part of the curriculum was agriculture and most importantly the therapy via animals, in turn Andrew had the opportunity growing up learning how to ride horses and gained a network which influenced him to try his hand at horse racing.

Andrew also credits his time at Barnard Castle school for bringing out his winning and entrepreneurial mindset, especially as an active and competitive sportsman. His first business began during his time at school and he can remember walking to the town to stock up on sweet treats to then sell to his peers – at the age of 12.

Andy grew up with the influence of horse racing. He found not only the riders but the animals too, inspiring and he held great admiration for them. Horse racing found Andy suddenly. A friend of his, who is renowned within the racing world, told him to take a quick spin around a racecourse and within no time, Andy was to become well recognised in the sport. He was offered a job as a full-time jockey and immediately took the offer. He left school at the of age 16 to pursue what he thought would be his lifelong career. 

After a 4-year stint racing horses, Andy began to realise that as much as he loved the sport and being part of it, it was encompassing his whole life. Having always looked up to his father’s adventurous and entrepreneurial ways, his mind started to tick with business ideas of what he could do. Stemming from spending lots of time in unknown parts of the country because of racing, with little idea on what to do or where to go, he was inspired to create the Roam app. He ran with the idea and decided to shut the door to racing and open a new one to business aged 19. He took all the competitive knowledge, hard work and dedication he had learnt from his life to this point and decided to set out on his own. A (then) 19-year-old young man, who was wise beyond his years, started the business that he lives and breathes today.      

Andy’s favourite part of the business and what he is most passionate about, is that he can give local bricks-and-mortar businesses a platform in which they can shout from and more importantly – be heard! Unlike other social networks and apps, he is proud to have created an app with businesses at the forefront of the development. He is passionate about having such an interactive and evolving app. The app can not only recommend the best places to visit, eat, drink or party,  but also gives you special partnership offers, keeps you safe using the friend finder and much more. It has a myriad of elements to it, that all join to make an incredibly forward-thinking app, both for businesses and individuals.

The ethos behind the business that Andy has pushed are perhaps the best part of all. He wants every single party involved with the company to win – from the people searching on the app, to the businesses that come on board, to the partnerships made.  He says his ethos is simple – “when every single party involved is in a winning position, you know you have a great business that you can be proud of and passionate about”.

Looking towards the future, Andy has big plans for the company. Within the next five years, Andy aims to take the company’s Business Management Suite national and hopes that Roam will be the user’s number one #shoplocal companion. He looks forward to seeing what will come, and where a business he has poured his heart and soul into, will take him next.