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Pretending to be in an elevator!

MrsRobinsonMrsRobinson Posts: 4,492
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in The Apprentice #1
What's all this about pretending to be in an elevator to talk about their business plan before allowing them to be seated? :confused:
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    iamsofirediamsofired Posts: 13,054
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    #2
    Lol very silly wasnt it. :rolleyes:
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    BurstfireBurstfire Posts: 980
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    #3
    Its called the Elevator Pitch
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevator_pitch
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    jack846jack846 Posts: 655
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    #4
    The only way is up:D
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    LenitiveLenitive Posts: 4,263
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    #5
    Stupid gimmicky rubbish.
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    LostFoolLostFool Posts: 90,662
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    #6
    It's a very standard idea in business. The idea is that if you cannot get someone interested in 30 seconds then there is no point in going any further.
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    TakaeTakae Posts: 13,555
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    #7
    :D We once had a newly hired manager saying, "All right, let's pretend we're in Men's, and I'm doing this (standing as if he's peeing) and you only have one minute, ONE minute, to pitch it to me. Let's have at it!" He stared at us and we all four women stared back. One put her hand up and asked "In Men's room?"

    The light in the manager's head finally came on. He blushed furiously while stammering: "In a lift! WE'RE IN THE LIFT! We're in the lift! We're in the lift and you have only one minute, okay? Fire away!" :D
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    MrsRobinsonMrsRobinson Posts: 4,492
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    #8
    LostFool wrote: »
    It's a very standard idea in business. The idea is that if you cannot get someone interested in 30 seconds then there is no point in going any further.
    But surely the same words could have been spoken by th person sitting down as well!!!! :confused:
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    MrsRobinsonMrsRobinson Posts: 4,492
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    #9
    LostFool wrote: »
    It's a very standard idea in business. The idea is that if you cannot get someone interested in 30 seconds then there is no point in going any further.
    But surely the same words could have been spoken by the person sitting down as well as standing up!!!! :confused:
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    the_lostprophetthe_lostprophet Posts: 4,173
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    #10
    MrsRobinson wrote: »
    But surely the same words could have been spoken by th person sitting down as well!!!! :confused:

    Exactly - this is what I hate about modern business juvenile role play rubbish. Infact no need for the 'elevator' conceit at all - just ask the candidates to succinctly describe their business plans or is that not pretentious enough? :rolleyes: I think I'd walk out of an interview if I was asked to do that - life's too short. Why would you want to work with morons who think like that?
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    PaacePaace Posts: 14,679
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    #11
    He read it in a book 'How to interview'. It was cringmaking.
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    ultrosultros Posts: 8,504
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    #12
    Ha ha,that guy has clearly been reading the 'David Brent's guide to business' handbook :eek:
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    Sara WebbSara Webb Posts: 7,885
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    #13
    MrsRobinson wrote: »
    But surely the same words could have been spoken by the person sitting down as well as standing up!!!! :confused:

    It's putting them under unexpected pressure, "on the spot" so to speak, to see how they handle it when summarising their business quickly.

    Elevator pitches are quite common.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 494
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    #14
    Why not just say you've got 30seconds, off you go?
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 12,376
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    #15
    I was more annoyed about the fact that they kept calling it an "elevator".

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDhnny8iUww
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    totalwisetotalwise Posts: 1,418
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    #16
    elevator speech... first time I heard a successful enterprenuer use "management speech", edwina, melody or natasha would have loved that.
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    RutakatekiRutakateki Posts: 2,716
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    #17
    In Arcadia Ego wrote: »
    I was more annoyed about the fact that they kept calling it an "elevator".

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDhnny8iUww
    :D Nice one!
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    StardogStardog Posts: 2,415
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    #18
    This is pretty standard in anything creative...If you can't describe your idea in a sentence then it's probably flawed. They can stand up and say it because if they can't even say one clear sentence then they might aswell turn around and leave.
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    SXTonySXTony Posts: 2,928
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    #19
    Takae wrote: »
    :D We once had a newly hired manager saying, "All right, let's pretend we're in Men's, and I'm doing this (standing as if he's peeing) and you only have one minute, ONE minute, to pitch it to me. Let's have at it!" He stared at us and we all four women stared back. One put her hand up and asked "In Men's room?"

    The light in the manager's head finally came on. He blushed furiously while stammering: "In a lift! WE'RE IN THE LIFT! We're in the lift! We're in the lift and you have only one minute, okay? Fire away!" :D

    Lol :D

    Womans hand goes up again "Why are you peeing in a lift?"
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    aussie_dave_aussie_dave_ Posts: 717
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    #20
    Its just another wacky idea that keeps consultants in a job.

    This is what happens when you let 'nu labour' run the country.
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    .Lauren..Lauren. Posts: 7,864
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    #21
    It's corporate bullshit with using imagery.

    Why not just say 'you have 30 seconds to sell me your idea', works just as well.
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    Reggie RebelReggie Rebel Posts: 636
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    #22
    Susan got out at floor 3489
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    SillyBillyGoatSillyBillyGoat Posts: 22,266
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    #23
    Reggie Rebel wrote: »
    Susan got out at floor 3489

    I could just imagine Susan still talking to herself as the lift ejects from the top floor and flies into space :D
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    lalalala Posts: 21,175
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    #24
    In Arcadia Ego wrote: »
    I was more annoyed about the fact that they kept calling it an "elevator".

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDhnny8iUww
    I'm confused... Isn't 'Pharmacy' a British word? Americans don't usually call their chemist or "pharmacy" by those names... it's usually just called "the drugs store".
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 83
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    #25
    .Lauren. wrote: »
    It's corporate bullshit with using imagery.

    Why not just say 'you have 30 seconds to sell me your idea', works just as well.

    Exactly.

    About once a week at work someone says 'elevator pitch' or wants to pretend being in an 'elevator' (aka a lift).

    It's just cringeworthy and I almost hid behind the couch when the guy asked the candidates to do that.

    I understand that you have to be able to put across your idea in a very short space of time, I just dont have to be in an elevator to do that!
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 36
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    #26
    It was a way of getting them focused to actually give a clear and concise summary of their business plan.
    - some of them may have been incapable of this otherwise. (like Melody was)

    This was needed for television so that the viewing public knew what was going on and what the businesses were actually about.
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