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Old 27-03-2013, 20:56
george.millman
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"You can go through to the boardroom now."
Thanks, Frances.
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Old 27-03-2013, 20:56
winter99
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*enters boardroom*
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Old 27-03-2013, 20:57
Stuart25
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So, today was interviews. How did they all go?
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Old 27-03-2013, 20:57
winter99
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They were very constructive and rather useful.
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Old 27-03-2013, 20:58
pothuthic
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-stares at Stuarts empty seat and goes in it takes a picture sends it to Nick with the caption "Lady in waiting" puts it back in bra and sits in seat as usual-
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Old 27-03-2013, 20:58
puppylove7
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I thought mine went ok. You were all very constructive and helpful.
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Old 27-03-2013, 20:58
george.millman
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So, today was interviews. How did they all go?
It was interesting discussing my business plan with yourself and the others. Some of my weaknesses were picked up on, I just have to hope that my strengths counterbalance that.
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Old 27-03-2013, 20:59
Stuart25
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I'll start with Eliza. It was widely said that your business plan wasn't structured and was very short. Perhaps you should have put more time and effort in to it?
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Old 27-03-2013, 20:59
pothuthic
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Have many of you read eachothers?
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:00
george.millman
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Have many of you read eachothers?
I think we all have, we've just been discussing them in the house.
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:00
puppylove7
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I'll start with Eliza. It was widely said that your business plan wasn't structured and was very short. Perhaps you should have put more time and effort in to it?
Maybe I should have but I believe I included the essential information. I included information on the product and the cost and a goal.
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:01
Stuart25
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Maybe I should have but I believe I included the essential information. I included information on the product and the cost and a goal.
You included the cost to the buyer, not to the manufacturer.
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:01
winter99
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Have many of you read eachothers?
I read a bit of George's as his was above mine on the same page.
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:03
puppylove7
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You included the cost to the buyer, not to the manufacturer.
I'm sorry. I haven't finalised how much the material will cost yet.
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:04
Stuart25
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I'm sorry. I haven't finalised how much the material will cost yet.
Perhaps you should have - it would have made a much more professional and clearer business plan.

On to your CV, you mentioned next to nothing about business experience, considering that's what this competition is about, do you regret not including any information on that?
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:05
puppylove7
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Perhaps you should have - it would have made a much more professional and clearer business plan.

On to your CV, you mentioned next to nothing about business experience, considering that's what this competition is about, do you regret not including any information on that?
I haven't had much business experience but I hope the attributes I have included show that I can be a success in business.
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:06
pothuthic
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I think we all have, we've just been discussing them in the house.
I read a bit of George's as his was above mine on the same page.
What did you think of eachothers?
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:06
Stuart25
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I haven't had much business experience but I hope the attributes I have included show that I can be a success in business.
We'll find out sooner or later.

Now on to George. All three interviewers found your business plan very formal and detailed, but found that it didn't include any figures (at all).
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:07
winter99
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What did you think of eachothers?
I didn't fully read George's but it seemed very well thought out
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:09
george.millman
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Now on to George. All three interviewers found your business plan very formal and detailed, but found that it didn't include any figures (at all).
No, it didn't include figures. I accept that that's a huge weakness with it, and I knew that when I sent it off actually. In the situation I was in, in a limited timeframe, when I'd only been working on this for two days, added to the fact that I'm not good with figures and it's a difficult business to estimate figures for anyway, anything I had said would be blind guesswork. I did have some rough suggestions of how much money we might have at certain points (such as when I thought we'd be able to open new offices, when we planned to be able to advertise on television etc.)
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:11
Stuart25
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No, it didn't include figures. I accept that that's a huge weakness with it, and I knew that when I sent it off actually. In the situation I was in, in a limited timeframe, when I'd only been working on this for two days, added to the fact that I'm not good with figures and it's a difficult business to estimate figures for anyway, anything I had said would be blind guesswork. I did have some rough suggestions of how much money we might have at certain points (such as when I thought we'd be able to open new offices, when we planned to be able to advertise on television etc.)
I think you should have included them, as I told you, a bad attempt is better than no attempt.

Val picked up that you perhaps didn't have a 100% commitment to business. You didn't include anything to do with business (not even business related qualities) in your CV.
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:15
pothuthic
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Personally I disagree with Lord Stuart, I think that Georges idea was really good.

But it did miss a certain spark
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:15
george.millman
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I think you should have included them, as I told you, a bad attempt is better than no attempt.

Val picked up that you perhaps didn't have a 100% commitment to business. You didn't include anything to do with business (not even business related qualities) in your CV.
I could picture you saying to me, 'George, you have pulled these figures completely out of thin air, and there is no reasoning behind them whatsoever.' And you would have been right.

I don't have much experience in business, and I don't have a 100% commitment to it either. I'm an actor by profession. This is why I've created a business plan like this - I'm less focussed on making money for myself, and more focussed on getting what I want from life and also helping other people get what they want from it. With a company like this, while I wouldn't pass on all the responsibilities I will be able to have employees to take some of the pressure off me, after I've made it successful I will be able to sell it on, and I'll be helping people in the meantime make their lives a success. And I think I have proved to you on the tasks that even though I don't have so much experience as possibly some of the other candidates, I do have the skills to get by in the business world.
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:16
Stuart25
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Personally I disagree with Lord Stuart, I think that Georges idea was really good.

But it did miss a certain spark
The idea was fantastic I thought. However, I think that figures should be included in every business plan.
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Old 27-03-2013, 21:17
Stuart25
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I could picture you saying to me, 'George, you have pulled these figures completely out of thin air, and there is no reasoning behind them whatsoever.' And you would have been right.

I don't have much experience in business, and I don't have a 100% commitment to it either. I'm an actor by profession. This is why I've created a business plan like this - I'm less focussed on making money for myself, and more focussed on getting what I want from life and also helping other people get what they want from it. With a company like this, while I wouldn't pass on all the responsibilities I will be able to have employees to take some of the pressure off me, after I've made it successful I will be able to sell it on, and I'll be helping people in the meantime make their lives a success. And I think I have proved to you on the tasks that even though I don't have so much experience as possibly some of the other candidates, I do have the skills to get by in the business world.
Thanks for that George.

Now to Nick. As with Eliza, the interviewers picked up that your business plan lacked structure and a lot of content. Perhaps you shouldn't have rushed it?
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