Let’s Do Business Eastbourne

Let’s Do Business Eastbourne was held on 23^rd June 2011 and TimelessTime was there on Stand 2.  As part of that stand we had a bucket of Lego and the basis of a model business.  Our Lego Let’s Build Business developed a firm over the course of the day.  Visitors to the stand were asked to add some Lego pieces to help.  There were no rules, just Lego and an aim.  This is the story.

8.00am – Let’s Do Business opened for exhibitors.  Stand 2 had a Lego base with a few half-built walls and two people sitting either side of a table.

9.30am – One exhibitor put a man with a gun in the board room. He was holding the directors hostage.  Clearly the recruitment process was flawed and references had not been taken up him!  A big mistake for such a young company.

9.40am – Yet another exhibitor with a sense of humour!  A horse appeared on the Board Room Table!! Not quite what we had in mind but then we did say there were no rules.

9.50am – Parker Building Supplies found a cowboy to control the horse.  They also decided that the staff needed a garden to use at lunch time – a staff benefit.  We now had two horses – one in the Board Room (still on the table) and one in the garden.  What kind of firm is this!!

10.00am – Posie Creche established yet another staff benefit: a mobile crèche for the staff kids.  Of course all crèche workers are all CRB checked and employed on zero hours contracts.  They are offered working hours as required to fulfil client needs.  Excellent!

10.15am – Job Centre Plus introduced a motor cyclist to the crèche.  He was not happy, he mistakenly felt that someone in the firm was having an affair with his wife.  There are clearly complex interpersonal issues within this firm.

10.30am – Trig Point Marketing introduced the first product that the firm might manufacture and sell.  At last, a strategic direction?  It’s a cooling machine for horses.  Funny how innovation happens.  It has been installed in the Board Room to calm the horse so that it can be removed to the garden.

10.31 – A travel agent on hearing the story so far decided that trouble was brewing and a trained first aider may be needed.  One member of staff was trained and the role of first aider added to their job description.

10.35 – Club Class chauffeurs were concerned about the horse in the Board Room.  In order to entice it out they introduced a female horse, with a female rider.  Will it work?

11.00am – Integrated Learning added a training room to train new staff recruited to manufacture the horse cooling machines.  Finally, we’re getting somewhere!

11.10 – Honey Barrett added a projector to the training room.  Things were taking shape!

11.20 – Finally the horse is removed from the Board Room.  Brownbread Horse Rescue said all we needed to do was offer food and water.  Now the horse is happily grazing in the firm’s garden.  Do all firms have such a bizarre start in life?

11.30 – Major new development for the firm.  Spitfire Architecture added stylish new offices and a roof garden.  Now this looks like a firm going somewhere.  IPO next?

12.00 – Moira House School for girls introduced traffic calming and landscaping in the grounds around the firm.  No work-based stress here!

12.10 – Golden Guides Press added a cowboy is in fact a closet author.

12.20 – Chalvington Comms installed a conference calling system, explaining that the firm needed good communications with its home workers and clients.

12.45 – Brighton Paper Round added a zero carbon recycling plant and recycling operative – a recycling warrior, they said.  Now we’ve a green firm.

14.00 – Ellis Building added a chill out area, chopping the board room in half.  They consider that in a modern firm the directors should mostly be on site or in with the workers.  To right!

14.45 – Tennyson Suite Health & Safety visited.  Hey, our firm now has a promotional display team – with overhead tricks and stunts.   Who said H&S curtailed crazy activities – so long as there’s a risk assessment, said they.

16.00 – Honey Barrett uncovered a major issue in the structure of the business.  Business Recovery plan invoked to keep trading.  Need help now to enter new phase of building!

16.10 –Ellis Building responded to disaster and fixed the building.  They also incorporated rotating solar panels on the roof to make firm even more eco friendly.  The business recovery plan works – will yours when it’s needed?

The picture tells a thousand words.  We started with a bare board and some bricks and ended with a firm with people, goods & services to sell, operations and premises.  We’ll be at Let’s Do Business Hastings on Thursday 29^th September and we’ll be on Stand 70.  Do come and see us!