STUDENTS PITCH BUSINESS PLANS TO LLOYDS TSB

Posting by Ranjit Hayer, Business teacher

All last week, Year 13 students on the BTEC Extended Diploma in Business course were doing their business plan presentations.

Standing up and having to make a presentation is daunting at the best of times, but this year three representatives from Lloyds TSB were part of the panels to give students a bank managers opinion of their presentation. Richard Hall, Sharon Warren & Dawn Gilbert from Lloyds TSB are providing their expert financial help on what would happen if our students pitched their ideas to banks for finance.

Each presentation has been different; some even had sample smoothies for their Shakes 2Go business, others had sample menus for their Burger Express business. Each presentation was packed full of interesting ideas.

Other ventures pitched to the panel included plans for a bar, a restaurant, a takeaway, a mobile drink and snacks vendor and a bridal magazine. The idea for the bar was an establishment called The Hang ‘O’ Bar and this presentation included visuals of the uniforms that bar staff would wear. The restaurant business plan was entitled Around in 4 and was for a buffet-style restaurant selling Italian, Chinese, British & Indian cuisine.

Jai Chee kept up the food theme – this business plan was for a Chinese Takeaway, while the final food-related presentation concerned Hot Stop, a mobile hot drinks & snack service provider.

Dugan was the only business plan idea that was not related to catering of some sort and this was the pitch for a bridal magazine aimed at East & West brides.

This project really helped the students to be creative, which is essential for a successful business, but it also showed them all the different things they need to think about when setting up a business. Getting funding to launch a business often means going out and pitching your idea to lenders just as the students did and they learned how important it is to demonstrate that your business plan represents a good investment.

Well done to all the students who took part. There are some photos below and more on the College's Facebook page.