Success on a Plate for Easychef
Imagine, through a couple of clicks, having the exact
ingredients delivered to your door in order for you to execute the
perfect dinner party! This was Easychef's winning proposition at
this year's Langtree Homes Enterprise Trophy for Sixth Formers at
Bolton School. Easychef, comprising six Year 12 girls were the
eventual winners in a competition which involved some 40 teams of
Sixth Form students - 20 from the Boys' Division and 20 from the
Girls' Division.
The competition had begun during the Autumn Term when students
took part in Business Enterprise and Awareness Training (BEAT)
courses, run by Brian Muir from BEAT. Seminars and interactive
sessions from speakers from a range of commercial organisations
ensured that the course had up-to-date business input and
expertise. Following the programme, pupils formed teams of six to
develop prospective new businesses offering a new product or
service with a view to asking a local bank for a business loan to
set up their new enterprise. Throwing themselves into the Bolton
School version of The Dragons' Den, each group made a ten minute
presentation, backed up by PowerPoint slides, to a panel of
judges. Pupils were put under considerable pressure in
defending the virtues and merits of their marketing strategies and
cash-flow forecasts.
Ultimately, two teams from each Division were chosen to compete
for the Langtree Homes Enterprise Trophy. The four teams were My
Fronts - offering personalised boxer shorts; A Helping Hand who
offered a one-stop website for all your needs for disabled and less
mobile people; Inswoolation wool insulation solutions for houses;
and Easychef, a web-based delivery of menu ingredients service.
The judges felt that these were the best presentations that they
had ever seen at Bolton School the students were confident and
enthusiastic and their pitches well-structured and professional.
After much deliberation the judges, David Moss, ex-Barclays Bank,
Ian Broadbent, Barclays Bank, David Fish of PricewaterhouseCoopers
and Phil Warriner from BT awarded Easychef the winners' trophy and
My Fronts the runner-up prize.
The School is grateful to Langtree Homes Ltd for
sponsoring the Enterprise Trophy. On the night Adrian Murphy,
Development Director for Langtree Homes announced the winners and
presented the prizes and also in attendance was David Mayhall,
Managing Director.