Two students from the department of Strategy & Organisation took part in an event organised by Management Today, part of which involved selected students to pitch their business ideas to the attending audience.
Anmol Kalra (MBM) and Thibault Bloyet (MIM) both attended the event after academic director Pratima Sambajee alerted students who might have an innovative idea to take advantage of the opportunity.
"The pitch sessions were set up in a 'Dragons Den' format and each participant was given a 10 minute slot for their presentation and any questions. Anmol said, "My idea brings together a high quality product with a bespoke service. In my opinion the world is no longer about the product but about the experience for the customers who are attached to it."
His idea involves managing an individual's formal wardrobe and providing suits tailored to measure on a subscription basis.
"The event was a great opportunity to meet various renowned business leaders, including Dr Jamie Coleman who is the managing director of codebase, and Dr John Briffa, director of Dr Briffa Wellness. It was a pleasure to have a word with Dr Coleman in person. There was very positive feedback for my business idea along with the ones pitched by my fellow speakers. The event was highly valuable in terms of networking."
Thibault Bloyet found the Management Today event a great opportunity to get feedback from people he normally wouldn't get the chance to meet in person. "It was a great networking experience. My idea concerns the travel industry and it's all about the change I want to see in the world from a travel perspective. People came up to me at the end and told me not to give up on my idea because I was so passionate about it. My concept aims at bringing travellers together with individuals across the world, to enable the travellers who are seeking out a particular knowledge experience. So there are travellers - someone who wants a holiday, a student going abroad to volunteer, an entrepreneur spending a few days away from home - and there are what I call 'travel architects' - it could be an individual, a university board, an NGO, a business, a professional guide...My business will bring these worlds together and create direct contact, tailoring the experience to a number of pre-selected criteria."
Thibault has partners in Vietnam, Argentina, Ecuador and Colombia and is actively looking for other prospects at the moment.
Neither Thibault or Anmol won but both agreed though it was an opportunity not to be missed.
It was the first time the Management Today Live event took place in Scotland, and among those speaking at the February 4 event in Edinburgh was Kath Mainland, CEO Edinburgh Fringe Festival and an SBS alumna, and Peter Lederer, former Chairman of The Gleneagles Hotel and Non-Executive Director of Baxters Food Group, who has been involved in Strathclyde's Executive Masters in Hospitality and Tourism Leadership programme.