Activities:

Take a look at a business plan.
There are many helpful sites on the internet through which you can get an understanding of Business Plans. A particularly helpful one is Real Deal http://www.channel4.com/life/microsites/R/realdeal/make_it/index.html, or try biz-in-a-box http://www.biz-in-a-box.co.uk/startup.html. Both have a Business Plan template for a fictitious company. Students can read through it and take on board the kinds of clarity and planning ideas that are needed when starting out with a business.

Think about and create a business idea based on students’ interests – a small company, running a music shop, opening a club or selling a service. Discuss the issues that would have to be thought through to develop a business plan and get started. (This is more to get a sense of the issues rather than to try and write up a detailed business plan)

Planning a party!
A huge amount of Iona’s time is spent doing the actual party/wedding planning. This is her service that she sells. Could you manage it?

Plan an ideal party / wedding / social event. Think of all the aspects you have to take care of, from the venue and invitation lists, to the catering, entertainment, music and other elements. How many staff do you need? How many services are sub-contracted? Plan a schedule of the build-up time, with jobs allocated for each day / week leading up to the actual day. Make sure that you think through the financial implications of every element. (The budget can be fictitious, but the thinking should be detailed.)

Personal awareness – professional behaviour
What are the things that you noticed about Iona and the way she handled her clients and sub-contractors. What were her professional standards of behaviour like at the various events, including her dress, manner?

In the programme Iona says that because she doesn’t sell a product as such, her reputation is terribly important to her. Discuss the scene where the marquee suppliers are not performing very well. How would you have handled it? Was Iona too soft or tough enough?