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Can you help the people below?
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Robbie
This is quite useful as a summary... http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/sep/19/starting-a-business
Here are some people who need help
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alyss.elizabeth
needs help with I want to set up my own small retail business, but how do I go about sourcing suppliers?
10 months ago -
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lindsey @ Eden Project
Hi, I don't have a retail background but have worked with lots of suppliers in my time! I think one of the key things is to look at what you would like to be selling in terms of your range and what you want those products say about your company as this will affect your marketing strategy and who you are attracting to buy from you. If you want your products to be sustainably produced, ethically made for example, this will give you a marketing opportunity for what you stock and will also affect who is most interested in purchasing from you. You could create a questionnaire for potential suppliers to complete so you are comfortable that they meet your criteria (whatever they may be) as part of the supplier selection process. Obviously you need to be able to make a good margin so working closely with small start ups might be a way to get good deals and a decent margin without taking on a massive order that you can't sell to customers. I hope that helps :-)
Business user
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tammybarclay
Hi Alyss. I work as one of the buyers for the shop at the Eden Project. Best advice I can give you is to attend some of the big seasonal trade fairs - Autumn Fair at the NEC, Top Drawer in London to name a couple. There you will find suppliers for everything under the sun so before you go it's worth clearly defining what you are looking for so you have a very good idea about what you do and don't want to source. Another tip, don't be tempted to place orders on the day at the trade fair. Take a laptop with you, plan your ranges carefully and then go home and sleep on it! Take photos at the trade fair so you can remember everything you've seen. Then, once you've worked out exactly what you want and in what quantities, you can negotiate cost prices with the new suppliers. I hope that makes some sense....
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Emma
Hi Alyss, I myself am looking into starting up my own business in the future. I can only share what I learnt from doing work experience with a small retail business. As Tammy said, going to seasonal trade fairs is a great way of meeting suppliers. When I was doing work experience I was able to attend the London Top Drawer in London, I was working on one of the stands and found that it provided a great opportunity and way to meet different people, network and it allows you to meet potential suppliers or companies you may wish to work with, without any pressure on you to have to make decisions straight away.
Student user
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Robyn
needs help with I'm looking to switch my energy provider to a greener energy company, but preferably without a price increase. Does anyone have any good experiences or recommendations of which companies to use?
7 months ago -
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jon@edenproject
Good Energy are worth checking out- they normally aim to price match the standard tariff of the big companies but are they guarantee 100% renewable energy! http://www.goodenergy.co.uk/
Business user
Earlybird user
Star performer
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Emma
needs help with I'd like to look into some motivational business speakers who focus on management ideas of how and why it is important for businesses to lead the way towards a low carbon and more sustainable future. Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations?
9 months ago -
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rgoodship
needs help with Where can i find out about future careers based around working to support the green movement? In terms of a career I'm interested in the marketing of charities such as the Eden project, RSPB, however i'm not aware of the vast amount of jobs i co
10 months ago -
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Robbie
Check the videos out here - http://www.realcoolfutures.com/ You can type in the kinds of things you are interesting in and then watch video about people that are working in those fields.
Business user
Star performer
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Emma
Hi there.... This website may be of some use to you. It shows a variety of job sectors that focus on supporting the green movement and then lists different types of jobs that are available: http://www.environmentjob.co.uk/
Thanked answer
Student user
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Emma
Hi again, I just found this website which is really clear and useful, hope it helps...http://jobs.guardian.co.uk/jobs/graduate/environmental-and-sustainability
Thanked answer
Student user
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Someone
needs help with I'm about to start studying Landscape Architecture - what's the best way to get a career working on projects like the Eden Project?
11 months ago -
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lindsey @ Eden Project
Hi there! Large scale landscape architecture projects are not that uncommon – particularly when working with internationally known firms. However, working on projects that emphasise a botanic collection are less common and are perhaps a more niche landscape architecture domain. There is always an element of being in the “right place at the right time” when it comes to gaining opportunities to work on distinctive, world renowned projects. However, to be involved with botanic garden landscape design there is one key component that will help put you ahead of the rest: knowing your plants! Now, during your course and as a graduate, put equal if not greater emphasis on knowing a comprehensive range of plant species at all strata of growth – ground layer, shrub layer and trees to match a range of soil and climate conditions. This will help you assess how the hard landscape elements interrelate with their surroundings and the softer elements which shoudl give you an edge over other candidates. I hope this helps and enjoy the course :-)
Business user
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Emma
needs help with I'm interested in working for a PR/event management company that works towards promoting awareness and making businesses become more sustainable. Are there any skills or previous experience that this type of company would look for?... And do any PR/e
8 months ago -
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Robyn
needs help with Slugs and snails are gobbling up everything in sight in my garden. Are there any nice friendly (but effective) organic methods i can use to keep them off my tomatoes instead of buying slug pellets?
11 months ago -
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Timo
Have you tried using the honey trap method. Sink an empty jam jar into the ground, half fill it with lager/beer, and the slugs and snails should throw themselves into it. Otherwise, there are slug pellets "suitable for organic gardening" They contain ferric phosphate which occurs naturally in the environment, and degrades into iron and phosphate which is good for the soil quality.
Thanked answer
Student user
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Robyn
Great, thank you - now you've said it I remember my Gran used to do that with my Uncle's home brew, seem to remember it being very effective!
Business user
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lindsey @ Eden Project
Hi Robyn, if your tomatoes are in pots it might be worth getting the pot hoisters (not the technical term but its still early!) so they stand an inch or so off the ground. You could also try putting gravel around the base of the plants as they are not too keen on sliding over the sharp pointy stones. Finally copper rings or a weed suppressant fabric with copper in seems to work... the slugs and snails get a small electric shock or similar so 'run' the other way. The beer thing definitely works but i used to get really queasy emptying it out!!
Business user
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peridyne62
Beer, coffee grounds, or human hair will stop them (they don't like beer, or coffee, and human hair will tangle / strangle them. TOADS EAT SLUGS. You could always just introduce a family of friendly hopping toads to your garden.
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