Do dragons like garlic bread?

The third workshop in the Bio Enterprise and Employability module was a Dragons’ Den-style day.

At the start of the day, we were placed into random groups. My group quickly settled on the idea of designing a business plan for a garlic bread-based takeaway – Aglio.

After deciding on the name and type of our business, we used a large print-out of the Simply Do Ideas business plan. I decided to cover the finance side of the plan.

Once this was completed, my group filmed a short promotional video for Aglio. Near the start of the workshop, I suggested we use a poem at this stage. One of my team members wrote a promotional poem, which turned out surprisingly well.

We then presented our idea and video in front of the Dragons and the other groups. The three Dragons were:

• Lowri Owen, project manager of B-Enterprising
• Katherine Lewis, a business advisor
• Ahmad Brigolin, managing director of both Ty Gwydr Greenhouse and Bridge Medical

At the end of the day (and after a false fire alarm), my team was awarded second place overall.

Thoughts on the day

The workshop felt quite long but enjoyable. The day was fairly relaxed and fun, maybe due to the fact that it wasn’t assessed.

My part of the presentation could have gone better, but overall it went well. One group presented their idea in Welsh, which went well. The real-time spoken translation was easy to follow and accurate.

I feel the workshop helped me understand the business plan assignment, which I have since completed and handed in. I had a clearer idea of what the business plan would consist of, as well as how to write it.

Using the small sample size of three dragons, I can determine they may like garlic bread (or our business idea in general).

What a spur-of-the-moment idea can lead to