This start-up might be of interest to DSers

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This start-up might be of interest to DSers
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Barefoot Andrew
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 21 Mar 2007
Posts: 22780
Location: In the 17th century

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 13 3:24 pm Post subject: This start-up might be of interest to DSers
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/blankflowers/ A.

Piggyphile

Joined: 02 Apr 2009
Posts: 891
Location: Galicia

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 13 8:50 pm Post subject:
Sorry but it is not my kind of thing, she isn't growing any of the plants herself, no mention if the plants are organic or UK grown, she is getting them from London markets. I am not keen to help buy her a �6,000 car, surely a van would be better. Completely environmentally unsustainable.... send seeds as a gift instead and leave the Kenyan pot plants in Kenya. Grump Grump

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 13 9:29 pm Post subject:
AutoTrader will pay half?

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Thu Sep 05, 13 6:39 am Post subject:

I can't see any mention of the pot plants having come from Kenya but even if they did, at least then the money that comes from their sale might just help someone escape the poverty that seems to be more or less endemic on that continent.
I say more "power to your elbow" to anyone whose prepared to get out there and try to make things happen for themselves. Having a set up where she can grow her own plants is obviously out of her reach at the moment but if she's successful in her venture, who knows what her future plans might be? As for aspiring to owning a car? How dare she? Yes Pigyphile, you are being grumpy.

DorsetScott

Joined: 23 Oct 2011
Posts: 500
Location: Bournemouth

Posted: Thu Sep 05, 13 9:09 am Post subject:

Piggyphile does have a point though!
All other things aside, it sounds like all the person is after is a �6000 car, and that is to pick the flowers up. A van would have more space in it to pick up the plants, which in turn means less trips for the lady to pick up flowers, savings in petrol, lower carbon footprint etc.
And why do they need a 6 grand car?? I've never spent more than a grand on a car (and I only spent that much to get something more reliable when the second little nipper was born).
Respect for the idea, and props for trying to start her own business, but it still sounds like an excuse to get a nice car!!!

Barefoot Andrew
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 21 Mar 2007
Posts: 22780
Location: In the 17th century

Posted: Thu Sep 05, 13 9:11 am Post subject:
The words "messenger" and "shoot" spring to mind A.

DorsetScott

Joined: 23 Oct 2011
Posts: 500
Location: Bournemouth

Posted: Thu Sep 05, 13 9:16 am Post subject:
Have you seen the movie 300 Andrew? You're getting off lightly

Barefoot Andrew
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 21 Mar 2007
Posts: 22780
Location: In the 17th century

Posted: Thu Sep 05, 13 9:16 am Post subject:
A.

Sam White

Joined: 30 Aug 2013
Posts: 17
Location: On a hillside near Caerphilly.

Posted: Thu Sep 05, 13 9:41 am Post subject:
It certainly would be nice to know a little more about how she'll be operating; I fear that the term 'sustainable' gets bandied about quite a lot with very little quantification... As others have mentioned, a �6k car rather than a cheaper one seems questionable... Why not buy one for �2k and invest the rest in other aspects of the business?

arvo

Joined: 04 Dec 2006
Posts: 3321
Location: Somerset

Posted: Thu Sep 05, 13 9:50 am Post subject:

DorsetScott wrote:

Have you seen the movie 300 Andrew? You're getting off lightly

Just seen that. I've vowed to be a more careful messenger in future

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Thu Sep 05, 13 12:16 pm Post subject:

Bodger wrote:

It's good to see someone championing someone with the get up and go to get up, and go rather than bringing them down. Why do we need to talk down investment in business in the UK? Is it so we can then be grumpy about things not working or the economy not moving?

Sam White wrote:

As others have mentioned, a �6k car rather than a cheaper one seems questionable... Why not buy one for �2k and invest the rest in other aspects of the business?

It's sponsored by Auto Trader - they're not going to give her �2k to spend on a car and another �1k to spend on other things - they're in the business of selling cars.

Sam White

Joined: 30 Aug 2013
Posts: 17
Location: On a hillside near Caerphilly.

Posted: Thu Sep 05, 13 2:31 pm Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

Sam White wrote:

As others have mentioned, a �6k car rather than a cheaper one seems questionable... Why not buy one for �2k and invest the rest in other aspects of the business?

It's sponsored by Auto Trader - they're not going to give her �2k to spend on a car and another �1k to spend on other things - they're in the business of selling cars.

She raised �3k so perhaps �2k on the car and �1k on 'other'. Or, with the sponsorship, �1k for the car and �2k on 'other'. Assuming that the money she got wasn't dependent on her buying a �6000 vehicle... Or that the sponsorship isn't fixed at �3k per successful applicant.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Thu Sep 05, 13 2:36 pm Post subject:

Sam White wrote:

Rob R wrote:

Sam White wrote:

As others have mentioned, a �6k car rather than a cheaper one seems questionable... Why not buy one for �2k and invest the rest in other aspects of the business?

It's sponsored by Auto Trader - they're not going to give her �2k to spend on a car and another �1k to spend on other things - they're in the business of selling cars.

�3K with the help of Auto Trader, who are a car sales firm, they're not interested in selling 'other' things.

Piggyphile

Joined: 02 Apr 2009
Posts: 891
Location: Galicia

Posted: Thu Sep 05, 13 2:37 pm Post subject:

Quote:

Well a stable non growth economy is fine by me, endless growth is unsustainable anyway. My objection in this case is that she claims that

Quote:

Blank Flowers provides a sustainable gift

which is where I have the issue. A bit more thought on what plants and where she sources them from, packaging and method of delivery would win her more points from me. I suppose it depends on your definition of 'sustainable'.
Yes it is good to start your own business but this is a normal postal floristry business with the same carbon footprint as any other one

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Thu Sep 05, 13 5:29 pm Post subject:

But what's your baseline for a non-growth economy? I'm assuming that'd basically be a stable population, living a subsistence existence.

It does all depend upon the definition of sustainable, as some might argue that having a car isn't sustainable in the first place, but on the other hand not having a car is not very productive, which further reduces the sustainability. One thing you can't have is a subsistence gift business.

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