Double excitement at the Starbucks clinic

Chris is on a role at the moment - here are his notes from last Tuesday's session at Starbucks:

Instead of being penalised by Health & Safety we have now been patronised by them! A consultant with huge knowledge, obvious ability but a stuttering practice came in looking for a sales boost. He has embarked on one interesting line of attack – a questionnaire designed to pin-point areas of customer ignorance and omission – but really needs to go back to his basic proposition. Do people understand what an H&S consultant does? Do they know what their obligations are under the legislation? Challenging business owners with the requirement – and the fine for ignoring it – would be one helluva way to kick off a website. Or an advertising campaign.

Next up, our first American client. There is a glorious commercial irony in using a homegrown US concept like Starbucks to attract a smart businesswoman from LA. She turns out to be quite extraordinary – a former White House staffer, a charity fundraiser and advisor to not-for-profit companies, and now a professional business coach and mentor looking to work both sides of the Pond. Depending on how much time she wants to give it, and the readiness of clients to accept “distance learning” by Skype and e-mail, we see some potential in a joined-up approach with therapists and out-placement specialists, but it is a crowded marketplace. Tricia, our HR specialist, and Trevor will be doing lunch with her to explore further