This year’s Talented Rising Stars participants
Beds and Bars’ annual Rising Stars programme was a huge success. This year we saw a talented set of participants who were challenged more than ever before in Beds and Bars history. For 2018, we partnered with the Royal Navy for the first time to provide us with a tough leadership course that formed the first part of the 5 month programme.
Starting in October and ending in April 2018, the first week involved our Rising Stars heading down to Plymouth for intense navy training provided by the Royal Navy, challenging them mentally, physically and emotionally over 3 days. Our participants were put under pressure in difficult situations and we are extremely proud of them for completing the course. We saw the group stepping out of their comfort zone and learning essential leadership skills.
Rising stars is aimed at staff members within the company with the hunger and the potential to move forward in their career. It is an intense training program spread out over 5 months and requires work outside of office hours – anyone in the company can apply. We teach them financial & business acumen, leadership skills above and beyond footsteps training, public speaking and sales and marketing skills.
We saw everyone from central support to assistant manager to head office personnel apply to be part of Rising Stars. After reviewing applications and interviews, twelve high flyers within the company were selected to take part and at the end of the 5 months, they delivered a 20 minute presentation on an idea for the company, judged by a panel of the board of directors.
Ending on April 12th with the final presentations, Francisco Marcos, Reception Supervisor at Flying Pig Downtown came out on top as the winner. We want to congratulate Francisco on his success and the company will be enforcing his inspirational idea to steer the company’s sustainability forward.
Francisco says “Rising Stars was a big yet rewarding challenge. During the different courses that we took I learned an awful lot about my weaknesses and strengths, but the most interesting part for me was working on a project that I believed in so that I could present it to the Board of Directors.
My project revolved around sustainability and since it will have a big impact on the environment and it will allow us to raise awareness amongst people from all over the world.”
Francisco was awarded £1000 and a weekend away for all of his hard work.
Due to such a high calibre of presentations, we introduced a second place winner for the first time, won by Head of Design Alfredo Goncalves, who was presented with a well deserved £500. His idea revolved around the use of influencers and brand ambassadors to create user-generated content as a form of social marketing.
Alfredo says, “The Rising Stars program has been a really rewarding experience and something I am massively proud to have achieved. The opportunity to learn from such inspirational leaders in 4 crucial aspects of your career development is something I will always take with me.
The leadership training program at the Royal Navy College was a very challenging experience. In just a couple of days I learnt so many things about myself and discover some weaknesses I never thought of.
I’m extremely pleased to be the runner up in a year with some incredible ideas. My St Christopher’s Ambassador Project was named “The best commercial idea” and just after a week of finishing Rising Stars I’ve already started to develop my idea further.”
Thanks to all the participants for all your hard work and innovative ideas. And congratulations to our winner and runner up.
Beds and Bars supports youngsters in employment and continues to strive for the success of brilliantly performing individuals in the workplace. The Rising Stars programme is an annual event that aims to catapult high shiners in the company and provide them with new opportunities.
