The Stationery Cupboard

Staples is focused on encouraging entrepreneurs of the future. One of our major projects involves helping school children be better prepared for the life of work. For example, at Hastingsbury Business and Enterprise College in Bedford, we have helped students launch their own profit-making shop called The Stationery Cupboard

The scheme – which is the first in-school Staples store in the UK - has been meticulously planned.  Each of the 14 staff involved in the venture had to fill in an application form based on a job description and undergo interviews in front of a panel made up from managers from Hastingsbury and Staples.

The senior team, overseen by joint managing directors Alena Gill and Pavandeep Jhand, were all recruited from Year 12. Marketing director Selina Kalyan and her deputy Sam Beard designed posters, organised focus groups and drummed up custom, while financial director Harpreet Sooch placed the first order, did the first stock take and drafted her first spread sheet.

Harpreet said: "I'm looking forward to the challenge and I’m keen to learn as much as I can from this exercise as I eventually want to work in finance. We’ve made a cautious first order, but we will be closely monitoring sales and feedback so we can keep on improving the service to maximise on profit."