Meeting

1 May 2013 The Old House at Home New member Jerry Lamb, and a job talk from Steven Kirupai
As well as the Club AGM on the 1st May, we also managed to squeeze in a new member AND a Job Talk from the previous new member, Steven Kirupai. Jerry Lamb was welcomed into the Club by our President Chris Smith (both pictured). Jerry made a short thank you speech and will hopefully become even more of a regular than he has already been over the past few months. We were also checked out by a prospective new member, moving into the area from Redhill, an experienced (past President, current Secretary looking to take over my job asap) Gordon Hillier. Hopefully the Old House at Home and the well-oiled proceedings gave him a good impression cant have been too bad as he is also coming to our Club Assembly at the end of the month at the Dorset Arms. Hmmm.. John Ellis, Chris and Michael Haynes had hot-footed it to this meeting from the Young Enterprise Awards 2013, where the team coached by our members Michael Haynes and Robert Sharp were in the running for an award. John Ellis provided the following report: (click on the Bread to go to the Compingo website)

As promised, the following are the results of yesterdays Regional final of the Young Enterprise event for the Area Board of Mid Sussex. The overall winner was 'Enigma' from Hurstpierpoint College. However, the team we mentored, Compingo, did extremely well with their Cookery Book, winning the following categories: Best Media Best Health and Safety Best Trade Stand Best year 12 team Best year 12 Individual Achiever award to Hannah G Runner up in the Innovation category Runner up in Best Report and Accounts category Commended in the Presentation category

So that just left Steven Kirupai, relatively new Club member and, as we were to find out, entrepreneur extraordinaire. Sorry the picture isnt very flattering, but I couldnt find his best side. Steven owns and runs Brighton Homes Letting Agents (use the link Google might give you another, possibly less scrupulous, agency). Steven began Brighton Homes having left Choices after 14 years. Since then, he has built up the agency to include eight staff on a 24 hour telephone help line, two skilled handymen and thinking of a third and now manages over 300 properties as well as golfing, boating, flying a light aeroplane and (gulp) fishing. How he achieved all this in a relatively short time was fascinating and probably best left between the rather tight-fitting walls (but unfortunately no similar fitting door) of the Old House at Home. Steven ran through some fascinating statistics for Brighton, all of which I forgot to ask him for. To make up for it, here are the 2011 Census results on housing for Brighton. Notice the highlighted bit 28% of households renting in Brighton compared to 14.7% in the SouthEast. Steven started off in 2009 with a list of potential clients and then posted a letter through each of their letterboxes asking them to contact him urgently. He also made sure his shop was open when commuters got off the evening trains and now does 35% of his business between 6 and 7.30 in the evening. Simple! So, on the good side, Steven comes over as a great guy and remarkable entrepreneur. Most of us have some failings though well you all do anyway, so we must try to overlook the golf and (gulp) fishing. Must stop now got a few letters to post around 7 Dials. Bob Commander