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CAFFE + Lloyds coffee houses
The City of London is a modern powerhouse in the UK, European and World economies. Back in the 17th century, the Lloyds coffee houses in the City played a vital networking role in bringing together market counter-parties – shipping entrepreneurs, investors, soldiers and insurers - that helped to build one of the greatest trading nations the world has seen. Cityzone's enterprise network echoes this energetic era through its activities and concept of the 5 tribes of enterprise: CAFFE - Creators, Advisors, Funders, Facilitators and Educators. Italian, of course, for coffee...
CREATORS
…the entrepreneurs, the risk-takers, directors and the builders of businesses. Without their ideas, determination, energy, skills and sometimes irrational optimism, businesses would not be created, nurtured and grown. No creators, no golden egg. Every Enterprise party needs this tribe...
ADVISERS
…the lawyers, accountants, corporate financiers and others whose expertise many entrepreneurs depend on. Like the wartime consigliere in Mario Puzo’s “Godfather” story, there comes a time when specialist experience, expertise and contacts are needed, to survive and win. In addition to essential technical skills, these experts have worked with many successful - and some unsuccessful - businesses and can offer timely strategic advice. When you go into battle, do you want veterans who have fought and won past battles by your side? If so, get to know the advisers...
FUNDERS
…the investors and lenders, who provide the capital that businesses need to grow. Whereas institutional investors have job titles and recognisable company names, private or Angel investors are more camouflaged and may have day jobs as entrepreneurs, lawyers or corporate managers. Like it or not, their evaluation of a business’s chances of success is an acid test. Cash is oxygen for growth companies, so the discreet tribe of funders are welcome to any gathering of the 5 tribes...
FACILITATORS
…the government agencies and networks that smooth the way, signpost the opportunities and make the connections that businesses need. The facilitators – Government agencies, Networks and larger Corporates - are busy bees that should be valued for their role in making honey...
- The Government has promoted and supported entrepreneurship actively in the UK over the last 10 years, through funds, business advisers, regional development, networks, education, etc.
- From First Tuesday to Cityzone, networks have played an important role by connecting people that can do business together.
- Corporations are always keen to tap into the innovation, energy and expertise of fast-growth SMEs. Cityzone is happy to act as an introducer. See our Open Innovation/Corporate Venturing event.
EDUCATORS
…the universities and media that develop, refine and disseminate the ideas that change the world. If ideas can change the world, then the educators are the high priests of Enterprise...
- Universities and business schools increasingly act as enterprise hubs through: research and knowledge transfer work with business, incubation units, powerful alumni and corporate contacts, courses and training that can help entrepreneurs to survive and succeed, and networking events. The Government is encouraging UK Universities to manage their Intellectual Property more aggressively and University-backed research can pay off in a serious way, as Google - the mother of all University spinouts - has demonstrated.
- The media has played an enormous role in changing public attitudes about entrepreneurship. The TV programme Dragon’s Den has been a runaway success and has spawned many other formats that promote enterprise. The FT and other newspapers and magazines have regular sections on Enterprise that would have been exceptional 10 years ago.
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