WeBMart

I wouldn’t say Webmarteers are obsessive about saving time wherever we can, but this is taking lean into a whole new dimension!

We used to do business with a smile. Now it's more of a manic grin!

Our latest addition to the Webmart HQ is a spanking new BMW S1000RR superduperbike – in Webmart colours of course. Here’s a shot featuring Dep MD Paul reliving his boyhood dreams before scaring himself silly on the way home from picking up the beastie.

All Webmarteers with a full motorcycle license aged over 25 can use the bike for business. Here’s some stats of what they can look forward to:

193 Bhp max power

83lb/ft torque

183Kg dry

Institute of Directors – Awards and more Awards!

We seem to have developed a winning way recently at Webmart. First Ayo’s the Entrepreneur of the Year. Now, Chief Webmarteer, Simon, is the Institute of Directors Director of the Year (SME category) Nationally!

 

A very proud Chief Webmarteer

 

He won the South East Director a few months ago, but now he’s the champ. In the photo you can see Simon clutching yet another award – that of runner up award for the ultimate winner of International God of all Directors (or whatever the top accolade is). Well done Simon – and not a bribed official in sight!

Go! Go! Ayo!

Here’s the moment new Webmarteer Ayo Jenyo received a £2.99 Prontaprint clip-and-go frame from lanky dragon, Peter Jones.

One of these men is a WINNER!

Of course, it’s not the frame, it’s the honour that goes with winning the first ever National Enterprise Academy Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 Award that’s the main thing (good job too!).

I was fortunate enough to have been voted for by both my peers and members of staff.” quoth Ayo. “The time at the academy and the end result showed me that entrepreneurism is not just about business, but is a mindset which can be developed. Passion, drive and vision are all attributes of a successful entrepreneur as well as a successful individual in life.

Congratulations to Ayo from all of the Webmart team! And It’s a pleasure to have you on board!

New Webmarteers arrive at the Yellow Shed

We’re pleased to announce the arrival of three shiny new Webmarteers into the Bicester and London offices.

Stevie, Ayo, & Lisa-Marie.

They’ve all been plucked fresh from the National Enterprise Academy, brainchild of Smug-master General Peter Jones (the unfeasibly tall one from Dragon’s Den). We recently visited  the NEA as part of their presentation to local businesses and we’re stunned by the quality of the graduates – so we snapped up 3 of the brightest and are busy inducting them into the ways of the yellow shed. Two of them will work out of our Bicester HQ as Print Consultants (that’s Stevie and Ayo) and Lisa-Marie will work in sales support from Vine Hill.

Hurray and welcome to you all!

Cycling the Alps – Part Deux.

Well Sprints did it. He completed the Raid Alpine – the mountain section of the Tour de France – in aid of raising money for Special Effect.  He aimed to raise £1000 and he’s well over that now so very well done.

Of course, you can still donate at http://www.justgiving.com/Mark-Sprintall – every penny helps!

It took 7 days to complete – that’s an average of about 10 hours a day of  straining, chafing and skidding per day. Then going to bed and doing it all again.

He kept a diary of the event – so if you want to see a day-by-day account of how gruelling it was (or to see downright disturbing pictures of grown-blokes in Lycra) download the pdf below:

Raid Alpine

Cycling the Alps for Special Effect

Well, he’s finally made it. Key Account Director and keen living-room cyclist Mark Sprintall is putting his dodgy knees on the line by taking the Raid Alpine challenge.

No need for Lycra for our Sprints. Just loosen off the collar, pat the dog, and we're off...

For the next seven days, he’ll be cycling all the hilly bits of the Tour de France – setting off from Lake Geneva  and cycling over 700kms to the med. He’ll be wobbling his way up and down 31 peaks, cycling over 100km a day – and is aiming to raise over a grand for Special Effect – one of Webmart Charitable Trust’s supported charities.

We did try and persuade him that a real man would do it on a Rally Chopper – but have to concede, if he pulls this off and makes it all the way to Antibes, he’s gonna be a real star. Good on you mate.

To sponsor Mark’s sterling work and find out more about the trip, please visit his sponsor page at http://www.justgiving.com/Mark-Sprintall. Every pound will be put to very good use.

Printweek Power Poll’s Innovation Insights…

While we’re generally a bit cynical about the worth of Top 10s and Top 100s here at Webmart, Printweek’s Power 100 did make a few quality observations. Simon skipped along one step from last year’s No.61, but that’s neither here nor there. What’s important is that people are recognising how we’re always searching for new ways to help out or clients and suppliers and that we do this through innovation – in technology and business processes. There’s nothing more important than serving our customers (except perhaps our ability to help others through our Charitable trust). So the messages seem to be getting through – hurrah!

Click to be WOWED and AMAZED by Webmart’s entry into the Top 100!

To have a friendly Webmarteer show you how our tech might be able to help you (in procurement, project management, retail) give us a shout

Thanks to everyone – it was emotional.

Webmart really went the extra mile in every conceivable way. In our ‘Go the Extra Mile’ 24hr charity event, we had a great time, displayed a fantastic team spirit – and smashed our expectations out of the field.

Before the event, we were worrying we’d not even make it to Glasgow. Afterwards, we were amazed that we’d made it to Barcelona! And we’ve raised a running total of £1477 – with Webmarteer John promising to add an extra £200 out of his own pocket. Great going guys! And we weren’t the only ones who were amazed at our performance. We just received the following letter from Dr. Mick at SpecialEffect, which we thought we’d share with all our sponsors and volunteers – as it’s really a thank you to you all, whoever you are and however you contributed.

Dear Geraldine,

WOW!!!!

I just wanted to say a huge heartfelt thank you and your amazing colleagues at all of the Webmart offices – north, south, and far north.

To say that you’ve given over and above the call of duty is an understatement.  Since I phoned this first thing morning and heard that you’d gone on and on and on through the night and some of you had done so with hardly any sleep and then when I rang at lunchtime and found that you done over a *1000 miles between you,  I really couldn’t believe it.  In fact, I honestly can’t even think about it without choking up.  I feel genuinely humbled and privileged that our charity was chosen to be been helped in this truly challenging and demanding way.

You are a remarkable group of people.  Not only will the funds that you’ve raised be of immense benefit to the severely disabled people our small team does our best to support but, equally importantly to us, the morale boost that having such a wonderful bunch of people prepared to give up their time AND energies in this way gives us is immense.

Please pass this on to all of your terrific colleagues – again, many, many thanks for a truly remarkable achievement on our behalf and, just imagine – if you could have got Spiderman to do a bit less posing and a bit more running, goodness knows how many miles you’d have covered…

Mick and the SpecialEffect Team

Dr Mick Donegan

Director, SpecialEffect

Bicester to East Kilbride and all the way to…

Well, we made it to East Kilbride. We then made it back again to Barnsley… and then carried on through the morning. Webmarteers up and down the country were beating each other’s totals and peddalling, running and rowing at breakneck speeds, knowing the end was in sight. And so, by 12 noon we’d put in enough virtual miles to make it past Bicester and nearly all the way to… PARIS! Yep, we clocked up 1020 miles by the end – enough to get from Bicester to Barcelona. That’s 1642 kilometers. 5385600 feet.  81600 chains and 8160 furlongs (isn’t the internet a wonderful thing). And, second most importantly, that equates to around 57000 calories which we can all enjoy piling back on this bank holiday weekend. Win – win!

Spidey makes an appearance!

Opening Ceremony

Team Bicester, ready for Action

But of course, the most important thing is that we raise cash for special effect. The current total is running at £1100 which is marvellous – and thanks to all our sponsors. Obviously, we’d like still more so if you haven’t sponsored or donated yet, please visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/webmart and give whatever you can afford.

Final amount update to follow once all the money has been accounted for…

Barnsley and Scotland checking in…

First a picture of Rich W’s initial stint on the bike in Barnsley (display is in Kms) then Webmarteers Alan and Norman from our East Kilbride office.  Particularly well done to Norman who managed to complete his run with a tiny man dangling from the end of his nose. Marvellous effort guys!

Norman & friend.

Alan & Norman get going.

Rich’s first ride.