Lisa's First Team Meeting

It was Lisa's second Monday at the design studio, and at ten o'clock, there was a team meeting. Last week, she had only introduced herself.

This week, Helen had said, "Just listen and join in when you want."

Lisa planned to listen. Only listen.

Eight people sat around the big table with their laptops and coffee. Mia, the designer with the red glasses, sat next to her and gave her a small smile.

"Okay, everyone," Helen said. "We have a new client. It's a small bookshop in the old town. They want more young people to visit the shop, and they need ideas for a new campaign."

Lisa sat up a little straighter. A bookshop.

"First, let's look at the numbers," said Paul, a man with a grey beard. "Their foot traffic is down twenty percent this year."

Lisa didn't understand. Foot traffic? She looked around. Everyone was nodding. She wanted to ask, but she didn't want to look stupid in her second week.

Then she remembered something Mia had told her on her first day. Just ask.

"Sorry," Lisa said. "What does foot traffic mean?"

"Good question," Paul said. "It means the number of people who walk into the shop. So, twenty percent fewer visitors."

"Thank you," Lisa said. Nobody laughed. Nobody looked surprised. It was easy.

The team started sharing ideas. Someone wanted to make a new logo. Someone else suggested advertising on social media. Paul talked about a discount for students.

Lisa listened. She had an idea, but her heart was beating fast. Then Helen looked at her.

"Lisa, you worked in a bookshop for three years. What do you think?"

Everyone turned to her. Lisa took a breath.

"I think the ideas are good," she said. "But in my old bookshop, discounts didn't really bring young people in. Events did. Things like book clubs, or evenings where people could meet a writer. Young people want a reason to go somewhere. Something they can't get online."

The room was quiet for a second. Lisa's face felt warm.

"Can I add something?" Mia said. "I agree with Lisa. We could design the campaign around the events. Posters, social media, everything."

"I like that," Helen said. "Lisa, could you explain a bit more? What kind of events worked best?"

"Sorry, could you repeat the question?" Lisa said. "I want to make sure I understand."

"What kind of events brought the most people?"

"Quiz nights," Lisa said, and now she was smiling. "Book quizzes on Thursday evenings. People came with their friends, and they always bought something before they left."

Paul laughed. "A book quiz. That's a brilliant idea."

Helen wrote something in her notebook. "Okay. Let's build the campaign around events, starting with a quiz night. Lisa, I'd like you to work on this with Mia. You know this world better than any of us."

After the meeting, Lisa went to the kitchen to make a tea. Her hands were still a little shaky.

Mia came in behind her. "You did great," she said. "You asked a question, and you shared an idea. Most people take months to do that."

"I almost didn't say anything," Lisa admitted.

"But you did," Mia said. "That's the important part."

Lisa looked out of the window at the busy street below. Three years in a bookshop, she thought. She had always worried it wasn't real work experience.

Today, it was the most useful thing she had.