Beer tokens

BEER52, the online craft beer subscription business, has been celebrating after raising £100,000 through a crowdfunding exercise.

The biggest investor has funded the company to the tune of £30,000, which in addition to an equity stake also came with the mouth-watering perk of free beer for life.

The Bottom Line understands that had a single investor sunk as much as £50,000 into the business it would also have been rewarded with what is an almost money can't buy experience - a "p*** up in a brewery of your choice anywhere in the world!".

Now that is something work drinking to.

Bag of nerves

NERVES dictate that job applicants often feel they do not perform at their best during interviews.

But there is no excuse for some of the behaviour displayed according to a survey from CareerBuilder.

The survey found one applicant told an interviewer that she "took too much valium" and did not think the interview best reflected her personality.

One acted out a Star Trek role, another asked for a hug, and one candidate boldly asked for the receptionist's phone number. But our favourite is the interviewee who popped out his dentures when discussing dental benefits.

Perhaps he was just looking for a role to sink his teeth into. Oh dear...

Foul play

SCOTT Taylor, chief executive of the Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, has enjoyed his fair share of success in attracting major events to the city.

But, as he noted during a presentation to a Glasgow-based business this week, it is also no stranger to defeat.

Mr Taylor explained that bids sometimes lose out to cities such as Manchester and Birmingham as their rivals have bigger populations. In other cases Glasgow is rejected because it is so far away from where the delegates live.

Sometimes, however, the explanation is more obtuse.

"We lost World Poultry to China," a rueful Mr Taylor reflected, adding: "Yes, there was foul play!".

People focus

A CONFERENCE aimed at helping businesses prepare for the attention likely to be brought by the events of 2014 is taking place in Glasgow on February 25.

Titled Join the Dots, and taking place at the Beardmore Centre in Clydebank, the event will address topics such as leadership, motivation, problem solving, and health and stress in the workplace.

The keynote speakers will be former government minister Jim Mather, and David Anderson, human resources director at VisitScotland.