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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to disagree with Alan sugar’s choice of final two on the Apprentice? (Spoiler alert)

79 replies

Magicmonster · 13/12/2017 22:32

I would have gone for Michaela and Sarah Lynn. I think Sarah Lynn’s business is rather dull and unoriginal, but she herself seems more investable than most of the others. I thought Joanna had the best business idea but obviously zero experience.

My overriding thought, however, is that surely there is someone out there in the UK with a more original and interesting business idea than a confectionary company or recruitment business! I guess such people maybe don’t want to go on the apprentice though!!

OP posts:
SunshineTheMonkey · 14/12/2017 07:29

Alana does franchises as well now. I saw them advertising on Facebook a few weeks ago.

I didn't like Michaela at all. Tarra

wictional · 14/12/2017 07:32

I used to like Sarah but her business plan was awful! I was rooting for Michaela and Joanna in the final (J had a great idea and I think she could have been mentored if she won). It’s like that girl a few years ago whose business was nude tights for everyone!

Sniv · 14/12/2017 07:34

Such a wierd choice; I'm honestly not fussed about watching the final as I don't care which of them wins.

Micheala should have been in the final. The fact she's not makes me feel like there's some other selection criteria at play that isn't made clear to viewers.

I've been secretly wanting Elizabeth to win the whole time, though, and couldn't hold in a 'noooooooo' as she got fired. My DP was like Hmm

CannotEvenThink · 14/12/2017 07:37

Last year's cake maker has had to recall a load of products for not labelling allergens correctly. Kind of like watching an apprentice task.

Boring insipid final. I can buy a million sweet jars on local facebook. I can buy a plastic cup of sweets in my local co op.

TDHManchester · 14/12/2017 07:47

Agreed SNIV,,Elizabeth should have been in there also. She was a strong candidate. Her business was a little wobbly but no worse than most of the others.

If this bunch are all that UK Business has to offer then God help us and yes, we had better keep the gates open for Euro talent in Brexit or this country will sink further into the mire .

ShatnersWig · 14/12/2017 07:57

Michaela doesn't need Sugar. She's already proved herself more than capable with those umpteen businesses and £2.7 m turnover. Her idea is fine, but others are doing it and to make it as successful as it would need to be would need far, far more than £250,000 to get it off the ground. The whole point is for both Sugar to make money but also bring something to the party to bring someone along. She doesn't need someone to bring her along and I agree with others who have said she'll probably do better on her own two feet.

Sarah's idea is bland, unoriginal and I don't see there being big money in it. There is more potential in James' idea and while he may have told a few fibs, he was more of a risk taker than Sarah and in business you need to take some risks. I can see why Sugar went for James. I can't see why he went for Sarah other than who did he have left? There was no way you could back Elizabeth - ridiculous idea and would be a nightmare to work with - nor Joanna with her total lack of experience.

So, not surprised at the final two although agree it will be a dull result either way. Distinct lack of strong candidates this year, although a couple of strong personalities.

falange · 14/12/2017 08:16

I couldn't stand Michaela because of her glasses and voice.

TheAntiBoop · 14/12/2017 08:25

I thought Elizabeth came in no one in the interviews and came across as an aggressive bully

James is dishonest

I do wonder if there is more to Sarah's 7 years than she was willing to say

Ceto · 14/12/2017 08:46

I suspect that tradespeople do indeed pay companies to do the sort of research that Michaela is offering, and it could be worth their while to pay something like £4K: it only has to net them one contract worth£10K to pay for itself. When our neighbour got planning permission for a loft extension, we got deluged with letters from surveyors offering party wall advice, and had our neighbours gone ahead with it we might well have gone with one of them because those party wall issues would have needed to be sorted out come what may. I doubt that each of those surveyors had someone stationed in the local planning office looking for these applications, so they probably got the details from one of the companies referred to.

PrimalLass · 14/12/2017 12:21

They are both unexciting. Sweets in a cup? What was he thinking?

Thymeout · 14/12/2017 12:27

Ceto - yes, I've had the same experience re party walls. The fact that all the regs are online doesn't mean a tradesman or small-time developer will be able to make sense of it. There's planning, building control and environmental health to co-ordinate. And our LA now charges for advice from planners which used to be free. You can waste a lot of money putting in plans that then get knocked back.

VladmirsPoutine · 14/12/2017 12:48

Are the glasses Michaela wears for fashion? There's no lens; she looks bloody ridiculous.
That said she's a grafter - I'm sure she'll be fine without that odious toad's money.

Nyx1 · 14/12/2017 12:51

They were far too kind to James about the blatant lie about accreditation on his website.

and should have picked Michaela. I loved her exit line!

Mia1415 · 14/12/2017 12:51

I wanted Michaela to win. I can't believe she wasn't in the final.

MyBrilliantDisguise · 14/12/2017 12:54

I thought Elizabeth should have expanded her business beyond flowers into other corporate gifts. I've just had to buy something for an American in NY and the corporate gifts of food, wine, flowers, chocolate and toiletries were really lovely. There's nothing like this here, as far as I know - not nationwide, anyway.

Did anyone not shout INTERFLORA when Elizabeth was pitching?

Aridane · 14/12/2017 13:01

I liked Joanna's business idea - ie the work clothes for women coupled with the provision of a school uniform for a child in need. Appreciate she had no experience and hadn't thought it through - but as a concept, I really liked it

FelixBrown · 14/12/2017 13:06

Alana's products have been recalled because they're not declaring allergens correctly

CR7987 · 14/12/2017 13:07

James is a nailed on winner. Sugar is all about technology and his IT recruitment will be right up his street. He did the cake/brownies one last year but I can't see that floating his boat too much. I will be amazed if James doesn't win.

Ricky Martin has already showed him that there is money to be made in recruitment.

CecilyNeville · 14/12/2017 13:10

Yes, anyone can put sweets in a cup BUT not everyone can put a bow on the top. That takes seven years of experience.

PanGalaticGargleBlaster · 14/12/2017 13:26

The Apprentice jumped the shark several years ago when contestants were selected on the basis of being obnoxious back stabbing narcissistic shits instead of perhaps having sound business and entrepreneurial potential. It’s got to the stage where simple knife fight in the boardroom to select a winner with ‘Sur Alun’ and Karen looking on as a modern day Crassus and Batiatus would save an awful lot of time, bad heels and fake tan.

VladmirsPoutine · 14/12/2017 13:28

I miss nick and margaret.

BertrandRussell · 14/12/2017 13:34

The tasks are pretty pathetic now too-they all seem to be marketing. Remember when one of the teams mismeasured their essential oils and ended up wildly over budget? That wouldn't happen nowadays.

Thymeout · 14/12/2017 13:35

Small local florists round here are struggling. Elizabeth is doing well to have 3 and make a profit. She's right about 'corporate is where the money is'. It's not Interflora. It's trees and plants in atriums, hanging baskets and window boxes outside pubs and restaurants, huge floral arrangements replaced every few days in reception - AND all the normal floristry stuff that businesses need when someone says, 'Send flowers'.

Pop24 · 14/12/2017 13:37

Loved Michaela and as she has a proven track record I think he was foolish not to pick her. James seems shady, agree Sarah boring business idea.

LemonShark · 15/12/2017 09:41

I know it's just a reality tv show but I was really really disappointed that James got through after they uncovered his blatant lying with using that logo he wasn't entitled to. In my line of work if I claimed to be registered with the GMC and wasn't (I'm not a doctor but it's a similar governing body) I'd be blacklisted and my career over! It wasn't a little oversight it was purposeful dishonest fraud. I like him as a candidate, but how he made it through after that is beyond me. Totally glossed over it in the boardroom too.

Don't think sugar had a lot of choice tbh. The whole way through I thought Jade would win it. Sarah is bland enough that there isn't a lot to disqualify her, but how she got chosen when she doesn't even have a working website is a joke!