Live webchat TODAY with 'Inventor Tom', winner of The Apprentice series 7, Friday 26 July, 1-2pm

[RachelMumsnet]

Tom Pellereau, engineer, inventor and everyone's favourite Apprentice winner, is joining us at Mumsnet Towers for a webchat on Friday 26 July between 1 and 2pm.

Since winning The Apprentice in 2011 and gaining investment from Lord Sugar, Tom has been busy creating a host of beauty products that aim to make everyday chores easier.

His 'curved S-file' was the top-selling beauty accessory following its launch last March. Since then, he has gone on to launch six more products, including the S-clipper and, most recently the Nipper Clipper, the world's first baby nail clipper, which allows parents to trim nails safely and correctly. Having read Lottiegarbanzo's contribution to the #TipsforKate discussion thread, perhaps a useful purchase for a certain pair of new parents?

Join Tom tomorrow (Friday 26 July) to quiz him about life after not being fired or post a question to him in advance.

Hi Tom,

Congratulations on being an Apprentice winner who didn't take the Katie Hopkins approach to success (ie you were a nice bloke)

So what is so good about your baby nail clippers then? I ask as the mother of a 2 year old who resorts to clipping her fingernails in her sleep...

Loved your announcement on 'You're Fired' that you've recently launched your new baby - congratulations!

Congrats on the baby too Tom!

Do you think that winning the apprentice made the difference to your career? IIRC you had already launched into major retailers before winning, did you really need Lord Sugar or would you have made it anyway?

And do you get to have boozy meetings with the other winners/contestants? or Nick and Karren

Hi Tom, how are you finding juggling the demands of a new business with the demands of a new baby?!

Hello Tom, my now 11 year old and I were huge fans of yours on The Apprentice. You broke the mould of the usual Apprentice contestant by being both commercial and a decent bloke. The 11 yr old wants to know: what is the best thing about a career in inventing? (and how in the bloody hell do I get him to do his Science homework? had to sneak this bit in while he wasn't looking!).

Do you have any speaking engagements in the West Country anytime soon?

Beauty may be a large market but it's not changing the world. As an engineer, do you not want to invent/commercialise something that really changes people's lives?

Can you invent a bath baby dam that doesn't leak only found one available but its rubbish. With every one trying to cut costs its a must for mums when bathing their young saving on water bills and heating hot water please

Hello Tom - I am based in Northern Ireland and I have an idea for a product (similar to a hair claw/clip) but am having great difficulty in sourcing UK manufacturers of plastic/acrylic products - I don't want to have to outsource to China - can you suggest any alternative? And what do you think of organisations such as www.kickstart.com ?

It's quite scary thinking about creating something - a bit like you must be feeling with your new baby!

Hello Tom! We are massive Tom fans in the Twatkins house.

Nick or Karren?

macpherson1, I read your comment and had to google what on earth a baby dam was. Why you wouldn't just place a baby bath inside a normal bath and then just fill it is beyond me. I am astounded I have never seen this product before. Of course it will leak!

I know we're meant to ask only one question, but you don't have many yet so I hope it's OK to ask who you wanted to win this year's Apprentice?

I love the nipper clippers having just bought them but i find it hard to spot the nail through the spy hole as it is camouflaged by the colour of the steel. If the clippers were non metallic in colour it would be better though not sure if possible?!

Hi Tom, just wondered if you have any more inventions in the pipeline you can tell us about ? Thanks

Hello Tom.
How much help have you had from Lord Sugar since winning The Apprentice? Did he just bung you the money and let you get on with it, or did he set you up with contacts, mentors, sales opportunities etc and support you in getting your products to market? Is he quite hands-on with your business or do you hardly see him?

Hello, I remember you rather fondly from the 2011 Apprentice!

My question is, does Alan have a loo behind his door in the boardroom?

Hi Tom

You've had a big success on one reality show. If you were invited to go on another one, would you consider it?

Hi Tom,

Welcome to Mumsnet. Following your back chair proposal on The Apprentice, how are you finding the chairs in Mumsnet Towers? What would you rate them?

Also - and more seriously, is it a viable policy for the government to encourage more young people to forget traditional jobs and encourage them to start their own businesses?

Sorry to ask another..I know I'm not meant to did you keep in touch with any of the other contestants after the Apprentice ended? Was it hard to go back to normality after appearing on a reality TV show?

Tom Pellereau is now here in the Towers. He's settled into his (not quite ergonomic chair). So over to Tom.

Hello, very happy to be in Mumsnet Towers. Looking forward to answering your questions, please don't be shy. I will try and answer everything I can.

Tom
ps Sorry about my spelling !

@JeanBillie

Hi Tom,

Congratulations on being an Apprentice winner who didn't take the Katie Hopkins approach to success (ie you were a nice bloke)

So what is so good about your baby nail clippers then? I ask as the mother of a 2 year old who resorts to clipping her fingernails in her sleep...

Thank you so much, you're very kind!

I invented the Nipper Clipper exactly for parents like yourself, who find cutting their little one's nails really tricky and often have to resort to biting them or, as you say, waiting until they nod off! In inventing the Nipper Clipper I wanted to improve the ordinary nail clippers to make cutting nails a much less scary experience for parents.

It has a unique spy hole so you can actually see what you're cutting, comes with a baby S-file to file off any rough edges and a distraction app called Timmy Tickle Baby, which we worked on with a child psychologist, designed to distract kids while keeping them calm (and not too excitable!).

Hopefully all of this will make for a much less stressful nail cutting experience.

Hi Tom - it's great that you have given your time to come over and chat to us. I posted a question yesterday for you - I guess you will work your way down the list?

Heather

What made you interested in nails in particular? Or was it something like came to you as an idea out of the blue?

Hey Tom! V exciting to see you in the Towers. I'd like to know how you first got into the whole style and beauty thing with the Stylfile - what gave you the idea? And can we expect anything else in this line from you?

@PseudoBadger

Loved your announcement on 'You're Fired' that you've recently launched your new baby - congratulations!

Thank you. Not sure my wife is ever going to let me forget that one!!