The Apprentice: LA FINALE. Tonight we finally find out who the producers chose to win.

[dillite]

Starting tonight's thread early before I forget all about it.

See you all at 8? 9?

Where was the badger? eh??

I did think that it was a choice between there being a market but the product already existed or there being no viable market for it.

I wonder if it's the latter as I was really disappointed when department stores in London stopped selling Gerbe ethnics. I really love them. They were expensive but did last.

It maybe something to do with the fact that this is probably more of an issue for darker skinned women; light skinned women can usually get something that sort of suits them by shopping around.

And maybe the market for nude hosiery at a high price point for darker skinned women is smaller. I mean I tend to need tights because I don't fake tan or anything so I need to avoid a mottled corn beef effect. But if you are darker skinned your legs look good anyway.

I did not recognise Leah

And yes, The Badger: where was she??

You could have hours worth of highlights! I didn't see Bragg either!

What has leah done to her face?

You are meant to sell the products to other people not just use them on yourself.

Who is taking over from nick?

Wonder Why KH wasn't in the highlights?

I'm taking over from nick.

But you didn't hear that from me.

Coming in rather late on this, but surely Sugar has to stop that thing of announcing that the ousted candidates are coming back as if it was some sort of amazing surprise? They must know that it's going to happen if they've ever watched the programme before, plus I suspect that it's written into their contracts that they have to come back for the final task if asked.

dh were in stiches over the trampoline, not helped by the wide eyes of the guy presenting.

I sometimes watch qvc in the hope the apprentice crew is on

Really really late to the party - but even though he is a smug git it had to be Mark...may be some chance of sirallun getting his money back.
Bianca's idea was just not going to work...I was screaming at the telly after the interviews...can't believe it wasn't picked up on.

For a start say 50% of the uk population are female and only about 10% of the total population are 'not white' - so tights targeted at darker skin colours are only going to appeal to 5% max of the population - or max 10% of the total tights market - in the Uk - not sure which would be the most relevant figure. (Unless you went global...but surely in countries where the majority of tight wearing females have darker skin tones most of the tights in the shops will already be darker...)

I appreciate that she had lighter skin tones too -but there is much more competition for that market -she is unlikely to get a big share of the market - when you can buy 5 pairs for £2.50...or go to the established posh tight place -wolfords?...
And as people said her range was huge -shops were not going to stock all of them ....probably light, medium and dark - defeating the purpose...much better to have stalls in shopping malls with samples and the sensor thing matching to peoples skin tone and then allowing them to order (in bulk) online...or go completely online and send out samples...but then the postage costs will add to the expense ...make them less competitive.
And even then it is still flawed...only way to cost effectively manufacture things is in bulk - with that huge range of shades, sizes, denier you would never really be in a position to manufacture at those levels ...or you would have to spend a fortune on stock and hold onto some of it for years .... (Sure I have come across on that on the apprentice before ...or a similar program - it is hard to make money if you have to manufacturer a wide range) Unless you did a bespoke (very expensive) service - which I wouldn't imagine there were a lot of people who could afford or bother to use.
You would have to sell a massive amount even at £20 to make back that £250k...and that doesn't even include cost of manufacture.
Finally currently 'nude' tights are in...in the 70s it was American Tan, then thick tights and black tights...when fashion changes (again) there will be no market...
I would suggest there are very good reasons why none of the big players already do them... they will have obviously thought about it -not a new idea.
Sorry huge rant -reason why I shouldn't watch things like this - get too involved and too annoyed....

fluff, but he won;t be pitching to a big audience, just to a particular (often small scale) client - he's amazing at Selling a product, in this case a service - people literally eat out of his hand when he's selling (a farmer's wife in Bath fair was positively drooling haha).
I didn't like Mark at to start with but am converted, and yes he does have charm to cover up the fact that he is very serious, an unusual combination.

no 'at' in last sentence.

I'm at my parents tonight and they don't watch, might be able to sit in the kitchen with my laptop

Bit late Crimbo, it was on last night!!

I think he'll soon gain the confidence he needs, also, as he said, the fact that he knows and loves his concept well took over from the nerves, whereas the Tesco debacle was an unknown product.

Nick's leaving?!!!!!!

How on earth did I miss that.

doesn't matter anyway, I've sold the tv because Mark won.

I think the main problem is that they don't get applicants with brilliant business propositions who need funding and exposure, they get applicants who want exposure who then have to quickly cobble together some kind of plan e.g. Luisa last year.
I don't like the business partner version as much as The Apprentice job version, but there's going to be another one. Wonder who'll get Nick's job?

The problem with the whole series is that £250k is loose change to Allen Sugar, so why should he care. What is the chance of any business making enough money for him to care about with this backing? Almost zero.

It is never specified what shareholding Sir Allen takes and what is left to the contestant, but, assuming 50/50, it is really not that exciting for anyone. He should either put some real money up, or offer some other real incentive (a meaningful amount of time or a significant financial guarantee against bank borrowings). The current format is merely cheap advertising for his brand.

What has happened to the businesses backed so far?

I'd imagine that Alan had written off the £250k anyway. It's probably less tha. He got paid for the series, so it was still a profit.

Yes but, having one of the winners fail spectacularly, isn't good publicity for Sir Alan either though.

I posted that yesterday morning!