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Original poster

The Apprentice Thread Two - Fire Them All...

884 replies

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 11/11/2015 21:01

Will this do?

OP posts:
APlaceOnTheCouch · 13/12/2015 09:52

I think he does during the gap between filming and the final shows.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 13/12/2015 10:04

He said in his book he doesn't do that now they just have the investment . Just tells them over lunch !

var123 · 13/12/2015 19:18

Calling them spoilers was a misnomer. I have no inside info whatsoever about who will win. All I did was a quick google on each of the candidates. Sorry to have worried people.

It could be any of them, although in real life, one if them will have won already and Alan Sugar will have done some prep work with the winner for co-founding their joint business, whereas the others will have gone back to their lives and maybe tried to start the business themselves or with another investor or even found a new job. I was just putting 2 and 2 together, but I may well have been making 5.

SheHasAWildHeart · 13/12/2015 19:20

Alan Sugar will have done some prep work with the winner no he won't for reasons already mentioned

var123 · 13/12/2015 19:28

Ok.. let's put it this way... the 4 losing candidates - who are all driven, high achievers must have done absolutely nothing since they finished filming in June so nothing has been put up on linkedin etc.

BYOSnowman · 13/12/2015 20:28

I thought they all signed contracts that basically meant they were tied in to doing nothing but go back to their old jobs until finals day

KenDoddsDadsDog · 13/12/2015 20:38

One of the interview candidates last year is a school mam. She just got on with working afaik , nothing out of the ordinary as it's filmed so far before it's aired.

var123 · 13/12/2015 20:46

Maybe, except some of them don't have that option.

One gave up working for Tesco. I think he mentioned on the last episode how he resigned to go on the show, so he'd have to find a new job or live on savings for 6 months until the BBC let him find employment.

The other four own existing businesses already. They all developed business plans for a new business that they believe in. €250k isn't actually a big investment - there are plenty of other investors who'd put that into a good plan. A bit of googling and you can make an educated guess what those businesses were. All except Joseph Valente.

I know that in their shoes, I'd get started with the new business idea. Just because Alan Sugar liked another candidate better, it doesn't mean that the losing candidates are a waste of time.

What i find incredible is the statement upthread that the quality of the business plan is not the main criteria to deciding the winner!

BYOSnowman · 13/12/2015 20:52

But they can start the business without the £250k

I heard that the contracts were very harsh and hot on secrecy. Be interesting to know if anyone knows more!

I also wouldn't describe them as high achievers!

How much does sugar earn for doing the show? I should imagine the £250k is worth it for the publicity he gets. If the business ends up doing well all the better

var123 · 13/12/2015 20:57

There are lots of potential investors, not just Alan Sugar. The return on investment can be really good after a couple of years, which is why they do it. Its why Alan Sugar does it too (I presume).

Honestly, £250k is small fry to these investors. If they believe in the plan, they should just go looking for another investor.

What's really strange is that he apparently doesn't use the quality fo the plan as the main criteria for choosing where to invest.

SheHasAWildHeart · 14/12/2015 07:09

I've worked in an investment/funding organisation where we used to see pitches all the time and invest in businesses. Yes there is a lot of investment out there for those that want it but this is the route that these candidates decided to take. And for all we know they may have tried that and been unsuccessful. After the interview stage only two will remain. So it's only those TWO who will have to to wait.

SabsFabulous · 14/12/2015 07:37

The final is on Sunday at 9pm. And I won't be at home to watch it! Sad

var123 · 14/12/2015 08:40

I would love to understand the motivation of the people who enter the apprentice ever since the prize changed to gaining an investor for your business.

You start out as 1 of 12. You give up 3? months of your life to it. At least 8 of you will be made out to look like a prize idiot before being fired. You've got no editorial control whatsoever. So, if the producers decide to ignore the 100 hours of useful, intelligent stuff you did and highlight Karen or Claude pulling a face over a small mistake, then that becomes the public perception of you and then you get fired. Every task centres around selling (as if there are no other skills - maybe there aren't if you want to be a market trader?) and you are at the mercy of the quality of the people who get put in your team with you.

If you want to develop your existing marketing agency business (like Richard has), then it makes sense, but I don't understand why anyone hoping to get some of the other business ideas off the ground would take this route?

SheHasAWildHeart · 14/12/2015 09:08

Maybe var123 but other funding isn't a walk in the park either, the people we funded had to complete many stages before we gave them amounts much less than the £250k. Plus they get support and mentoring not just from Lord Sugar but his team. And free publicity for their businesses, I was surprised at how the Final Five show mentioned the names and businesses of all five considering how the BBC tries to avoid brand names etc. And if you believe in yourself enough, why not? Even the candidates that didn't make it very far will have learnt something about themselves. Some people like challenging themselves, so good on them.

var123 · 14/12/2015 09:55

The mentoring would be the really valuable part.

I am surprised though about your company investing much less than £250k, because that, to me, implies lower absolute returns (Rather than % returns). Isn't there a point when its not worth the effort of the due diligence?

var123 · 14/12/2015 10:00

For me, what happens after the series to the winner would actually be really interesting TV. I'd be fascinated to hear what they go through, and the advice they receive as they get their businesses off the ground.

As to publicity - I think it depends on whether there is such a thing as bad publicity. If the show didn't really feature you (apart from the snippets of arrogance) at all until the episode when you get made to look a fool and then you get kicked out, would that be better than no publicity at all?
I'd have thought it would prejudice people against you going forward?

APlaceOnTheCouch · 14/12/2015 10:02

I think it's always going to be a certain type of person who decides to go on TV to get investment whether that be The Apprentice or Dragon's Den.

For a percentage it becomes a platform to a TV career Saira Khan, Katie Hopkins, possibly Selina from this series ; for some it's about publicising their business because they know that most viewers accept the format is highly pressured and hugely edited so it's not a true reflection on the contestants' business acumen or their own businesses. For others, it will just be about having a new experience. Then there will be a percentage who want funding specifically from Lord Sugar because they believe they will also gain mentoring, access to his contacts and lots of publicity.

But really in a search for funding 2-3 months isn't that long. Someone going through an angel investor process can take much longer than that. And if you don't win, being able to watch back how you interact with people could prove a good learning process.

SheHasAWildHeart · 14/12/2015 12:07

Through my previous work in investment/funding I met about 4 ex-contestants from The Apprentice and believe me they can generate money, publicity and contacts from their appearance!

APlaceOnTheCouch · 15/12/2015 17:27

I just caught up on the Final Five today. It made me think Joseph or Gary might get the investment. (assuming their business plans aren't crap which is admittedly a big assumption going on previous years!) Grin

Claude obviously doesn't like Richard. Lord Sugar doesn't tend to like people who are doing too many other things so I think Vanna running 2 businesses and studying will count against her. Charleine is quite impressive but I just couldn't imagine Lord Sugar or maybe I mean me working with her Blush .

SheHasAWildHeart · 16/12/2015 09:17

After watching the Final Five I think that Joseph and Charleine would really be able to take their businesses somewhere with the investment, both doing well with potential to scale and grow. I also think Gary is in with a chance - Lord Sugar has constantly had a go at him for being 'corporate' but I think the only reason why he hasn't fired him yet is because of his business plan. Tbh I wouldn't write Richard off either, he reminds of a previous winner who was really sneaky and Lord Sugar invested in his 'Climb Online' recruitment business.

var123 · 16/12/2015 09:27

So you think anyone but Vana? I think its either Vana or Joseph. Vana as a sort of vanity project for Lord Sugar and Joseph because he probably reminds Lord Sugar of himself.

Did the Final Five programme describe their business plans? I missed that bit.

SheHasAWildHeart · 16/12/2015 09:39

Hahaha I just realised that I missed her out. She seems lovely and Karren is really a fan of her. She does seem like a strong candidate so I would be interested to see her business plan.
They didn't mention their plans on the show but they have throughout the show - eg Gary's is a event planning idea which is why Lord Sugar told him to PM the kids party task.

sadwidow28 · 16/12/2015 21:04

I'm here and watching.

Bring it on!!!!

Original poster
YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 16/12/2015 21:05

Why are they all talking to themselves?

OP posts:
penguinsarecool · 16/12/2015 21:06

Yay, i love the interviews Grin