Angels Den Blog

Young entrepreneurs looking for tips on how to succeed in the corporate world probably could have happily avoided the embarrassment and masochism of watching this year’s The Apprentice (I, of course, was doing so only for research purposes.) If you are a regular viewer of this annual circus show, you’ll be used to the usual choir of seriously deluded individuals attempting to sing from the hymn sheet of the man with the beard.

This season, however, did introduce a couple of notable exceptions to the seemingly standard rule of contestants chosen from among the scrapings at the bottom of the entrepreneurial barrel…

The one that got away

I must admit that I wasn’t a fan of Debra Barr when she started on the show. What was explained away as ‘drive’ and ‘enthusiasm’ might, more accurately, be labelled the traits of a mouthy character with a superiority complex and an ability to step on anyone in her way without regret. Her capacity to sell was never in question: she proved time and time again that she was talented—but how did she survive the boardroom run-in with Nick Hewer? If a young entrepreneur were to talk to me like that, they’d be out the door so fast that their feet wouldn’t touch the ground!

But then, just like the bearded one, I began to find something endearing about her determination to succeed—even if it was a little forcefully misplaced at times. She was, I’d argue, ‘the one that got away’: failing to select her for the final was a mistake. She had proven that she was able to tame ‘the beast within’ and had taken on board the many criticisms that had been levelled at her in the boardroom, maturing during the course of the show into a very credible candidate. Debra had proven her talents and her ability to be moulded into the apprentice for whom Sir Alan was looking.

As young entrepreneurs go, then, I think that she’s a winner—and that she may ultimately do better in her career as a result of having not been chosen.

The successful young entrepreneur
It is only my personal opinion, but as good as Yasmina Saidatan was, I’m sorry to say that I don’t believe that she should have won the show. This is not a reflection on her abilities and talents: she is very obviously an intelligent and capable young entrepreneur who did very well on the tasks that were set. But as an interviewer, I would always have had my doubts about her commitment to the end goal—that is, the job itself. As a successful young entrepreneur already with her own business, she has proven her ability to do the job, but also that she has revelled in the independence of a family-run business. Could she—or would she want to—survive in the corporate environment, doing what others told her, planning her day around the needs and demands of others further up the corporate ladder?

Having run my own business for some time now, I’d have to say that I’d rather gnaw my own left foot off than go back to an office environment in which other people tell me what to do. The transition is a massive one—and one of which I, as an employer, would always be wary were a candidate such as Yasmina to be sitting in front of me.

It’s my belief that taking the job is only likely to stifle a young entrepreneur such as Yasmina—and that it won’t be long before she realises this and starts to get itchy feet.

The “perfect” candidate
So, finally, this brings us to Kate Walsh—who was robbed.

I’m sure that I’m not alone in my confusion over why Kate didn’t get the job for which she was so perfect. It amazes me that doing everything right should be used as a negative in a job interview. It was the only criticism that anyone in the process could level against a candidate whose skill set seemed to contain every element needed to win The Apprentice: sales; marketing; interview technique; presentation, etc. In fact, the thing that startled me most was that even after these attributes had been proven week on week and listed at the final decision point, the be-bearded one still said that he was worried that Kate might a be a one-trick pony!

Crazy—although, once again, I’m sure that Kate Walsh has big things ahead of her and that we all wish her the very best.

Young entrepreneurs beware!
If you’re a young entrepreneur, just starting out in corporate life, and you’re keen to soak up all of the information you can about being a successful young entrepreneur, don’t watch this show with anything more than a healthy dollop of cynicism. The Apprentice is not only a job interview; it is also an entertainment show and a forum for Sir (Lord) Alan to promote his business, his TV career and his new political status.

If you’re genuinely looking for a boost into the business arena, then follow the path taken by many a young entrepreneur and visit www.angelsden.co.uk to find out how we can help you to fund your business ideas and inventions to make them the successful businesses of tomorrow.