Ladies and Gentlemen we have a winner!
The mad professor Tom Pellereau is the man Lord Sugar has backed to the tune of £250,000 after the final episode of The Apprentice. A worthy winner in many respects, a certainly fortunate to be under the new Apprentice prize of a joint business venture as opposed to a job within Lord Sugars portfolio of companies. If we’d been working to rules of previous series the likelihood is that Tom would’ve struggled to make it through the auditions let alone the first few weeks. His quirky style, mad inventor personality and action-man eyes always presented him as a potential loose cannon, but dig below that and Tom was always a candidate who stood out for Lord Sugar.
It is under the old rules that this year’s second place candidate, Helen Louise Milligan would’ve walked it. After a quiet opening few weeks Helen smashed her way to the top of the leaderboard and her structured planning and calculated organisation meant she stayed there right to the end. She played the perfect game in this series, and that perhaps is her biggest failing. There is a sense with Helen that she performs best within a structured environment, and as all new business owners will testify, a new start up is not the place to need rigid processes and procedures to perform at your best. Certainly in my experience, the ability to function within organised chaos would be closer to the mark. Helen you felt all along lacked a certain something despite her impressive showing, and it was crucial to Lord Sugar in the final reckoning. He was willing Helen to produce a stunning business idea, or even just a credible one, you felt if she had then even with the reservations she’d have been a shoe in. Not that she was the only one without a credible business plan.
The range of plans/businesses was revealed and disappointing was probably the easiest way to round them up. They ranged from Susan’s Skincare company to Jim’s e-learning entrepreneurial skills for schools.
Taking them individually, Susan’s plan involved the huge potential skincare market if she got it right, but with associated costs that would eat up the investment before it had time to breathe. Jim’s e-learning idea, cheekily branded AMsmart in line with Lord Sugars existing businesses, already exists and was in essence an idea non-profit business hastily given commercial figures. Helen disappointingly presented the equivalent of a virtual PA service that somehow was supposed to get the country back on its feet. Even winner Tom’s plan of ergonomic chairs and associated products was seriously flawed. Hugely disappointing all round and rightly all were pulled to pieces by what must be one of the most scary interview panels outside of the Den. In fact you got the feeling at one point that Lord Sugar was going to end the interviews and send all four over to the Dragons Den studio for a grilling in a BBC cross-show promotion.
Tom’s victory was down to two main attributes. He’s quite obviously a guy that Lord Sugar feels on a personal level he could work with. As I pointed out in a previous article, Sugar made most of his fortune in partnership with guys like Tom, and that was obviously a big draw for him, he knows how to handle this type of character. Secondly, Tom is a one-man ideas factory, it may take him 20 different ideas, but somewhere along the line Tom is going to hit on another massive idea and Lord Sugar wants to be there when it does. With his already established, but somewhat off-track, ‘Curved Nail file’ Sugar has a readymade product to start recouping his investment.
And so The Apprentice finishes for another series, we’ve had the usual mix of inflated egos, tears, tantrums and Top Hats. Only a few months until Junior Apprentice starts, and if that is anything like last year, those candidates will once again be putting their senior counterparts to shame.
Though certainly not this country’s entrepreneurial elite, this year’s batch of Apprentice candidates have made some great TV and been responsible (sometimes inadvertently) for some essential business lessons. We are left with the vision of a white coated Tom giggling away in a high-tech lab somewhere reaching for an emergency biscuit whilst creating the world’s first time machine using parts from a nodding dog, a top hat, nail file and travel clock. It’d be fun to be there don’t you think?
Showing posts with label series 7. Show all posts
Showing posts with label series 7. Show all posts
Monday, 18 July 2011
Sunday, 17 July 2011
The PY's the limit! Apprentice Series 7 Episode 11
The un-official semi-final of this year’s series went off with a rather pleasant taste in the mouth. It was a fast food challenge, with each team coming up with a new fast food brand, menu and restaurant to wow a group of industry experts, and it proved a super episode.
Finally, yeah, Natasha, yeah went yeah and...aaarggghh I’ve annoyed myself again! Thank goodness the recruitment manager from Taunton was finally dismissed, though to be fair there was little chance of her reaching the final once Caracas went south. That’d be Caracas, as in the capital of Venezula, possibly discovered by the British explorer Christopher Columbus who was probably working alongside Shakespeare and Byron around the same time. All that was missing was to introduce the Columbus dish with...’just one more thing’ and the messy mixture would’ve been complete.
It should be said that the general knowledge mess-ups are certainly understandable, after all how many of us would have forgotten our own names after 11 weeks of living and working with this year’s candidates? It’s not surprising that for the third week running the candidate that has gone has been the one that has obviously run out of steam.
Just as with Zoe Beresford and Melody Hossaini before her, Natasha had the aura of a candidate who was gone before the task started. Match that to the fact that she was this tasks ‘Expert’ having a degree in Hospitality Management, (and her previous weeks poor performances) and she could’ve saved herself 48 hours of stress by catching a cab straight from the house. How she failed to grasp the task when she obviously has skills within the area was unforgivable so close to the final. Unforgivable, but pleasing all the same!
The dynamic duo Helen and Tom steered clear of the cheesy nacho regurgitation and instead hit on the impressive MYPY concept. Columbus rick aside, the clear direction, detailed costings plan and on-brief service made for a clear winner. MYPY was a genius concept, if a little Airline food looking in its delivery, but most importantly for a fast food restaurant, simple in its execution. In-store games within fast food outlets aren’t well known, but a little ‘I spy with my little PY’ could be a winner. Plus any food that can be served with gravy will always find a home in the glorious North of England so there’s a massive market ready-made. So glorious was the sight, seeing the ready-made meal in a crust served with lashing of the good stuff in the heart of the City, it was enough to make any Lancastrians heart flutter with pride. Oooo Northern Boys Love Gravy (*circa 2003 Soccer Am).
It was impressive all round from our second version of Beauty and Geek this series. The pair make an impressive double-act, so much so you wonder if Lord Sugar fancied calling this year a dead-heat and going into business with the pair of them. In a business such as fast food where organisation and detail is so important, Helen and Tom left nothing to chance and with Tom’s ideas and Helen’s organisation they could be an unstoppable combination.
So onto this year’s final, and we are left with the final four that doesn’t really hold any surprises. When Darth Norn/Jedi Jim strolled into the kitchen and asked ‘Did someone order a final four?’ I did hear someone shout ‘No Jim, I’m still waiting for my fajita’. It is Jim that is perhaps the most vulnerable of the remaining four despite being the best sales person left. You get the feeling that Lord Sugar is almost done with Jim. The same could be said of Tom with the number of losses he has been involved in. However, the big difference is Lord Sugar made his fortune working with people like Tom and you get the feeling his lordship is sizing up in his mind if he fancies one last crack at it with the loveable genius.
Helen, after a quiet start, has been awesome as the weeks have progressed. However, there is something missing with Helen that I can’t quite put my finger on. There is nothing wrong with reaching 30 without having started a business. After all some people just aren’t ready to and it’s admirable that she feels now is the time. There is just a feeling that she thinks she knows more about leading a new venture than the actual reality of doing so. But perhaps there is no better way to learn with the backing of Lord Sugar.
That leaves Snoozy Susie, Susan Ma. Possibly the Marmite candidate this year (you either love her or hate her), she is a hugely impressive individual. Not necessarily in each and every task, but just in how she has built her life, she has a real drive to achieve success. Indeed, the kind of drive that Lord Sugar himself is renowned for, and it could this that wins it for her. Much will depend on just how much time Lord Sugar is preparing to spend within each business and advising each candidate. If he wants to be quite hands on, Tom and Susan could be the kind of candidates he could work with. On the other hand, if he’s looking for no real input then Helen, and to a certain extent, Jim may be the preferred option.
The final featuring Daisy Communications Matt Riley and the return of Apprentice legend Margaret Mountford will see the candidates interviewed about their business plans. It is then we will get to know a little more about the kind of business Lord Sugar could be involved with.
It should be a cracking climax!
Finally, yeah, Natasha, yeah went yeah and...aaarggghh I’ve annoyed myself again! Thank goodness the recruitment manager from Taunton was finally dismissed, though to be fair there was little chance of her reaching the final once Caracas went south. That’d be Caracas, as in the capital of Venezula, possibly discovered by the British explorer Christopher Columbus who was probably working alongside Shakespeare and Byron around the same time. All that was missing was to introduce the Columbus dish with...’just one more thing’ and the messy mixture would’ve been complete.
It should be said that the general knowledge mess-ups are certainly understandable, after all how many of us would have forgotten our own names after 11 weeks of living and working with this year’s candidates? It’s not surprising that for the third week running the candidate that has gone has been the one that has obviously run out of steam.
Just as with Zoe Beresford and Melody Hossaini before her, Natasha had the aura of a candidate who was gone before the task started. Match that to the fact that she was this tasks ‘Expert’ having a degree in Hospitality Management, (and her previous weeks poor performances) and she could’ve saved herself 48 hours of stress by catching a cab straight from the house. How she failed to grasp the task when she obviously has skills within the area was unforgivable so close to the final. Unforgivable, but pleasing all the same!
The dynamic duo Helen and Tom steered clear of the cheesy nacho regurgitation and instead hit on the impressive MYPY concept. Columbus rick aside, the clear direction, detailed costings plan and on-brief service made for a clear winner. MYPY was a genius concept, if a little Airline food looking in its delivery, but most importantly for a fast food restaurant, simple in its execution. In-store games within fast food outlets aren’t well known, but a little ‘I spy with my little PY’ could be a winner. Plus any food that can be served with gravy will always find a home in the glorious North of England so there’s a massive market ready-made. So glorious was the sight, seeing the ready-made meal in a crust served with lashing of the good stuff in the heart of the City, it was enough to make any Lancastrians heart flutter with pride. Oooo Northern Boys Love Gravy (*circa 2003 Soccer Am).
It was impressive all round from our second version of Beauty and Geek this series. The pair make an impressive double-act, so much so you wonder if Lord Sugar fancied calling this year a dead-heat and going into business with the pair of them. In a business such as fast food where organisation and detail is so important, Helen and Tom left nothing to chance and with Tom’s ideas and Helen’s organisation they could be an unstoppable combination.
So onto this year’s final, and we are left with the final four that doesn’t really hold any surprises. When Darth Norn/Jedi Jim strolled into the kitchen and asked ‘Did someone order a final four?’ I did hear someone shout ‘No Jim, I’m still waiting for my fajita’. It is Jim that is perhaps the most vulnerable of the remaining four despite being the best sales person left. You get the feeling that Lord Sugar is almost done with Jim. The same could be said of Tom with the number of losses he has been involved in. However, the big difference is Lord Sugar made his fortune working with people like Tom and you get the feeling his lordship is sizing up in his mind if he fancies one last crack at it with the loveable genius.
Helen, after a quiet start, has been awesome as the weeks have progressed. However, there is something missing with Helen that I can’t quite put my finger on. There is nothing wrong with reaching 30 without having started a business. After all some people just aren’t ready to and it’s admirable that she feels now is the time. There is just a feeling that she thinks she knows more about leading a new venture than the actual reality of doing so. But perhaps there is no better way to learn with the backing of Lord Sugar.
That leaves Snoozy Susie, Susan Ma. Possibly the Marmite candidate this year (you either love her or hate her), she is a hugely impressive individual. Not necessarily in each and every task, but just in how she has built her life, she has a real drive to achieve success. Indeed, the kind of drive that Lord Sugar himself is renowned for, and it could this that wins it for her. Much will depend on just how much time Lord Sugar is preparing to spend within each business and advising each candidate. If he wants to be quite hands on, Tom and Susan could be the kind of candidates he could work with. On the other hand, if he’s looking for no real input then Helen, and to a certain extent, Jim may be the preferred option.
The final featuring Daisy Communications Matt Riley and the return of Apprentice legend Margaret Mountford will see the candidates interviewed about their business plans. It is then we will get to know a little more about the kind of business Lord Sugar could be involved with.
It should be a cracking climax!
Thursday, 7 July 2011
But what do you do? Apprentice Series 7 Episode 10
There was an air of excitement about the small figure stood in front of Tom this week. He was giddy with excitement looking at the merchandise pilled high in front of him. No not one of the young consumers Tom flogged patriotic nodding dogs to; I’m talking about Lord Sugar who was truly in his element at the start of this week’s task. You could see the former van trader practically leaping for joy as he outlined the stock selling task. The only thing missing was a yellow three wheel van power sliding through the warehouse doors.
With that picture firmly fixed in your mind, it was all the more shocking to see Snoozy Suzie sent to Knightsbridge to sell linen door to door. These are the kind of properties that sometimes won’t let number 1000 on The Sunday Times Rich List through the door to use the toilet, let alone a Croydon girl with handfuls of cheap polyester. But it was a sign of things to come from a Venture team led by the useless Natasha. Harsh for sure, but Lord Sugar’s disgust at their ‘win’ was followed by the removal of any winning treat. If she wasn’t sure before, the next time Natasha appears in the boardroom she’ll need to make sure her case is packed.
As much as it was a lucky win for Venture, it was not an unlucky loss for Logic, who under the leadership of Melody floundered under the weight of ego’s and coups. Undoubtedly the stars of the task were the two remaining boys, Tom and Jim, who on opposite teams, sold well. Meanwhile Melody hit several bum notes in failing to ‘smell what sells’ and opted to ignore Tom’s success whilst fighting off a power-drunk Helen hell bent on ‘saving’ the task. It was a poor move from Helen who got the wrong strategy on the task, and has seemingly hit on another poor one in her personal quest. Quite frankly the mere act of walking into a Pound Shop and trying to sell them watches at a trade price of £25 should be a firing offence on its own.
Melody Hossaini has not been the most tuneful of candidates, but, as with Zoe the previous week, she had an air of a candidate for whom the large lady was warming up her vocal chords. This was a real surprise from Melody who only weeks ago impressed Lord Sugar with her no nonsense one woman approach to the Paris task. It seems that rather than that being the start of her ascent to the top of Lord Sugar’s musical range, it was just a case of the triangle player getting over-excited and binging too early.
For far too much of the task both teams were guilty of chasing sales at any cost. They forgot the simple truth of sales that if you sell at a price above your costs you will make a profit. Spending 4 hours of an 8 hour selling window in the back of a cab getting stock to sell for peanuts isn’t going to make anyone any money.
It all proved a task too far for Melody who, though unfortunate to leave before Natasha, had to go having been given a couple of lives already.
All of which leaves a real rag tag bunch of Apprentice candidates in the final five, perhaps more so than any previous series.
How Natasha Scribbens is still among them is something I cannot fathom. She’s lived the kind of charmed life that makes you sure you must’ve missed an episode, either that or there’s more to her ‘yeahs’ than we think. Perhaps they are somehow managing to form a protective, Teflon coated, bubble around the girl keeping her immune from any downfall.
Tom Pellereau despite his obvious confidence floors elicits the kind of twinkle in Lord Sugars eyes that belies the insults flowing from the great man’s mouth. Sugar made his fortune working with people like Tom and even if Tom can’t see it, his Lordship is weighing up if he could do it again. “Jedi” Jim Eastwoood on the other hand, despite his excellent performance this week (and it could be argued, last week as well) looks like the type of candidate who is one slip up away from going. He’s going to have to be the top performer in every remaining task to stand a chance of being the last man standing.
Helen Milligan’s less than impressive task finally allowed us to see beyond the polished organiser from previous weeks, and I’m not sure there’s enough there to win it. Having a strategy and trying to plan is to be admired on such a chaotic task. But what’s more important is to get the right strategy and not just bang on about having a strategy when it was clearly flawed. Her attempted ‘kitchen coup’ underlined a feeling that Helen’s got a little bit drunk on previous weeks successes. Whether she heeds the warning she received in the boardroom will dictate if she stays until the end.
This leaves us with Suzie, the bambi to Jim’s Darth Norn. She divides opinion like no other candidate this year, and yet despite her annoying traits, time and time again she has got to the heart of the task quickly and understood what needs to happen. Ok, she’s often failed to push this through in the face of the strong personalities she is surrounded with, but she potentially has the kind of spark, enthusiasm and energy Lord Sugar is looking for. Whether he could work with her is an entirely different question, and one that may see her falling by the wayside before the end.
Who will win this year’s Apprentice? Let me know your thoughts and vote in the poll on this page.
Star of the Week: "Jedi" Jim Eastwood and Tom Pellereau joint winners this week, Jim showed his sales strengths and Tom stepped outside his comfort zone to sell, sell, sell.
Got Lucky: Natasha Scribbens. Saved again by being on the winning team. She's like Monty Pythons Black Knight and just won't go.
Heading for a Fall: Helen Louise Milligan. Has she been found out?
For Twitter updates on The Apprentice don't forget to follow me @simonbrooke
With that picture firmly fixed in your mind, it was all the more shocking to see Snoozy Suzie sent to Knightsbridge to sell linen door to door. These are the kind of properties that sometimes won’t let number 1000 on The Sunday Times Rich List through the door to use the toilet, let alone a Croydon girl with handfuls of cheap polyester. But it was a sign of things to come from a Venture team led by the useless Natasha. Harsh for sure, but Lord Sugar’s disgust at their ‘win’ was followed by the removal of any winning treat. If she wasn’t sure before, the next time Natasha appears in the boardroom she’ll need to make sure her case is packed.
As much as it was a lucky win for Venture, it was not an unlucky loss for Logic, who under the leadership of Melody floundered under the weight of ego’s and coups. Undoubtedly the stars of the task were the two remaining boys, Tom and Jim, who on opposite teams, sold well. Meanwhile Melody hit several bum notes in failing to ‘smell what sells’ and opted to ignore Tom’s success whilst fighting off a power-drunk Helen hell bent on ‘saving’ the task. It was a poor move from Helen who got the wrong strategy on the task, and has seemingly hit on another poor one in her personal quest. Quite frankly the mere act of walking into a Pound Shop and trying to sell them watches at a trade price of £25 should be a firing offence on its own.
Melody Hossaini has not been the most tuneful of candidates, but, as with Zoe the previous week, she had an air of a candidate for whom the large lady was warming up her vocal chords. This was a real surprise from Melody who only weeks ago impressed Lord Sugar with her no nonsense one woman approach to the Paris task. It seems that rather than that being the start of her ascent to the top of Lord Sugar’s musical range, it was just a case of the triangle player getting over-excited and binging too early.
For far too much of the task both teams were guilty of chasing sales at any cost. They forgot the simple truth of sales that if you sell at a price above your costs you will make a profit. Spending 4 hours of an 8 hour selling window in the back of a cab getting stock to sell for peanuts isn’t going to make anyone any money.
It all proved a task too far for Melody who, though unfortunate to leave before Natasha, had to go having been given a couple of lives already.
All of which leaves a real rag tag bunch of Apprentice candidates in the final five, perhaps more so than any previous series.
How Natasha Scribbens is still among them is something I cannot fathom. She’s lived the kind of charmed life that makes you sure you must’ve missed an episode, either that or there’s more to her ‘yeahs’ than we think. Perhaps they are somehow managing to form a protective, Teflon coated, bubble around the girl keeping her immune from any downfall.
Tom Pellereau despite his obvious confidence floors elicits the kind of twinkle in Lord Sugars eyes that belies the insults flowing from the great man’s mouth. Sugar made his fortune working with people like Tom and even if Tom can’t see it, his Lordship is weighing up if he could do it again. “Jedi” Jim Eastwoood on the other hand, despite his excellent performance this week (and it could be argued, last week as well) looks like the type of candidate who is one slip up away from going. He’s going to have to be the top performer in every remaining task to stand a chance of being the last man standing.
Helen Milligan’s less than impressive task finally allowed us to see beyond the polished organiser from previous weeks, and I’m not sure there’s enough there to win it. Having a strategy and trying to plan is to be admired on such a chaotic task. But what’s more important is to get the right strategy and not just bang on about having a strategy when it was clearly flawed. Her attempted ‘kitchen coup’ underlined a feeling that Helen’s got a little bit drunk on previous weeks successes. Whether she heeds the warning she received in the boardroom will dictate if she stays until the end.
This leaves us with Suzie, the bambi to Jim’s Darth Norn. She divides opinion like no other candidate this year, and yet despite her annoying traits, time and time again she has got to the heart of the task quickly and understood what needs to happen. Ok, she’s often failed to push this through in the face of the strong personalities she is surrounded with, but she potentially has the kind of spark, enthusiasm and energy Lord Sugar is looking for. Whether he could work with her is an entirely different question, and one that may see her falling by the wayside before the end.
Who will win this year’s Apprentice? Let me know your thoughts and vote in the poll on this page.
Star of the Week: "Jedi" Jim Eastwood and Tom Pellereau joint winners this week, Jim showed his sales strengths and Tom stepped outside his comfort zone to sell, sell, sell.
Got Lucky: Natasha Scribbens. Saved again by being on the winning team. She's like Monty Pythons Black Knight and just won't go.
Heading for a Fall: Helen Louise Milligan. Has she been found out?
For Twitter updates on The Apprentice don't forget to follow me @simonbrooke
Monday, 4 July 2011
Soggy Biscuit Dunking. Apprentice Series 7 Episode 9
Right thought I’d set the scene on this week’s blog post for you. I’m sitting down in front of my laptop with a nicely steaming cup of coffee and the sun cracking t’flags outside. But wait, what’s this feeling? It’s overpowering my senses, I can’t concentrate, quite frankly I’m flagging and there is only one thing I need…an Emergency Biscuit. Yep, that will do the job. Phew crisis averted.
I don’t claim to be a playwright of any great repute, but I feel confident enough to say that my newly released ‘Emergency Biscuit Tragedy’ still sits slightly above the ‘Biscuit Lovers’ playlet dreamt up by Melody. Though I must confess I will be hard pressed to find a relationship as full of chemistry and connection as that of Beauty and the Geek; Melody and Tom. I’m thinking of casting Jeremy Clarkson and Germaine Greer. The audience may even watch whilst eating Pop-biscuits, they are the new popcorn after all.
This week’s task was all about biscuits. Creating a new product and taking it to 3 sets of supermarket buyers to get onto the shelves and into the nations brews. As always with the Apprentice we had a twist in the boardroom, where yet again having seemingly gone off track with their ‘After School Treat’ that was for anytime, Team Venture pulled in a huge order from Asda (a new Apprentice record), and blasted Team Logic’s biscuit within a biscuit, BixMix, clean out of its digestive outer.
It was unfortunate for Team Logic as Venture had been less than impressive in the task from the first moment. As churlish as this may sound, Helen and Jim were probably two of the poorest performers this week, yet with a sidelined Natasha in tow, were able to persuade Asda of the potential of their product. How much different the final product, packaging and marketing would be if it was ever to hit the shelves will perhaps be the biggest example of Venture’s poor execution of a decent idea.
Having said all of that, it’s fair to say that Logic under Zoe’s robust stewardship really took the biscuit! Though we saw flashes of the feisty Cheshire girl’s management style, she had the air of a contestant who had perhaps had enough of the process. It was communication that really let her team down, and really brought home just how crucial it is across an organisation. I disagreed with Lord Sugar’s insistence that Zoe went to the production site; however she could’ve spent a great deal more time communicating with Melody and Tom in order to answer one question. Who are we aiming at? It was this that lay at the heart of their loss. Forget the bitching, playlet and politics, Logic lacked a clear target market and therefore production and sales/marketing had a complete disconnect.
Having learnt a little more about Zoe, it is clear to see just what Lord Sugar had seen in her. After all this was a woman who overcame two bouts of cancer in her late teens, she really was the kind of battler he loves. However, falling down on such a crucial element meant she was always likely to go this time.
Clear communication starts from the top of any organisation. Having a clear vision, moulded into a strategy and then followed down through the various functions is the best way for any company, whatever the size, to succeed. Even better, a fluid two-way process that allows this to be adjusted and take advantage of customer feedback and new markets is the standout feature of any successful business.
So we are left with Melody Hossaini, Susan Ma, Helen Louise Milligan, Natasha Scribbins, “Jedi” Jim and Tom Pellereau as the final six candidates and tasks running out fast. The unlikeliest winners out of that list probably include Natasha and Jim who have both faced Lord Sugars ire. The current standout would probably be Helen, though she still has an element of mystery surrounding her skills. Whatever the outcome over the next few episodes, it’s proving a difficult series to predict.
Star of the Week: Helen Louise Milligan. Granted it was Jedi Jim that 'won' the massive order, but Helen's management just pipped it.
Got Lucky: Natasha Scribbens. Saved by being on the winning team. She'd have been dead in the water facing up to Jedi Jim and Helen in the boardroom having been sidelined by them.
Heading for a Fall: Tom Pellereau. Unfortunately for 'Brains' he looks increasingly like a dead man walking.
For Twitter updates on The Apprentice don't forget to follow me @simonbrooke
I don’t claim to be a playwright of any great repute, but I feel confident enough to say that my newly released ‘Emergency Biscuit Tragedy’ still sits slightly above the ‘Biscuit Lovers’ playlet dreamt up by Melody. Though I must confess I will be hard pressed to find a relationship as full of chemistry and connection as that of Beauty and the Geek; Melody and Tom. I’m thinking of casting Jeremy Clarkson and Germaine Greer. The audience may even watch whilst eating Pop-biscuits, they are the new popcorn after all.
This week’s task was all about biscuits. Creating a new product and taking it to 3 sets of supermarket buyers to get onto the shelves and into the nations brews. As always with the Apprentice we had a twist in the boardroom, where yet again having seemingly gone off track with their ‘After School Treat’ that was for anytime, Team Venture pulled in a huge order from Asda (a new Apprentice record), and blasted Team Logic’s biscuit within a biscuit, BixMix, clean out of its digestive outer.
It was unfortunate for Team Logic as Venture had been less than impressive in the task from the first moment. As churlish as this may sound, Helen and Jim were probably two of the poorest performers this week, yet with a sidelined Natasha in tow, were able to persuade Asda of the potential of their product. How much different the final product, packaging and marketing would be if it was ever to hit the shelves will perhaps be the biggest example of Venture’s poor execution of a decent idea.
Having said all of that, it’s fair to say that Logic under Zoe’s robust stewardship really took the biscuit! Though we saw flashes of the feisty Cheshire girl’s management style, she had the air of a contestant who had perhaps had enough of the process. It was communication that really let her team down, and really brought home just how crucial it is across an organisation. I disagreed with Lord Sugar’s insistence that Zoe went to the production site; however she could’ve spent a great deal more time communicating with Melody and Tom in order to answer one question. Who are we aiming at? It was this that lay at the heart of their loss. Forget the bitching, playlet and politics, Logic lacked a clear target market and therefore production and sales/marketing had a complete disconnect.
Having learnt a little more about Zoe, it is clear to see just what Lord Sugar had seen in her. After all this was a woman who overcame two bouts of cancer in her late teens, she really was the kind of battler he loves. However, falling down on such a crucial element meant she was always likely to go this time.
Clear communication starts from the top of any organisation. Having a clear vision, moulded into a strategy and then followed down through the various functions is the best way for any company, whatever the size, to succeed. Even better, a fluid two-way process that allows this to be adjusted and take advantage of customer feedback and new markets is the standout feature of any successful business.
So we are left with Melody Hossaini, Susan Ma, Helen Louise Milligan, Natasha Scribbins, “Jedi” Jim and Tom Pellereau as the final six candidates and tasks running out fast. The unlikeliest winners out of that list probably include Natasha and Jim who have both faced Lord Sugars ire. The current standout would probably be Helen, though she still has an element of mystery surrounding her skills. Whatever the outcome over the next few episodes, it’s proving a difficult series to predict.
Star of the Week: Helen Louise Milligan. Granted it was Jedi Jim that 'won' the massive order, but Helen's management just pipped it.
Got Lucky: Natasha Scribbens. Saved by being on the winning team. She'd have been dead in the water facing up to Jedi Jim and Helen in the boardroom having been sidelined by them.
Heading for a Fall: Tom Pellereau. Unfortunately for 'Brains' he looks increasingly like a dead man walking.
For Twitter updates on The Apprentice don't forget to follow me @simonbrooke
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
What a load of rubbish! Apprentice Series 7 Episode 6
Copper boilers, a builder that would put Del Boy to shame, and tears and tantrums, are there any more classic combinations for an Apprentice episode? Lord Sugar’s challenge of turning muck into brass (as long as it was copper) brought the first win for Team Logic and the loss of be-gloved Edna.
It was another task, as so many are, that was lost by Venture within the first throws. Zoe failed to see the merits in Susan’s spark of genius and was blown out of the water by a clever Logic move to not charge for waste removal and therefore win the three crucial commercial contracts. Less impressive was team Logics scout party led by Jedi Jim, the Norn Iron Obi Wan, and Tom berating hapless residents in their own homes in what must count as the most unlikely and scariest Rag and Bone combo since Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin popped to Alderaan for spare parts (Star Wars references for those not quite as sad as me!). In fact I’m still not sure why Jedi Jim felt he had to use the PA, surely he could’ve just used his powers to make them answer the door – he obviously didn’t want to show off.
Enough Star Wars references, this was waste wars and it did show with some hard physical graft, just what it takes some new businesses to get off the ground.
Unless you are lucky, in the early days of a business there is no one else to pack the rubbish, drive the van, do the negotiation, clean up after and then arrive home tired, hungry and dirty and have the bookkeeping and administration to do before a couple of hours sleep and doing it all over again. It may have been rubbish, but it could well have been any kind of business you’d like to mention.
Getting new businesses off the ground is a hard and often lonely task, and sometimes the rewards for a day of graft are as little as £6. It is these times that you really need the support of a network of colleagues, contacts, friends and mentors – as well as advisors and dare I say bankers (something that seems to be severely lacking for many at the moment). It is this network of people that every new business owner needs (indeed every owner/entrepreneur regardless of their business) and sometimes cannot find.
Back to the episode, and leading team Logic, Helen was clever enough to realise that the risky strategy of not charging could secure the contracts and win the task. Though it is worth pointing out this wouldn’t have worked as a long term business strategy, this was about winning an Apprentice task, and so needs must.
I’ve mentioned Helen in my previous blogs only once, and that is mainly due to the fact that up until this episode she has been anonymous. Her calm organisational skills certainly helped in leading Logic to the win, however it should be said that even with three commercial contracts they did only win by £6. So Helen’s skills really do still remain a mystery. On the other hand, the ‘flaky’ (as she has been described by her teammates) Susan yet again hit on a winning idea, but didn’t have the force of will to push against the increasingly bullish Zoe (who survived the boardroom again, largely due to Lord Sugars desire to oust Edna).
Where did this all leave us? The list of potential fits with Lord Sugar looks to be heading along the lines of that in my previous blog, and as we see more of the candidates personality, the easier it is to see just who Lord Sugar could work with.
I get the impression that Lord Sugar has already separated the copper boilers from the steel baths that scrapheap is about to get a lot fuller.
Star of the Week: Tom Pellereau I don't think there has been an Apprentice candidate more happy to win a task.
Got Lucky: Zoe Beresford. Does Lord Sugar have a soft spot for feisty Zoe, or has her choice of final 3 saved her.
Heading for a Fall: Helen Lousie Milligan. More as a question of whether she believes her own hype after what was a £6 win.
For Twitter updates on The Apprentice don't forget to follow me @simonbrooke
It was another task, as so many are, that was lost by Venture within the first throws. Zoe failed to see the merits in Susan’s spark of genius and was blown out of the water by a clever Logic move to not charge for waste removal and therefore win the three crucial commercial contracts. Less impressive was team Logics scout party led by Jedi Jim, the Norn Iron Obi Wan, and Tom berating hapless residents in their own homes in what must count as the most unlikely and scariest Rag and Bone combo since Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin popped to Alderaan for spare parts (Star Wars references for those not quite as sad as me!). In fact I’m still not sure why Jedi Jim felt he had to use the PA, surely he could’ve just used his powers to make them answer the door – he obviously didn’t want to show off.
Enough Star Wars references, this was waste wars and it did show with some hard physical graft, just what it takes some new businesses to get off the ground.
Unless you are lucky, in the early days of a business there is no one else to pack the rubbish, drive the van, do the negotiation, clean up after and then arrive home tired, hungry and dirty and have the bookkeeping and administration to do before a couple of hours sleep and doing it all over again. It may have been rubbish, but it could well have been any kind of business you’d like to mention.
Getting new businesses off the ground is a hard and often lonely task, and sometimes the rewards for a day of graft are as little as £6. It is these times that you really need the support of a network of colleagues, contacts, friends and mentors – as well as advisors and dare I say bankers (something that seems to be severely lacking for many at the moment). It is this network of people that every new business owner needs (indeed every owner/entrepreneur regardless of their business) and sometimes cannot find.
Back to the episode, and leading team Logic, Helen was clever enough to realise that the risky strategy of not charging could secure the contracts and win the task. Though it is worth pointing out this wouldn’t have worked as a long term business strategy, this was about winning an Apprentice task, and so needs must.
I’ve mentioned Helen in my previous blogs only once, and that is mainly due to the fact that up until this episode she has been anonymous. Her calm organisational skills certainly helped in leading Logic to the win, however it should be said that even with three commercial contracts they did only win by £6. So Helen’s skills really do still remain a mystery. On the other hand, the ‘flaky’ (as she has been described by her teammates) Susan yet again hit on a winning idea, but didn’t have the force of will to push against the increasingly bullish Zoe (who survived the boardroom again, largely due to Lord Sugars desire to oust Edna).
Where did this all leave us? The list of potential fits with Lord Sugar looks to be heading along the lines of that in my previous blog, and as we see more of the candidates personality, the easier it is to see just who Lord Sugar could work with.
I get the impression that Lord Sugar has already separated the copper boilers from the steel baths that scrapheap is about to get a lot fuller.
Star of the Week: Tom Pellereau I don't think there has been an Apprentice candidate more happy to win a task.
Got Lucky: Zoe Beresford. Does Lord Sugar have a soft spot for feisty Zoe, or has her choice of final 3 saved her.
Heading for a Fall: Helen Lousie Milligan. More as a question of whether she believes her own hype after what was a £6 win.
For Twitter updates on The Apprentice don't forget to follow me @simonbrooke
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
I Love Me: Lessons from Apprentice Series Seven Episode One
You know the score, Prokofiev's 'Dance of the Knights' starts up, Mark Halliley's distinctive tones kick in and we're off. Series Seven of the Apprentice smashed its way back onto our screens with a new set of candidates.
Just how they settle in will become clearer over the coming weeks, but in many ways this was one of the tamer starts to an Apprentice series for some time (in Apprentice terms anyway).
Wherever the Apprentice Candidate Farm is located, it's clear that the ‘I’m Number One’ chemical is being increased by each series, along with Jeremy Clarkson levels of ‘Tact’ in their feed. It generally makes for fabulous TV viewing, and whilst it was clear some of the contestants were on the slow-release capsules in Episode One, you got a distinct impression that we are (TV) hours away from more of those chemical kicking in.
For those of you turned off by previous series, this series is distinctive for one key reason. Gone is the £100k per year job with Lord Sugar and in its place the chance to go into business with the main man, who will also invest £250k into the venture. A fantastic start for a new business of the winner’s choice.
Although it’s not yet clear how this will change the dynamic of the programme, it does ask a fundamentally different question of the candidates and Lord Sugar. Indeed Lord Sugar will have to ask himself, not if he can employ this person, but can he go into a partnership with them.
The lessons from Episode One were many, varied and fundamental to any business. We had mistakes on devising costs, sale prices, stock and production. But what struck me was a lesson that was certainly hammered home on the ‘You’re Fired’ sister show.
Edward Hunter proved that outside of the basic fundamentals of running a business the one thing each and every entrepreneur (young or old) should do is understand themselves. By that I’m not talking some deep and comprehensive analysis of what you are, it’s more basic than that.
Though almost every entrepreneur I’ve ever met has to be a jack of all trades within their business, often through necessity, there comes a time when each will have to ask the question – What are my strengths? It’s a question I have asked and had help understanding with my friends at Alchemy. Within each of us, entrepreneur or not, we have an honest understanding of what we are good at, and not so good at. Many of the most successful entrepreneurs understand this, and will build teams and businesses in such a way that the business benefits from the strengths that they have, whilst utilising the different strengths of others.
Edward, in his attempt to show he wasn’t an accountant from the mould (as he put it), deliberately set aside a key strength namely his accountancy skills, and instead took the boys team on seemingly disorganised squeeze and sell. He set aside the very skills that were a basic requirement of the task in place of what he perceived to be high-energy leading and selling. Even before the bizarre exchanges with Lord Sugar in the boardroom, Edward set aside one of his biggest strengths and from that moment on he was very much Edward Hunt-ed.
Getting the fundamental business processes correct in any business is essential. But so is understanding the strengths we have as individuals and finding partners, employees or colleagues to help us create a team with the required strengths and skills to really go for the big prize.
Perhaps this year’s candidates really can listen to themselves for once...’I love me’ – just find out what ‘me’ can bring to the table.
Star of the Week: Jim Eastwood - hilarious argument diffusing skills aside a solid performance
Got Lucky: Edna Agbarha - Looked uncomfortable with the task and almost cost the girls the win with production problems
Heading for a Fall: Melody Hossaini - Great performance but the toast to herself may not be appreciated by others
Just how they settle in will become clearer over the coming weeks, but in many ways this was one of the tamer starts to an Apprentice series for some time (in Apprentice terms anyway).
Wherever the Apprentice Candidate Farm is located, it's clear that the ‘I’m Number One’ chemical is being increased by each series, along with Jeremy Clarkson levels of ‘Tact’ in their feed. It generally makes for fabulous TV viewing, and whilst it was clear some of the contestants were on the slow-release capsules in Episode One, you got a distinct impression that we are (TV) hours away from more of those chemical kicking in.
For those of you turned off by previous series, this series is distinctive for one key reason. Gone is the £100k per year job with Lord Sugar and in its place the chance to go into business with the main man, who will also invest £250k into the venture. A fantastic start for a new business of the winner’s choice.
Although it’s not yet clear how this will change the dynamic of the programme, it does ask a fundamentally different question of the candidates and Lord Sugar. Indeed Lord Sugar will have to ask himself, not if he can employ this person, but can he go into a partnership with them.
The lessons from Episode One were many, varied and fundamental to any business. We had mistakes on devising costs, sale prices, stock and production. But what struck me was a lesson that was certainly hammered home on the ‘You’re Fired’ sister show.
Edward Hunter proved that outside of the basic fundamentals of running a business the one thing each and every entrepreneur (young or old) should do is understand themselves. By that I’m not talking some deep and comprehensive analysis of what you are, it’s more basic than that.
Though almost every entrepreneur I’ve ever met has to be a jack of all trades within their business, often through necessity, there comes a time when each will have to ask the question – What are my strengths? It’s a question I have asked and had help understanding with my friends at Alchemy. Within each of us, entrepreneur or not, we have an honest understanding of what we are good at, and not so good at. Many of the most successful entrepreneurs understand this, and will build teams and businesses in such a way that the business benefits from the strengths that they have, whilst utilising the different strengths of others.
Edward, in his attempt to show he wasn’t an accountant from the mould (as he put it), deliberately set aside a key strength namely his accountancy skills, and instead took the boys team on seemingly disorganised squeeze and sell. He set aside the very skills that were a basic requirement of the task in place of what he perceived to be high-energy leading and selling. Even before the bizarre exchanges with Lord Sugar in the boardroom, Edward set aside one of his biggest strengths and from that moment on he was very much Edward Hunt-ed.
Getting the fundamental business processes correct in any business is essential. But so is understanding the strengths we have as individuals and finding partners, employees or colleagues to help us create a team with the required strengths and skills to really go for the big prize.
Perhaps this year’s candidates really can listen to themselves for once...’I love me’ – just find out what ‘me’ can bring to the table.
Star of the Week: Jim Eastwood - hilarious argument diffusing skills aside a solid performance
Got Lucky: Edna Agbarha - Looked uncomfortable with the task and almost cost the girls the win with production problems
Heading for a Fall: Melody Hossaini - Great performance but the toast to herself may not be appreciated by others
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