The Apprentice this year provided lots of business lessons.
1. In previous years Lord Sugar was simply looking for an employee. This year the programme demonstrated that being a business owner is different from being an employee – no matter how famous the boss. Time and again it was stated that Helen would have won easily if the end goal had been to become an employee. This year the stakes were higher: a business plan which was worth £ 250,000 investment.
2. It doesn’t matter how often you lose you can win in the end. Tom Pellereau the winner lost 8 times, but went on to win.
3. You need character and guts to succeed. Tom was as everyone acknowledged a “nice” person – and not pushy which was refreshing to see on The Apprentice. Lord Sugar was delighted to hear about how Tom caught the attention of the WalMart buyer with his hand-delivered big parcel and insistence on being seen. In fact he said “ I didn’t think you had it in you.”
4. People have to like you and know you are real. Jim – the smooth talker – was constantly being praised because people liked him…and were happy to have a hug after buying an umbrella, for example. It made up for a lot of other weaknesses. Helen who was technically superior all the way through was asked to tell a joke in the interviews in order to try and get a better sense of her personality.
5. Your business – and in this case the business plan – should play to your strengths. What you care about, what you know about, who you know. Helen’s business plan did not accommodate her knowledge of the bakery business, and the interview panel doubted whether she had the contacts to make her concierge plan work.
6. Always look for opportunities. Did you notice Tom instinctively reaching for his notebook when he and Lord Sugar were talking in the follow-up show?
7. Action is important, but to win it has to come from a strategy. The team who worked out which stock was selling best and got more of it won the task which was about selling and replenishing stock. Simple.
8. If you are in charge, be in charge but use the resources available. The negative reaction of the team to indecisive or autocratic project management were often the most lively TV moments. In real life business this is usually what causes most friction.
9. Just get on with it! Get up before 6 am and throw yourself into it all. Produce the video, the strategy, the campaign and the marketing in under a day if you have to.
10. Final point. Have your small cute case packed at all times. You don’t know where you might end up!