Category Archives: Lessons from The Apprentice

With all its flaws, “all business life is here” in The Apprentice for us to learn from.

Why ‘Interviews’ rather than ‘Business plans’ then, since both are tested?

And at the root cause? Time management, team coordination, common sense. As bland as baby food.

I’ve never bought anything from teleshopping and I’m pretty sure I’d still have bought nothing from the candidates in Series 16, Episode 9 of BBC TV’s “The Apprentice” as they had a go at a bit of TV Selling.

This is, in reality, a re-run of Episode 6, Wales, with all the same elements: attractions, activities and catering you must select and bargain a price for, tickets you must sell enough of at the right price, and execution you must pull off so as to avoid refunds. So is there anything new to learn and had the contestants learnt?

A lesson in customer focus rather than self-expression, and a lesson in consistency of vision and brand from idea to execution; and between all team members.

The true story here was all about visibility of costs, price to sell, negotiation, sales and execution. And whisky trumps cheese.

I’m pretty sure that most of today’s blockbuster games are big productions much like a major movie. So making one in a couple of days is a big ask.

A complicated challenge with many moving parts, all of them something to do with fish.

Something rather odd, and possibly unique in The Apprentice, happened in this episode in which Les Miserables’ task was to develop a new non-alcoholic drink product.