The Apprentice is back on BBC One for its 20th series tomorrow night (Thursday January 29, 9pm), and while much of the TV audience decided long ago that the show is little more than a freak show of some of the least pleasant specimens of humanity ever to cold-message you about your sales funnel on LinkedIn, there are still plenty of eager would-be entrepreneurs lining up to be humiliated by Sir Alan Sugar every time they demonstrate that they have the cut-throat business acumen of a cucumber.
This time Lord Sugar’s boardroom will move to Hong Kong for a change of scenery to kick off the series, where 20 candidates will be looking to impress the former Amstrad boss and his team and secure his £250,000 investment in their business plan, as well his priceless mentorship.
READ MORE: ‘Unconventional’ former Apprentice star launches new Manchester brand inspired by Dutch deli find
Here are our representatives, if that’s the right word, from the North…
Andrea – Owner, Lettings Agency, Barnsley, South Yorkshire
The pitch:
Lettings owner Andrea is hoping she can secure an investment from Lord Sugar to develop a software system which manages short-term accommodation. Can she turn short-term stays into a long-term win?
The business plan:
“I run a property lettings business and I want to build on that. My business plan is to develop a software system to manage short term accommodation, making it simpler for both landlords and tenants. I’m looking for Lord Sugar’s investment to help achieve my goals and get this idea off the ground.”
Levi, Former RAF Gunner and HGV Driver, Doncaster, South Yorkshire
The pitch:
A second South Yorkshire entry, but we’ll try not to read too much into that. Levi knows what hard work looks like and is looking to leave a lasting impression on Lord Sugar with his personalised pet cremation urns. Is Levi going round in circles, or do all roads lead to Lord Sugar?
The business plan:
“My business, Living Forever Memories Ltd, specialises in personalised pet cremation urns, offering custom- engraved designs. Each urn is crafted with care to help families honour their pets in a truly meaningful way. I plan to scale production, expand into the pet cremation service sector, and establish Living Forever Memories as a globally recognised brand within the cremation industry.”
Megan, Owner, Online Women’s Clothing Brand, Wirral
The pitch:
The ambitious owner of her own clothing brand, Megan has made bespoke clothes for a host of famous faces. Now looking for investment in her clothing brand, Megan is hoping that Lord Sugar can help tailor her success.
The business plan?
“My current business is a bespoke womenswear clothing brand, Ruiter, which allows all customers to modify our designs online so that they suit their own personal style preferences. Whether that be a shorter or longer version, with or without sleeves, different neckline options or different colours and fabrics. We are not a fast fashion brand where one size fits all, our bespoke feature allows customers to make all our designs their own, appealing to a wider demographic. Our aim is to make our customers feel confident in every piece of Ruiter clothing and to create pieces that last a lifetime. With Lord Sugar’s investment, I can scale this brand and build on its successes.”
Roxanne, Pharmacist, Aberdeen, Scotland
The pitch:
When it comes tackling hair loss, Roxanne is trying to get to the root of the problem. Building on her expertise as a pharmacist, Roxanne has started her own beauty brand and needs Lord Sugar’s financial investment to prove that health, really is wealth.
The business plan:
“Browtasia is a beauty brand I founded, building on my expertise as a pharmacist and aesthetics practitioner after experiencing my own struggles with brow loss and thinning hair. Blending scientific expertise with natural, results- driven formulations, the brand delivers clean beauty solutions that restore confidence from the root. My hero product, the nourishing brow palette features a unique blend of vegan pomade and powder infused with argan oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, and vitamin E. Made in a UK- based lab and complete with its own applicator brush, it aims to fill sparse gaps while nourishing the brow root. The brand is positioning itself as an affordable luxury line destined for major UK retailers and international expansion. My mission is simple: confidence begins at the root.”
