The Apprentice 2015: candidate breakdown
The Apprentice is back for yet another wonderful year, and I think it's about time I did a breakdown on the candidates! This year has been radical- no Nick (already missing his fabulous facial expression), a mix of girls and boys in the first task (???) and the longest speech EVER from Jenny after being fired. I say this every year, but it really is becoming more of a character based selection that those who actually have the entrepreneurial spark, which is really sad but very entertaining. Anyway, here goes...
Mergim Butaja- 'Why am I a worthy business partner for Lord Sugar? I'd be a challenge to him. Everyone he's met probably sucks up to him. I won't, I'll tell him like it is.' I admire his courage but I'm not sure it will go down as courage with Lord Sugar... more like cockiness. He seems to be doing alright so far, although I've not been a massive fan of him since the frirst thing we heard him say was that he would've preferred the first task to be boys vs. girls to prove boys are better at business. No.
Selina Waterman-Smith - 'I am strong minded...I do like to be the leader'. And lead she did on the very first fish task. She did well in the end, although had ZERO authority to begin with, but it's pretty hard to put your foot down in that group of girls, they are just so loud. I also felt so bad for her in the last task- Vana completely shut her down even though what she was saying made total sense! Unlike a lot of the others.
Richard Woods- 'I'm a Swiss army knife of bouncy skills, business skills, and enthusiasm. I've got everything highly tuned and highly chiseled.' What on earth are bouncy skills? Whatever they are, they clearly helped him and his seven helpers win the shampoo task. He seems like the kind of person who wants everything done his way though, so it will be interesting seeing what he's like as the show goes on.
April Jackson- 'I'm Jamaican- we come first. We win on the track and we win in the boardroom.' After the first week most of us weren't April fans, she was very autocratic in her leadership. But she's calmed down recently, and does have some good ideas! However, I'm not convinced about her success in the competition if she continues with her starting attitude.
Brett Butler-Smythe- 'I pride myself on not having any negative or bad traits.. they're all good, they're all positive' Pretty sure negative and bad and positive and good are the same thing? Not the most concise quote, but a pretty good candidate! So far he seems to be doing alright and gets stuck in to the tasks (quite literally, if you recall the getting of the manure).
Charleine Wain- 'I would describe myself as very determined, ambitious, and I always want to show that women can succeed in business.' She is sooo bitchy- especially to Selina in the boardroom last week! This year the girls just seem to be at eachother's throats the whole time. Come on girls, sort it out.
Nathalie Dean- 'If I set my mind to something I won't quit until I have done it.' Clearly she has not set her mind to anything so far, in fact I'm not sure how she's managed to avoid the boardroom. She's been in the danger zone since the shampoo task - her pitch was awful and she blamed the fact that she didn't like the product ... ??? She just seems quite unwilling to contribute. But, she could change. Time will tell.
Elle Stevenson- 'I hate anything mediocre. I can't be middle... I've never been the person that comes second.' I actually really like Elle and thought she made a good sub team leader- she may have made a mistake buying the £250 boat, but she was pushed into it slightly, and I don't think that was the main reason for the failure of the task.
Mergim Butaja- 'Why am I a worthy business partner for Lord Sugar? I'd be a challenge to him. Everyone he's met probably sucks up to him. I won't, I'll tell him like it is.' I admire his courage but I'm not sure it will go down as courage with Lord Sugar... more like cockiness. He seems to be doing alright so far, although I've not been a massive fan of him since the frirst thing we heard him say was that he would've preferred the first task to be boys vs. girls to prove boys are better at business. No.
Selina Waterman-Smith - 'I am strong minded...I do like to be the leader'. And lead she did on the very first fish task. She did well in the end, although had ZERO authority to begin with, but it's pretty hard to put your foot down in that group of girls, they are just so loud. I also felt so bad for her in the last task- Vana completely shut her down even though what she was saying made total sense! Unlike a lot of the others.
Richard Woods- 'I'm a Swiss army knife of bouncy skills, business skills, and enthusiasm. I've got everything highly tuned and highly chiseled.' What on earth are bouncy skills? Whatever they are, they clearly helped him and his seven helpers win the shampoo task. He seems like the kind of person who wants everything done his way though, so it will be interesting seeing what he's like as the show goes on.
April Jackson- 'I'm Jamaican- we come first. We win on the track and we win in the boardroom.' After the first week most of us weren't April fans, she was very autocratic in her leadership. But she's calmed down recently, and does have some good ideas! However, I'm not convinced about her success in the competition if she continues with her starting attitude.
Brett Butler-Smythe- 'I pride myself on not having any negative or bad traits.. they're all good, they're all positive' Pretty sure negative and bad and positive and good are the same thing? Not the most concise quote, but a pretty good candidate! So far he seems to be doing alright and gets stuck in to the tasks (quite literally, if you recall the getting of the manure).
Charleine Wain- 'I would describe myself as very determined, ambitious, and I always want to show that women can succeed in business.' She is sooo bitchy- especially to Selina in the boardroom last week! This year the girls just seem to be at eachother's throats the whole time. Come on girls, sort it out.
Nathalie Dean- 'If I set my mind to something I won't quit until I have done it.' Clearly she has not set her mind to anything so far, in fact I'm not sure how she's managed to avoid the boardroom. She's been in the danger zone since the shampoo task - her pitch was awful and she blamed the fact that she didn't like the product ... ??? She just seems quite unwilling to contribute. But, she could change. Time will tell.
Elle Stevenson- 'I hate anything mediocre. I can't be middle... I've never been the person that comes second.' I actually really like Elle and thought she made a good sub team leader- she may have made a mistake buying the £250 boat, but she was pushed into it slightly, and I don't think that was the main reason for the failure of the task.
Vana Koutsomitis- 'I believe this is a marathon and if you have stamina, and if you do things with integrity, morals and direction, you can get where you want to go.' Vana overall was quite a good leader in the buying random things task, but I don't think her strategy of taking the blame for everything is really working. Also, did anyone notice how she said she could speak French as part of her pitch to become PM, and didn't speak a word of it whilst they were in France?
David Stevenson- 'Me and Lord Sugar will work together because you've got age and beatuty and those two go hand in hand all the time. Sugar's got the age and I certainly am beautiful.' I hope for his sake 'Sugar' does not see these quotes! I haven't got much to say about David, he's been very quiet so far.
David Stevenson- 'Me and Lord Sugar will work together because you've got age and beatuty and those two go hand in hand all the time. Sugar's got the age and I certainly am beautiful.' I hope for his sake 'Sugar' does not see these quotes! I haven't got much to say about David, he's been very quiet so far.
Joseph Valente - 'I am the definition of success. I'm the godfather of business and I'm here here to make Lord Sugar a lot of money.' I don't know if I'd count a plumbing business in Peterborough the 'definition of success', but each to their own. He led the team well in the buying random items task.
Scott Saunders- 'People do say... they've never met anyone like me.' Another one who's been quiet so far, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. He seems quite slick and professional- I feel like he's going to go far!
Scott Saunders- 'People do say... they've never met anyone like me.' Another one who's been quiet so far, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. He seems quite slick and professional- I feel like he's going to go far!
Sam Curry - 'I'm an interesting mix between happy-go-lucky and adventurous, and then quite logical and sensible. It's a strange combination.' Claim to fame: A level French. Yet couldn't ask for a Louis Phillipe mirror. He seems the most calm and friendly of the lot, which is refreshing, but I don't know how long he'll last amongst the other very fiery candidates.
Ruth Whiteley- 'Lord Sugar might think I'm a bit gushing, he might find me over-zealous, but... he'll think I'm great.' Zealous is definitely the word I would use to describe Ruth. Her facial expressions and selling strategies just scream enthusiasm. I'm very excited to see how far she gets!
Gary Poulton- 'I look like the nice, easy-going, laidback Brummie. But once I start doing my business, people know I'm the real deal.' To be honest, we haven't seen much of him being the real deal, but he seems to be doing well- gets stuck in and gets on with everyone. One to watch perhaps.
It's a bit too early to be making predictions on this year's candidates, but from the first 3 weeks the people I think are looking strong are Scott, Brett and Gary. Strangely (or perhaps not strangely) all guys! Let's see how they do.
Gary Poulton- 'I look like the nice, easy-going, laidback Brummie. But once I start doing my business, people know I'm the real deal.' To be honest, we haven't seen much of him being the real deal, but he seems to be doing well- gets stuck in and gets on with everyone. One to watch perhaps.
It's a bit too early to be making predictions on this year's candidates, but from the first 3 weeks the people I think are looking strong are Scott, Brett and Gary. Strangely (or perhaps not strangely) all guys! Let's see how they do.
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