My favourite, and one of the only TV shows I actually watch religiously and follow, is the Apprentice. This year's cast of candidates has just been released with the show starting on Thursday 5th January on BBC one.
Every year I usually take a guess, solely based on the candidate's photos and business descriptions, at who will win the show and in what order the contestants will place. This year I thought I would take it a step further and share my predictions with you all, as well as the candidates of this year's show ahead of the first episode release tomorrow afternoon.
So here goes!
Avi Sharma
Avi is the youngest candidate in this year's series. He previously worked as a banker at Barclays, but since leaving is now the host of AVI TV. He bills himself as a motivational speaker, and offers public speaking and coaching services, with topics including “how to smash your interview” and “goal-setting for winners”.
Avi has also released his own E-book which he sells online for £25.
"Some say I’m delusional, I prefer the term optimistic. Lord Sugar’s investment will help me escape the rat race of a banking job. I’m the hardest working rat he’ll ever meet."
Megan Hornby
Megan, aged 20 was previously the general manager of an Italian restaurant in Hull, but after being furloughed she opened up her own candy business and now runs two outlets. Her firm has 20 employees and specializes in candy bags, which she ships to people who make purchases.
She also sells milkshakes and desserts, which makes her business similar to the previous winner of 2022 The Apprentice- Harpreet Kaur.
Megan said her sales took off after the pandemic when more people were wanting their food and candy delivered to them as gifts.
“I really didn’t think I’d be doing this well.”
Dani Donovan
Dani is the owner of Mermane Hair Extensions and owner of a hair salon in Hertfordshire, she believes the key to business is "passion".
Dani has around 6,000 followers on her firm's Instagram, where she commonly posts bikini selfies posing with her hair extensions to attract followers.
Earlier this year she gave the game away about her time on The Apprentice by revealing on Instagram she had spent two months away on a new project.
"My unique selling point is my personality. I bring something unique. I’m a different kind of business owner, which is a lot more relatable to people."
Reece Donnelly
Scottish contestant Reece owns his own theatre school in Glasgow and is the youngest chief executive of a further education college in the UK.
Reece is no stranger to the limelight, getting his first job on television aged six on the kids’ channel CBBC. He has also been in Waterloo Road and auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent in 2012.
"I’m here to prove that Scotland is filled with forward-thinking entrepreneurs and that we are not in fact a haggis-eating, kilt-wearing nation."
Victoria Goulbourne
Victoria, similar to Megan owns her very own candy business- 'The Sweet Life' and also began her pick ’n’ mix business after the pandemic. The Sweet Life is currently online only — but Victoria said: “The dream would be to open up shops around the UK.”
Victoria is a former Emirates air hostess and has racked up a huge 5.9 million likes on TikTok.
"I know what consumers want. I’ve traveled all over the world and am not afraid to take on a challenge."
Rochelle Anthony
The glamorous girl boss Rochelle is the owner of the Dollshouse Salon in Milton Keynes. She offers several different beauty treatments from extensions to hair makeovers and has won the award for Best Local Business in 2018.
Rochelle prides herself on being a "tenacious, fierce, and determined businesswoman".
"I deserve Lord Sugar’s investment because I know the hair industry like the back of my hand and Lord Sugar knows the business. Together, we would be an absolute force to be reckoned with."
Bradley Johnson
Bradley is from North Yorkshire and is the director of his very own construction company. He was made redundant in 2019 which then resulted in his starting up his own business.
Bradley's business currently turns over half a million pounds and is something he is very proud of. He prides himself on his "drive and determination", having started a profitable business from nothing.
"I have a business plan that will see us turn over seven figures after year three and who knows where else that could take us."
Greggory Ebbs
Greggory is a Shropshire-based local councilor who owns an online antique marketplace and previously worked as a professional cannon-firer.
He says his USP is 'my ability to think outside the box and try out new and different things' and confesses to being 'slightly more unusual than most'.
"I think I’ve got a really clear vision of what I want in the future and that is substantiated from having diverse experience in different fields and my willingness to try things that very few people will do."
Joe Phillips
Joe is from Worcestershire and previously studied zoology. He is a safari guide in South Africa he believes that gives him the edge to be 'unique enough to succeed in the process', describing himself as the 'James Bond of the business world'.
He admits that his biggest weakness is his dyslexia and says he 'struggled to keep my head above water' at school and keep up with his peers.
"It’s made me fight harder to keep up with everyone else. Then when I finally caught up, it wasn’t enough, I needed to go past them to prove to people that, yes, you can have dyslexia but you can still succeed in whatever you want to do."
Kevin D’Arcy
Kevin is an accountant from Dublin who began his water sports equipment business during lockdown while juggling his job and is looking to Lord Sugar to help him expand into the UK.
He claims his business has turned over just under half a million in two years and says that combined with his 10-year career in financial service sets him apart from the rest. However, Kevin admits his biggest weakness to be: 'I can be a little outspoken, so probably not knowing when to shut up.'
"It’s gone from strength to strength in Ireland and is now stocked in some of the country’s biggest stores. With Lord Sugar as my business partner, I know we can ride that wave into the UK and beyond."
Mark Moseley
Mark is the owner of a pest control company in London, arguing that Lord Sugar can invest because the industry is worth hundreds of millions of pounds a year in the UK.
Mark is a former soldier and believes his experience navigating hostile environments around the world has equipped him to handle the boardroom.
He describes himself as 'very talkative with the charm to match – I can sell to anyone' and claims to have met celebrities and members of the royal family. He also confesses he can be 'a little bit over-confident from time to time' but explains that 'people buy into his confidence'.
"I’m very talkative with the charm to match… I can sell to anyone."
Marnie Swindells
Marnie, a court advocate from London, who is also a gold medal-winning boxer, said she has fought "tooth and nail" to be where she is today. She can frequently be seen flaunting her assets and looking great in bikinis all over her socials.
She says her USP is her 'imagination and creativity' but admits her passion and eagerness can sometimes translate as being too 'headstrong'.
"I think that taking the experience I have in the boxing industry and all the experience that he has in the business industry, together we would be a winning combination."
Shannon Martin
Shannon is the owner of a bridal boutique from West Yorkshire and is hoping to be the first business partner to bring Lord Sugar into the lucrative bridal industry
She admits she struggles to prioritize and plan because 'I want everything now' and that it can cause a bit of stress.
She believes she deserves the investment because: 'There are not many other businesses that design and manufacture wedding dresses made solely in the UK, which is exactly what my business plan is.'
Shazia Hussain
Shazia is a technology recruiter in London and wants to inspire a varied representation of diverse women in the world of business. She says her ADHD is both her USP and biggest weakness, saying she can process information faster, react quicker and see things differently, but can lose concentration quickly.
She says she should get the win because: 'It’s important to see a varied representation of women, including women with neurodiversity in business, as people with neurodiversity are linked to being increasingly successful within the corporate sector. I hope that I’ll encourage more people like me not to be ashamed of their difference.'
Simba Rwambiwa
Simba is a senior sales representative from Birmingham and says he's a perfectionist as he always wants to 'get things right'. He also says he deserves the investment opportunity because his business guarantee profit, 'but also guarantees to improve the quality of peoples’ lives'
He added: "If people can’t buy into you, they’ll never buy anything from you."
Sohail Chowdhary
Sohail owns a martial arts school in Southampton and wants the other candidates to be 'wary' of him. Sohail said he is "proud" to have been raised in a council house but has had to "fight hard" to achieve his success.
He says his biggest asset is 'turning my laziness into a positive by creating smart solutions and simple shortcuts to difficult problems.' He admits his biggest weakness is not listening to others when 'on the very rare occasion I might be wrong' but says: 'I’ll always be the person that looks out for the little guy and sometimes that means that I will put emotions before business.'
"I am calm and collected but if they do come at me? I will bite and I will sting and I will leave my mark."
Denisha Kaur Bharj
Denisha works as a financial controller in Leicestershire and says she's not afraid of getting out of her comfort zone. She describes herself as 'strong, motivated and hard-working' and says she can work under pressure, overcoming both professional and personal tests to reach success. Denisha says she wants the investment opportunity because she wants to 'be mentored by the best to be the best.'
"I’m a woman who wants to create an empire and have it all, to be able to provide for my family and to be an inspiration to young women."
Emma Browne
Emma, a senior account executive from County Kildare, described herself as a "workaholic" and promised her business idea will be "one of the most successful ideas to ever come out of The Apprentice". She describes herself as disgustingly competitive and says she will go to any lengths to win this investment.
She has over five years of hands-on sales experience and says she wants to ensure she will win tasks by being honest about her opinions.
Describing her business idea, she says: 'I am confident that whether I win the investment from Lord Sugar or not, I am going to make my company one of the most successful ideas to ever come out of The Apprentice. Watch this space.'
My predictions...
1st Place: Reece Donnelly- had to support a fellow scot... and I like his business
2nd Place: Shannon Martin- I think she has a great business plan
3rd Place: Greggory Ebbs- I think his business is unique and investable
4th Place: Marnie Swindells- Great business and seems a really strong, outspoken candidate
5th Place: Bradley Johnson- His business is already doing super well
6th Place: Kevin D’Arcy- has the most experience, I would say
7th place: Sohail Chowdhary- I like his business idea, but unsure if he will be prominent enough in the competition
8th Place: Denisha Kaur Bharj- Comes across as a really strong female
9th Place: Victoria Goulborne- Seems very confident, but unsure her business will stand out
10th Place: Dani Donnavan- Seems like a strong businesswoman but again, unsure her business will stand out
11th Place: Simba Rwambiwa- Still don't really understand what his business is so putting him right in the middle
12th Place: Avi Sharma- I think he will be too outspoken
13th Place: Megan Hornby- Too similar to last year's winner
14th Place: Joe Phillips- Describing himself as the 'James Bond' of the business world just puts him down in my rankings altogether
15th Place: Mark Moseley- Comes across as very overconfident
16th Place: Emma Browne- She just doesn't really stand out to me, but I could be totally wrong
17th Place: Rochelle Anthony- I don't think she has a lot of experience in the business world
18th Place: Shazia Hussain- She seemed a little quiet and reserved in the candidate reveal video