If it was a regular Apprentice and the prize was a job working for LS, I'd say Helen was a shoo in as winner. However, this is a bit different as it's about starting a business and for all her organisational skills, she's not a proven business woman.
If it was a regular Apprentice and the prize was a job working for LS, I'd say Helen was a shoo in as winner. However, this is a bit different as it's about starting a business and for all her organisational skills, she's not a proven business woman.
Lee McQueen on the beeb today, said that any other year Helen would walk it, but thinks that she would have to have one amazing business plan to get the investment.
When the question about the GM was asked Tom's face said he knew the answer and it was discussed between them.
I agree Tom would have known the answer too.
Also why would someone mentioned the COS at all when the conversation is about GM?
Because they are related. I'm not an economist, but Wikipedia says gross margin is the proportion of revenue that's not cost of goods sold. So reducing their cost of sale is a way to improve their gross margin. It's relevant to mention it as a variable they can control, given (as I understand it) they can't change the price-point at which they are selling.
My suspicion that it is because Helen remembered Tom's explanation and as a smart woman was almost spot on.
To me you have nothing except suspicion against her. Her job at Greggs would surely require her to know this stuff.
She is a great administrator. Tom could employ one for his new business if necessary. He has the business head and he is completely thrustworthy which is a very important factor.
I wouldn't trust Tom not to go off at a tangent that wasn't relevant to the business.
When the question about the GM was asked Tom's face said he knew the answer and it was discussed between them. Helen's exact words were: "for the meal deal 23% which we thought quite a good COS".
Also why would someone mentioned the COS at all when the conversation is about GM? My suspicion that it is because Helen remembered Tom's explanation and as a smart woman was almost spot on. She has legal background so well done But let's see how she handles interview questions. I am sure they will try to expose all the candidates business knowledge, at least basics.
I personally think Tom is the only credible candidate unless Helen has some `secret weapon` as someone commented on DS. She is a great administrator. Tom could employ one for his new business if necessary. He has the business head and he is completely thrustworthy which is a very important factor.
Tom is totally incredible as the winner. The point revealed in a whole range of tasks is that you couldn't trust him with your money. He has bad ideas, he adds bad ideas to the good idea he agreed, he caves in to everyone and almost any idea around him, he can't manage staff, and, confronted with the need to be decisive, he flounders. His understanding often ends at the stage of doing the maths - from rewriting British history, to trying to sell ten items to one of the biggest French retailers. He lacks common sense, most management skills, and general knowledge. It also makes a mockery of the show if the weakest candidate wins - because he walked in with an invention.
Helen just needs a decent idea to beat that. She's competent and can be relied on - she just needs an idea, and to get over the artificial drive hurdle.
Susan has drive, and the CV and a far better show history tthan Tom. She's looking a better candidate than him - if her idea and CV hold up.
Lord Sugar has somehow to get around the problem that the best candidate may not have the best idea, and the best idea may come with a person who is not competent on what we have seen to run with it. He's also got to get away from the nonsensical argument that only those who already have a business can win - which would mean over half of them need not have turned up. He's got enough lattitude, on the show record, to talk Helen down a bit, and Susan up a bit, but Tom stretches that too far as he's been bad , and in some cases historically bad, at too many things.
If Helen hasn't got a good idea, or it turns out that Susan is a shakier candidate than her CV suggests, things get interesting - then Tom might win by default. it would be a nonsense ending though if the business plans and CVs ended up producing a completely different story to the show.
I seem to always agree with you. Certainly on this. Tom hasnt a hope. It would be a one man business meaning Tom alone. Its unusual someone can come up with an idea no one has thought and make it work. Maybe though LS thinks no one deserves the 250K and finds Tom the cheapest which I am sure he is. Susan I suppose thinks that LS will just give her the money and say make sure you bring me back more. I cant see that happening. Helen I suppose will be something in the food business. It is a crowded market and I dont think will appeal to LS. I get the impression he can always say to Helen I like you but prefer a different business are you willing. I dont consider Helen's only mistake that serious. She was trying to be clever and devious. She will always go for the high risk and high profits and LS will have to be on top of her but I think they could make a good team. She has not been shown in any task to be difficult. She really has no competition. Tom a nice person, but doesnt seem to know how to get money he is owed. Will just end up wasting the lot. People, like till now will just be taking advantage of him.
Because they are related. I'm not an economist, but Wikipedia says gross margin is the proportion of revenue that's not cost of goods sold. So reducing their cost of sale is a way to improve their gross margin. It's relevant to mention it as a variable they can control, given (as I understand it) they can't change the price-point at which they are selling.
To me you have nothing except suspicion against her. Her job at Greggs would surely require her to know this stuff.
I wouldn't trust Tom not to go off at a tangent that wasn't relevant to the business.
Wikipedia is a good source of general knowledge and well done to look up for the definitions.
Yes GM and COS are related. Basically, Sales - COS = GM.
When you are asked what the GM is you would expect to talk about GM, how big or small it is. You don't say that COS is good. COS is good
what does this mean?
GM is such and such and this is a good percentage. The last make sense. Also as a PA, executive or not, Helen does not come even close to any financial issues. This is why she made such an error about going to the retailers. I don't know maybe I am wrong and she is brilliant with all the performance measurements. We will see, shall we.
I would be very surprised if she wins. But LS is always unpredictable.
There are certainly a few ladies on the forum who seem to think so!
I appreciate your comment, but it is absolutely nothing to do with me being a woman.
He is transparent and you can tell, that he is the same with colleagues as he was in front of the panel in the boardroom.
The only negative point Tom has IMO he is a slow thinker.
Very often he was slow to react. This is however is not a major issue
You don't say that COS is good. COS is good
what does this mean?
It means small. As I understand it, the teams didn't have much control over the prices they could charge. That was either a task rule or else due to there being a limit to what people would pay for fast food. (That's part of where Jim's team went wrong; they couldn't have charged enough to make their slower experience worth while.) So they improved their gross margin by reducing their cost of sale. It's the variable they could control. The fact that Helen mentions COS, even though the question didn't, suggests to me she does understand how it all fits together. I don't see mentioning it as a problem, especially as she did give the requested gross margin figure first.
If it was a regular Apprentice and the prize was a job working for LS, I'd say Helen was a shoo in as winner. However, this is a bit different as it's about starting a business and for all her organisational skills, she's not a proven business woman.
I agree - this year it`s a totally different ballgame.
If I had 250k to invest in someone my choice would be Tom, he could employ Helen as his right handman/woman and have Susan and Jim on his sales team.
I completely agree, if she doesn't win then I will be outraged
I think people forget this is not hiring for a job but a business partnership. I think if it was the old format she would be ideal but business partner NO! The task 2 weeks ago proved that
A puppy also has drive, so what?
Susan did make a number of good calls, but IMO she is not ready for such an invetsment to deal with.
She might be - if he is prepared to get more involved than he would need to be with Helen, and if she has an idea with a record to back it up and a meaningful plan for expansion that fits with the 250k.
If she is viable now (lets see) and 250k is significant in terms of what Susan does, she's got two advantages over Helen who has to establish that her idea can work and that she can set up from scratch with the 250k.
Tom may be in a position to undercut both of them and may have a cheap idea or series of ideas. My problem with him is that if he promised a nose clipper, you could end up with an automatic reminder that your toenails needed cutting, something that could tell you how long they were on any date last year, or a Sinclair C6...
It means small. As I understand it, the teams didn't have much control over the prices they could charge. That was either a task rule or else due to there being a limit to what people would pay for fast food. (That's part of where Jim's team went wrong; they couldn't have charged enough to make their slower experience worth while.) So they improved their gross margin by reducing their cost of sale. It's the variable they could control. The fact that Helen mentions COS, even though the question didn't, suggests to me she does understand how it all fits together. I don't see mentioning it as a problem, especially as she did give the requested gross margin figure first.
I disagree with you again:D. Helen's mentioning COS just confirms that she does not have basic knowledge of how it all fits together. Also 23% GM is a very low margin in fast food industry. There will be no profit left after they pay rent and the rest of so called fixed expenses.
I appreciate your comment, but it is absolutely nothing to do with me being a woman.
He is transparent and you can tell, that he is the same with colleagues as he was in front of the panel in the boardroom.
No, you misunderstood my comment- it was a cheeky innuendo based on you mis-spelling 'trustworthy' as 'thrustworthy'. Quite a few of the ladies on the forum find him attractive, so it's a joke on that. It's just a throwaway line, not important
Helen is the most deserving finalist, but if she doesn't have a viable business model then she won't win. There is a major difference. Thats why Tom and Susan, while seeming regularly incompetant and dim, are still there. they have something tabgible to invest in.
I thought the plan was to have someone who you can invest in? I spotted Tom from day1. I have known about AS since the 70's and watched the apprentice over the years. This was about a business partner. Tom was the ideal candidate, full of invention and creativity just needs the big guns on board to steer these inventions. Great choice Alan!.
Wikipedia is a good source of general knowledge and well done to look up for the definitions.
Yes GM and COS are related. Basically, Sales - COS = GM.
When you are asked what the GM is you would expect to talk about GM, how big or small it is. You don't say that COS is good. COS is good
what does this mean?
GM is such and such and this is a good percentage. The last make sense. Also as a PA, executive or not, Helen does not come even close to any financial issues. This is why she made such an error about going to the retailers. I don't know maybe I am wrong and she is brilliant with all the performance measurements. We will see, shall we.
I would be very surprised if she wins. But LS is always unpredictable.
Wkipedia is an unverified source of knowledge as ANYONE can edit it. It is self evolving. Always best for all information, to triple check with other sources.
Helen knows bugger all about Business. She made so many juvenile and infantile errors I think she just stuck herself to the best competitors and took all the kudos.
Comments
If it was a regular Apprentice and the prize was a job working for LS, I'd say Helen was a shoo in as winner. However, this is a bit different as it's about starting a business and for all her organisational skills, she's not a proven business woman.
Lee McQueen on the beeb today, said that any other year Helen would walk it, but thinks that she would have to have one amazing business plan to get the investment.
Because they are related. I'm not an economist, but Wikipedia says gross margin is the proportion of revenue that's not cost of goods sold. So reducing their cost of sale is a way to improve their gross margin. It's relevant to mention it as a variable they can control, given (as I understand it) they can't change the price-point at which they are selling.
To me you have nothing except suspicion against her. Her job at Greggs would surely require her to know this stuff.
I wouldn't trust Tom not to go off at a tangent that wasn't relevant to the business.
There are certainly a few ladies on the forum who seem to think so!
Tom is totally incredible as the winner. The point revealed in a whole range of tasks is that you couldn't trust him with your money. He has bad ideas, he adds bad ideas to the good idea he agreed, he caves in to everyone and almost any idea around him, he can't manage staff, and, confronted with the need to be decisive, he flounders. His understanding often ends at the stage of doing the maths - from rewriting British history, to trying to sell ten items to one of the biggest French retailers. He lacks common sense, most management skills, and general knowledge. It also makes a mockery of the show if the weakest candidate wins - because he walked in with an invention.
Helen just needs a decent idea to beat that. She's competent and can be relied on - she just needs an idea, and to get over the artificial drive hurdle.
Susan has drive, and the CV and a far better show history tthan Tom. She's looking a better candidate than him - if her idea and CV hold up.
Lord Sugar has somehow to get around the problem that the best candidate may not have the best idea, and the best idea may come with a person who is not competent on what we have seen to run with it. He's also got to get away from the nonsensical argument that only those who already have a business can win - which would mean over half of them need not have turned up. He's got enough lattitude, on the show record, to talk Helen down a bit, and Susan up a bit, but Tom stretches that too far as he's been bad , and in some cases historically bad, at too many things.
If Helen hasn't got a good idea, or it turns out that Susan is a shakier candidate than her CV suggests, things get interesting - then Tom might win by default. it would be a nonsense ending though if the business plans and CVs ended up producing a completely different story to the show.
Wikipedia is a good source of general knowledge and well done to look up for the definitions.
Yes GM and COS are related. Basically, Sales - COS = GM.
When you are asked what the GM is you would expect to talk about GM, how big or small it is. You don't say that COS is good. COS is good
what does this mean?
GM is such and such and this is a good percentage. The last make sense. Also as a PA, executive or not, Helen does not come even close to any financial issues. This is why she made such an error about going to the retailers. I don't know maybe I am wrong and she is brilliant with all the performance measurements. We will see, shall we.
I would be very surprised if she wins. But LS is always unpredictable.
I appreciate your comment, but it is absolutely nothing to do with me being a woman.
He is transparent and you can tell, that he is the same with colleagues as he was in front of the panel in the boardroom.
The only negative point Tom has IMO he is a slow thinker.
Very often he was slow to react. This is however is not a major issue
A puppy also has drive, so what?
Susan did make a number of good calls, but IMO she is not ready for such an invetsment to deal with.
I agree - this year it`s a totally different ballgame.
If I had 250k to invest in someone my choice would be Tom, he could employ Helen as his right handman/woman and have Susan and Jim on his sales team.
I think people forget this is not hiring for a job but a business partnership. I think if it was the old format she would be ideal but business partner NO! The task 2 weeks ago proved that
She might be - if he is prepared to get more involved than he would need to be with Helen, and if she has an idea with a record to back it up and a meaningful plan for expansion that fits with the 250k.
If she is viable now (lets see) and 250k is significant in terms of what Susan does, she's got two advantages over Helen who has to establish that her idea can work and that she can set up from scratch with the 250k.
Tom may be in a position to undercut both of them and may have a cheap idea or series of ideas. My problem with him is that if he promised a nose clipper, you could end up with an automatic reminder that your toenails needed cutting, something that could tell you how long they were on any date last year, or a Sinclair C6...
I disagree with you again:D. Helen's mentioning COS just confirms that she does not have basic knowledge of how it all fits together. Also 23% GM is a very low margin in fast food industry. There will be no profit left after they pay rent and the rest of so called fixed expenses.
I thought the plan was to have someone who you can invest in? I spotted Tom from day1. I have known about AS since the 70's and watched the apprentice over the years. This was about a business partner. Tom was the ideal candidate, full of invention and creativity just needs the big guns on board to steer these inventions. Great choice Alan!.
Wkipedia is an unverified source of knowledge as ANYONE can edit it. It is self evolving. Always best for all information, to triple check with other sources.