I have just taken a look at Tom's website and I must say I am impressed.
Instead of the usual dribble that we get from the candidates it is a proper site that tells us what he actually does! And what he has produced/invented.
http://www.tompellereau.com/index.php
So many of the apprentice (candidates) websites are usually just filled with guff about themselves and it is often impossible to actually tell what they are offering or what they do.

It is an excellent site.

It's good as he doesn't boast about what he's done or what qualifications he has like so many of the others do. Is the Stylfile still on the market? I've been looking for it everywhere.

I went and had a look. The inventions do not appear to be new gadgets but rather redesign and repackaging of everyday objects. Unless invention is a personal hobby the bottom line is sales: do customers agree they are better, enough to reach for their pockets? Apart from mentioning an unspecified award, there is nothing on the website to show what the "inventions" have achieved. If limited sales are due to poor marketing, that too will be a consideration before investing £250,000 in Tom.

Tom doesn't have the cajones (the j is silent in that word) to meet Sir Alans expectations. He's another also ran. He is a classic, 'get to the interview stage and then get fired' candidate.

Sorry, nothing to do with the thread but ... just wanted to clarify that in fact this word is cojones as used by spanish speakers... the word cajones in spanish means drawers, as in a chest of drawers, where you store things.


On the subject though... I love Tom, and would love to see him succeed but I'll admit that I'm not sure he has the ruthlessness to work with Lord Sugar.

There is nothing wrong with a redisgn. When the Philips AVENT bottle came out many years ago (which changed the drinking position for the baby I think) They flew off the shelves and became market leaders virtually overnight because they were so much better than what was on offer at the time. He also seems to be a route for other inventors (which is nice)

There is nothing wrong with a redesign, but not all redesigns work. Coca Cola came out with a redesign and contents remake, then backed out in a humiliating retreat after unanimous thumbs-down from customers. Buyers have the last say except where sellers have an indispensable product.

He seems to have done good. I only say seems as I always wonder at candidates who have done so well for themselves why the would want to give 50% profit to LS.

If you are supporting yourself it's quite possible that you could have a successful business but not be able to finance moving it to the next stage yourself.

It is quite interesting that these candidates do not seem to be able to obtain funding through any normal route.

Does this imply that Sugar is prepared to take more of a risk?

Or could it be because the producers are stumping up the £100k that used to be used to pay the winner's salary for a year to help pay for the £250k investment meaning that Sugar will only be taking a 50% share instead of a much larger one that some normal venture capitalist would want?

The problem is that we don't know sufficient details about the prize.

Exactly.

If, as in previous series at least part is paid for by the shows producers, even just to the amount of the previously paid salary which was approx £100.000.

Then all Sugar has to stump up is the remainder, and as he has made it plain, much of it will be "VALUE" and not in cash. So Sugar could be claiming to support this business idea to the tune of c "£250.000", when in fact he is putting little or nothing of monetary value into the business.

In normal times I would agree with you (about the funding)but the banks and investors are very nervous (still) about taking risks and if a business does need 250k to get it off the ground then I think anyone would struggle.
From seeing the candidates on Dragons Den, even there the Dragons want to see that as much preparation and testing/sales etc have been done before they take a chance and most of that has already been done at the expense of the inventor. In other words they will back only successful products. (relatively). At this stage of the Apprentice most of the candidates are still only working with an idea, not a finished product (well some just want to be on telly) and I think that would be difficult to finance.

He looks so good without his glasses.

After seeing his website;
Does he need to be on this 'show'....

I agree!! *SWOON*

I agree too

So, we're agreed then. If it all goes pear shaped as a candidate then he can be a model.

his feminine curve sounds like something it shouldn't.

you don't need to win at the apprentice, im sure there are going to be loads of investors who have seen what these apprentices [or is it apprenti?] are like, the show would be broadcast after everything has been filmed, im pretty sure there are headhunters out there who're looking to hire Tom, Melody, Jim and some of the others.

I doubt that has anything to do with them as individuals, everyone is struggling to get business finance at the monent!


This is repetitious, but Edna confirmed of Breakfast TV the day following her firing that the investment is over a 3 year period, therefore the figure is a rather more modest £83k per annum, that's all.

I was thinking more of the package of the individual and the idea.


This is very interesting news of which I was not previously aware.

When you take into account the fact that it's £250k of cash and value it's quite possible that the 'and value' part could include a couple of hours of Sugar's time per month valued at £1000 per hour. Plus possibly mandatory use of other 'advisers' costed at a very high rate. The actual cash available could easily be as low as £50k per year.

Also, if the winner has to use the money for R & D costs (if they are manufacturing an item) this money will go nowhere. You could also easily used up a large chunk of the money on marketing, PR, Lawyers, etc. On balance 250k does not seem very much. Especially if it is not all cash but may be in expertise, and being spread over 3 years makes it seem a rubbish deal!

Not much different to Dragon's Den then.
I don't really think any of the candidates actually want to work with Lord Sugar. Many of those who have left so far have looked somewhat relieved.

Assuming the Sugar-Apprentice joint venture will be a new business not a capital injection into an existing business like Susan's website sales, and if the Apprentice contributes negligible starting capital, then in the first year it will work with £83K capital less the notional cost of Sugar consultancy. Profits if any will be split 50-50 at the end of the year? Judging by Dragons Den figures it would be a tall if not impossible order for £83K start-up to generate enough profits to pay the Apprentice £100K salary without eating into capital as well as profits. The Apprentice's salary and Sugar consultancy bill will both diminish the profits pool, i.e. no unpaid manpower as shown in the televised tasks.

Against that, the new business will enjoy nationwide publicity, its every move reported free in the media. If Helen turns out to be the Apprentice and she can routinely land a £200K sale between breakfast and lunch without breaking sweat, then no problem at all.

Well, yes. The £250k is instead of the £100k salary. They don't get both; they shouldn't be expecting to be on £100k. Or even £50k.

I imagine the details will depend on the proposed business and what else the candidate brings. In previous years, some candidates have been well-off before they started, and could have put money into the business themselves.