The problem since the show changed from Lord Sugar finding an apprentice to a business partner is the possibility that the candidates might be good but their business plans could be flawed or simply businesses that Lord Sugar wouldn't be interested in being a partner in. I have wondered what would happen if there simply wasn't a good business plan offered by any of the final candidates? Does he HAVE to choose one?

They won't all be terrible, as he already knows what the plans are. They've talked about them openly in the boardroom.

See Tom Pellereau. Invest in the person: something they've already done or another idea they have.

I'd expect there to be at least a couple of good ones though just to avoid that scenario happening again, though I also expect there to be at least one dud *cough* Jordan *cough* for the entertainment factor.

This is why I really hate the new prize format. I firmly believe that the winner is chosen well in advance of filming based on the business plan, with a few solid backups just in case the desired winner completely bombs on the tasks. The rest are all just filler there to either amuse, shock, or generally just make tits of themselves until the coronation.

I'm sure the same basic concept was applied back in the day with the job prize, but at the very least I think candidates had the chance to actually change the script with solid performances back then.

Although LAS knows the plans, he probably doesn't know whose plan it is, this would A: stop him showing favoritism and B: he's had to actually ask the candidates what their plan is.

So it looks like the producers maybe narrow down the applicants to say 50 or so plans that LAS may like, he then chooses the 16 he actually likes, but he's not told whose plan it is.

How are you so sure he knows the plans. If he does how would he allow Jason's even if he doesnt know whose it is. I dont think the plans are really that important. A 'good' person can make money out of anything. I suppose Luisa's plan is to open a shop in Oxford Street. We dont hear anything about her 'Louisa lingerie' shop or has that closed down. Does anyone know her maiden name? I suppose something similar with Francesca.
Leah's business plan is really the great mystery. Most likely something online. LS doesnt really like online businesses and they dont usually work without a good 'ground' presence.
Neil as I continually point out has almost been told by LS that he wont win but still everyone thinks he will. I dont think he has ever been in business on his own like the girls and always worked for others.

Didn't they show the candidates writing up their business plans in full at the start of last year's final? Plus I remember there being a lot of speculation last year that the show was probably rigged for Jade to win since she kept avoiding being fired, yet when she prevented her actual business plan LAS was underwhelmed to say the least.

I'm guessing that what the candidates give Sugar is a brief summary (something like a side of A4 or so) on what their business plan would entail, just enough to outline what the business would do and show that the candidate isn't completely talking out of their backside.

Amazon.

eBay.

Google.

Facebook.

Let's face it, the show wouldn't be the same without the entertainment factor!

He must know something about the plans, I can't see him investing in something that he has absolutely no interest in or is totally adverse to the idea.

These are not really businesses and dont have to have an 'offline' presence.

Google is mainly a search engine, Facebook a 'social' site. eBay an auction house.
The only one is really Amazon. They started with books, the idea being you looked in the bookshop for what you wanted and then bought it cheaper from them. This has resulted in closing down all (or nearly all) the bookshops. So they used other bookshops as their offline presence.
There are not many products like books where one can do this.
In the US an online food distributor went bust because they had no shop.
A shop also gives 'legality' to a net site. I am sure without her shop Louisa would not be able to be in business. Anyone know what happened to Louisa Lingerie. Does it still exist or has she given up and why.

They have discussed openly in the boardroom what the plans are. He knows what they're all doing. He might not know technicalities, but he knows. I don't think he knew in Series 7 which resulted in three plans he wasn't interested in, and one that he was but a person who didn't have enough experience (Susan). So he ended up choosing the best person and changing the business plan around them.


I'm not sure if it's Luisa's maiden name, but her mum's surname is Kalozois. It was on The Final Five.

I'm also very suspicious. There was no discussion of business plans in the boardroom when the first candidates were fired from this series. In recent weeks LS can't seem to make his mind up whether he is firing people based on performance on the tasks, or his initial probing about their business plans.

Frankly none of the business plans plan discussed in the boardroom over the last two episodes has raised any enthusiasm.

We saw them discussing Jaz's plan. They might have discussed the others as well and just not broadcast it, we obviously don't see everything.

Yes but doesn't he normally say "what's your plan" he did last week to both Jordan & Neil, showing he doesn't know what their plan is, sometimes he can guess as with Myles's plan.

This is the first series that they've done that, but they've been doing it right from the start. At the start of the first episode, we saw him discuss quite a few of the plans.

I think it would be really funny if Lord Sugar rejected all the business plans. It would be great TV!

Would it? I think it would make awful TV. We've watched this for twelve weeks, invested in our favourite characters, hoping that certain people will win... if no one won the whole show would be a waste of time. But it depends what you find interesting, I suppose.

Errr, they're not businesses? Really? You don't think they exist to make money, and provide services in exchange for money?

Amazon started off solely online, and still are almost 100% online, they've been experimenting with bricks and mortar warehouse shops in the States but that's as far as any offline presence has got - they're famous for using the fact that they have no physical presence anywhere to avoid sales tax in the States.

Words fails me in your dismissal of the other online only businesses.....what can I say....Google is 'just' a search engine, eBay ....Facebook...

I think you need to go look up what the definition of a business is.

I am well aware what a business is. In your language its anything that makes money and these companies make plenty. I was not referring to a manufacturing business which in a sense these companies are. They are making a product what people want and this product is solely suitable for the net. At the same time of course once they have a large customer base they branch out into other things.
I was referring to a product which is not really based on the net. One that has traditionally been sold in shops or offices. Without being also offline and just being online they rarely survive. Banks still have retail premises at great cost. One can buy anything from a channel Islands company without paying VAT up to a certain amount online like at shops on Amazon but for some reason not everyone is doing it and not everything can be bought from there.
Business doesnt always work with logic and usually doesnt. That is why experience counts more than anything, more than the best business plan.

Whats the wording for the prize? Is it will invest 250k or up to 250k, as needed, by agreement. . If its up to, he can pick the best and give them a starting 10p. Young Apprentice I think was the second - offering up to 25k?? There was some negative talk on twitter from the losing cnadidates because one winner only needed a laptop, if I read it right.

That was Zara, and that is totally wrong. What she said was that at that time, she was only using a camera and a laptop, and while she was doing okay with it, she wanted to expand her business, initially by buying more sophisticated software to make films. The fund is drip-fed, not given in one lump sum, so I imagine that she, and the other winners, get more money when they require it as their business flourishes.

Like a good lawyer, Lord Sugar is quite capable of asking a question to which he already knows the answer. Often his boardroom questions are so pointed I'm convinced he'd been briefed about it. He'd ask anyway for two reasons. Firstly, for the camera and viewers to know. Secondly, to see what the candidate themselves say about it. Sometimes they try to lie or evade the question, and they rarely get away with it.

I don't know what the deal is with Jordan's plan. Either he was unclear about his partner, or else the production thought he'd adjust the plan to get the money, or else they were short of good candidates and thought he'd probably be fired long before the interviews so his plan wouldn't matter, or else they thought dissecting why his plan wasn't acceptable would make good TV, or some other possibility I can't think off right now.

I think the line was she only bought an applemac... I agree it was probably an incorrect assumption, but there seems no reason why you should spend all the money.

Not sure if the same up to an amount, as needed, principle applies to the apprentice as well.

There's a mystery too about the 250k. Does he go for something that will give him a decent return annually on 250k - which might be 10% - or one that could give him a 1000% return with a bit more risk , and, if its got a good return, is he going to pick something where he needs to invest a lot more than 250k? What too if they only need 100k and can give him the same 10% return. Whats he after?

LOL.

LOL.

LOL.

Where's a laughing smiley when you need one?