A lot of Apprentice tasks require a considerable degree of creativity. It has always been thus for as long as I have been watching, and the past two weeks of series eight have both put it at the heart of the tasks. I expect many more like this, because this series, like the last, is about finding a candidate with whom Lord Sugar can go into a business partnership.

Tom, Helen, Jim …

Starting a new business, especially for a self-confessed “products man” like Lord Sugar, means finding a new idea to pitch to the market. That’s why creative star Tom Pellereau won last year and delivery star Helen Milligan lost out. As for gift-of-the-gab Jim Eastwood (now a professional speaker in his natural milieu): without a good product, no amount of sales talent, presentation style, nor persuasion skills can build a sustainable business.

… and Susan

And what of last year’s fourth finalist, Susan Ma. Susan had a strong business idea and was good on implementation too. Her performance was just not quite as good as Tom’s or Helen’s in their respective domains. But it was very strong, showing moments of brilliance and, in the real world of business, it isn’t about a single winner and everyone else loses. The market is a complex system with many winners. Was there not a place for Susan?

Yes. Lord Sugar clearly has recognised Susan Ma’s talents. Look at his register of interests at The House of Lords. Lord Sugar is a director of Tropic Skin Care Limited; Susan’s business.

Creativity will be Vital

So, the ability to create great business ideas and evaluate them rigorously will be a vital skill for this year’s candidates. On those criteria, I would assess the first two episodes to have shown us three failures and one partial success (Sterling’s nicely branded and well-targeted toddler tee shirts in episode 1).

So, the questions are these:

1. How can a project manager get the best from her or his team at the creative ideas stage?
2. How can they create the most rigorous evaluation of those ideas, before making a decision that determine the fates of one or more team members?

I will answer these two questions over the next two weeks, on 10 April for the first and 17 April for the second.

What about the Candidates’ own, Real-World, Businesses?

Let’s take a brief look at the businesses and ideas that the candidates have started in the real world. We don’t know what has gone on in the background and how they have developed those businesses with partners and colleagues, but they can at least offer us some slim clues – perhaps only cues – as to the creativity the candidates might offer.

Bilyana Apostolov (Fired in Episode 1)

Employed in financial services industry.
Creativity Quotient: Low/Unproven

Gabrielle Omar

Gabrielle has fingers in two architectural practices (one of which is specialised), a creative print and design business due to launch on 8 April, an in-flight beauty business (that is not trading) and the branding of a business called Daily Dose Ltd, which does not yet appear to be on the web.  A lit of ideas then, mostly familiar, but some execution to be proven.
Creativity Quotient: Medium

Jade Nash

Jade is employed in direct marketing.
Creativity Quotient: Low/Unproven

Jane McEvoy

Describes herself as “Co-founder of Food Manufacturing Company” but I can find no reference to it on the web yet – so cannot assess how creative it is.
Creativity Quotient: Unproven

Jenna Whittingham

Runs her own salon, Beauty and the Boutique.  A common enough business model, I feel.
Creativity Quotient: Low

Katie Wright

Katie is employed as an editorial and research director.
Creativity Quotient: Low/Unproven

Laura Hogg

Owns and runs Laura Reece Bridal – a pretty standard retail model.
Creativity Quotient: Low

Maria O’Connor (Fired in Episode 2)

Owns and runs Greek restaurant Elizavet.
Creativity Quotient: Low

Adam Corbally

Runs Adam Corbally’s Fruit and Vegetable Wholesaler – a fruit and veg stall at a market.  A vital commodity service business (couldn’t do without ours – his produce is excellent) but not high on the creativity stakes.
Creativity Quotient: Low

Azhar Siddique

Describes himself as “Founder and Managing Director of Catering and Refrigeration Company” but I can find no reference to it on the web yet – so cannot assess how creative it is.
Creativity Quotient: Unproven

Duane Bryan

Duane has two businesses in the alcoholic beverages industry: Bryan & Bell creates mixed drinks and then brands them for their commercial clients, and DrinksDesigner.com allows consumers to design and brand your own drink and receive it bottled.  The idea seemed pretty novel to me and he has taken it in two directions under suitable brands.
Creativity Quotient: Medium to High

Michael Copp

Describes himself as “MD Kitchen and Bedroom Furniture Retailer”.  Can’t find it on the web so don’t know if it is his own business and if it is, how innovative it is.
Creativity Quotient: Low/Unproven

Nick Holzherr

Interesting simple marketing/web-based business, qrky, making business cards that incorporate QR codes and allowing corporates to set up a whole database of contacts that incorporate them.  This seems to me a new use of modern technology in quite an elegant format.
Creativity Quotient: Medium to High

Ricky Martin

Ricky is employed in recruitment – although he moonlights as a wrestler, we understand.
Creativity Quotient: Low/Unproven

Stephen Brady

Stephen is employed as a Sales Manager.
Creativity Quotient: Low/Unproven

Tom Gearing

Tom is one of a number of directors in a fine wine investment business.  He did not form the business.
Creativity Quotient: Unproven

Conclusion

All we can look for in this assessment of the candidates.  If I am right that creativity counts disproportionately in this series, then, all other things being equal (which they won’t be), the candidates to watch are:

1. Nick and Duane
2. Gabrielle

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