'I was made redundant, but saw it as an opportunity - now I'm representing Leeds on The Apprentice'
An enterprising young businessman in Leeds acted fast to launch his own company after his previous employer went bust overnight - and now he’s showing off his corporate know-how on The Apprentice.
Telemarketing boss Keir Shave entered the high pressure competition in January, proving himself to be a serious contender in the race to win Lord Alan Sugar’s £250,000 investment.
Now, with three episodes aired, the 27-year-old has caught the attention of the experts - not just for his business skills but also for his memorable tactics, including a controversial game of rock, paper, scissors that sparked debate among fans.
In an interview with the YEP, Keir explained how his Kirkstall Road-based company Parallel Partnership was set up after his old workplace went under, and now it’s thriving with a strong turnover and more than 40 employees.
“The reason I’m in this position is because I went through something awful, but I saw it as an opportunity - and I worked really hard to achieve it,” he said.
That determination followed him into the boardroom, a place that many businesspeople fear, although this was not a problem for Keir having rarely seen the show.
He said: “I’m not going to pretend that I was a mega-fan, but I had seen bits of it and I watched a fair bit of the most recent season.”
Last year, a homegrown entrepreneur took the crown as Lord Sugar took a liking to her stylish gym concept. Rachel Woolford, who grew up in the city, recently unveiled her first venture with the business mogul since winning the hit BBC show - a new reformer pilates studio on Roman Terrace.
“I have big boots to fill with Rachel being from Leeds,” said Keir. “We’ve spoken on social media, which is exciting. She’s doing really well, and that’s great for Leeds.”
His business plan centres on artificial intelligence with an online tool designed to assist sales staff, making him the first candidate to bring an AI-focused business to the boardroom.
“It was good timing,” he said. “AI is a very hot topic at the moment. The tool is currently still in development, but I do use AI quite a bit in my day to day life. We use ChatGPT for a variety of automated tasks, for example. It means we don’t have to do the tasks we don’t like doing - and they get done quicker.”
Born and raised in nearby Harrogate, Keir has strong links to Leeds having moved to the city five years ago. He said: “I think Leeds is a great city. It’s big enough for there to be lots going on, both on a personal level and from a business perspective.
“But, at the same time, it’s not too big that it’s like London and there’s chaos. My entire career has been built in Leeds, so it will always have a place in my heart.”
He explained that appearing on The Apprentice can be even more intense than it seems from a viewer’s perspective. Keir said: “I think people watch it and assume it’s much easier than it is. But it’s a lot harder than it looks.”
“Even the selection process is pretty intensive. They stage fake episodes of The Apprentice. In my one, I had to work with a team to build an Ikea-style table.”
Keir’s most talked-about moment on The Apprentice so far came in the first episode, when he used a game of rock, paper, scissors to negotiate a price for an alpine tour. The move sparked controversy among viewers, but Keir remains resolute.
“I’d do it again,” he said. I stand by my decision entirely. Part of the reason I did that was because it’s become a bit of a running joke with my staff - I love doing a rock, paper, scissors.
“When the opportunity came up on The Apprentice, I thought: I’ll do it for them. I knew they’d be watching. It’s a game that I’ve somehow turned into a bit of an office tradition.”
Keir kept tight-lipped about how far he progresses in the competition, but hinted that he has already achieved a major personal goal.
“All I can say is that there’s a particular thing that I set out to do on this process - and I accomplished it. You will find out what that is very soon,” he teased.