The Apprentice: Leeds telemarketing boss among candidates vying for Lord Sugar's £250k investment
A Leeds entrepreneur will be among the candidates vying for a £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar in the new series of The Apprentice.
Keir Shave, who set up his telemarketing business in just three days, said he has “drive, skill and passion” in abundance in his application for the long-running competition.
He launched his company, which now boasts a strong turnover and employs more than 40 staff, after his previous employer went bust overnight.
“My business plan is a complementary business to my main outsourced Sales/Telemarketing business,” said Keir.
“An online tool that is designed to help sales staff at all levels throughout their sales conversations.
“The tool is designed to provide little but constant support in the form of a ‘chat-bot’ where the user can input their issue and the tool responds with ideas/tips around the sales objection.”
It comes after Rachel Woolford was crowned the winner of the last series of The Apprentice, which saw Lord Sugar invest in her fitness company North Studio. Earlier this month, she announced her first joint initiative with the business mogul, an expansion of her gym which will include a dedicated ‘Reformer Pilates’ studio.
Keir confessed that “living in a house with strangers” could prove to be difficult, having never previously lived with anyone other than family members.
He added: “I deserve [Lord Sugar’s] investment as I have proven I can build and set up a successful business in a short time frame and work incredibly hard.
“Drive, skill and passion are what’s required to have a successful business, and I have proven I have that in abundance.”
This will be the 19th series of The Apprentice, in which Lord Sugar puts competitive businessmen and women through tricky challenges in order to win the chance to be mentored by him.
He will be joined alongside trusted advisors Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell MBE. The new series will begin on BBC One on January 30 at 9pm.