The Apprentice 2014: Meet the candidates

October 07, 2014 - 12:27 BST hellomagazine.com

1/22

Bianca Miller
Age: 25
Occupation: Owner of a personal branding company
Lives: London

After university, 'determined' and 'ambitious' Bianca joined one of the world's largest management and technology consulting firms as an HR advisor before briefly taking up a role in recruitment.
In 2012, at the age of 23, she made the leap and launched her own personal branding company, The Be Group, which was named one of the Startups 100 businesses of 2013.

She says: "I regret not becoming a scientist so I could clone myself and be more successful in half the time."

2/22

Chiles Cartwright
Age: 35
Occupation: Company director
Lives: Shropshire

Chiles owns two companies, a consultancy business and a building materials supplier. Prior to that, he spent nine years working in management for international consumer brands.
Chiles describes himself as self-motivated, loyal and totally committed to everything he does. He also has a passion for martial arts, and is a black belt in karate.

He says: "I consider myself one of the most credible candidate in this process. I don't believe that anyone has the wealth and breadth of business acumen that I've gained over the years."

3/22

Daniel Lassman
Age: 27
Occupation: Director, Pub Quiz Company
Lives: Essex

Daniel runs his own company planning and running events, including pub quizzes. He started out as a footballer, contracted to Hornchurch FC before injury ended his chances, and went on to work as a market trader in the family-run business.
He describes himself motivated, determined and always playing to win, and cites James Caan as the business figure that inspires him, due to his calm and collected manner.

He says: "I will out-sell them, I will out-class then and I will perform the best just be being me."

4/22

Ella Jade Bitton
Age 23
Occupation: Business Management Graduate
Lives: Hertfordshire

Ella Jade started out as a fashion studio assistant for Jonathan Saunders, and at the age of 16 negotiated an interior design concession stand in Harrods for her family business.
At university, she was president of the King's College London Business Club, and since leaving has worked for her family's interior design company, overseeing their marketing strategy and online presence.

She says: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

5/22

Felipe Alviar-Baquero
Age: 33
Occupation: Lawyer
Lives: Kent

Colombia-born Felipe is a solicitor for an international law firm, and in 2012 was named one of the Top 100 Columbians. His biggest business achievement to date is designing and launching a children's play area – and he was also chosen to carry the Olympic Torch on its route to the 2012 London Games.
Felipe is passionate about social entrepreneurship, and is a trustee for a British charity that supports vulnerable children in Columbia.

He says: "I studied law because I wanted to change the world. But my real passion is business."

6/22

James Hill
Age: 26
Occupation: Business owner
Lives: Chesterfield

Multiple business owner James started out by setting up a local hand car wash. He now has a number of ventures, including supplying gaming machines to bars and clubs in the UK, and his own restaurant and bar.
James describes himself as energetic and enthusiastic, although he says he can be a bit of a know-it-all.

He says: "Me and Lord Sugar could build a business empire together. I think I am him when he was my age."

7/22

Jemma Bird
Age: 26
Occupation: Operations manager
Lives: West Midlands

Jemma is a trained dancer and dance teacher, who first taught dance at the age of 13. Her proudest business achievement to date has been founding an entertainment cabaret agency, for which she scouts performers, generates bookings, markets the business and produces performances.
Passionate about the arts, and creative, Jemma says her role model in business is Simon Cowell for the success he has had within the entertainment industry.

She says: "I'm always the girl that nearly wins, I'm hoping this time it will be different."

8/22

Katie Bulmer-Cooke
Age: 27
Occupation: Fitness entrepreneur
Lives: Sunderland

Katie is an award-winning personal trainer, who creates and markets her own exercise programmes and DVDs, and has also been a health and fitness expert for Argos. She would describe herself as down-to-earth, honest and energetic.

She says: "In business I'm like a little stealth bomber that flies under the radar and smashes the competition before they even realise I'm here."

9/22

Lauren Riley
Age: 28
Occupation: Solicitor
Lives: London

Family solicitor Lauren specialises in family law, including divorce, separation and property, and says she is passionate about achieving fair outcomes for her clients.
Outgoing and ambitious, she says she wishes she had the idea for Facebook as it has achieved huge success with a fun concept.

She says: "I'm absolutely not a shrinking violet. I'm very known for speaking my own mind."

10/22

Lindsay Booth
Age: 29
Occupation: Owner, Swimming Academy
Lives: Leicester

Lindsay has been a swimming instructor for the past 14 years, and is the founder of a swimming academy which she developed from teaching one child to teaching hundreds over children over the past four years.
"Compassionate" and "ambitious", Lindsay says she is passionate about teaching children to swim because it is a skill that could one day save their lives.

She says: "The other candidates will underestimate how feisty I am, and how I will fight and prove that I can get to the end."

11/22

Mark Wright
Age: 24
Occupation: Sales Manager, Digital Marketing
Lives: London

Australia-born Mark works as a sales manager supporting internet marketing consultants. He has over nine years' experience selling within the digital and health and fitness industries, and has received repeated recognition for the highest revenue growth within his company.
Mark says he is inspired in business by John D. Rockefeller, and describes himself as easy to talk to, ambitious and organised.

He says: "I'm very, very aggressive. I will not leave the room without getting a sale."

12/22

Nuran Ahmed
Age: 36
Occupation: Marketing Officer and Fashion Retailer
Lives: Peterborough

Nuran runs three of her own businesses and works full-time as a marketing officer. She says the business brands that inspire her include Innocent, as a prime example of a UK start-up that shook up its industry.
Nuran's proudest business achievement is setting up three small business within 18 months.

She says: "I'm the type of person that doesn't take five hours to do one job, I do 20 jobs in five hours."

13/22

Pamela Uddin
Age: 23
Occupation: Assistant Brand Manager
Lives: Dublin

Having graduated from university with first class honours, Pamela received a scholarship to complete her masters in International Business. She has gone on to work in brand marketing, and is inspired by brands including Nike, for its motivational advertising, and Paddy Power, for its tongue-in-cheek approach.
She describes herself as charismatic, logical and a good decision maker, although says she can talk too much.

She says: "I am street and people savvy as well as being business savvy."

14/22

Robert Goodwin
Age: 25
Occupation: Marketing Manager
Lives: East Sussex

Robert oversees the global marketing of an international brand in the sports nutrition field, and was responsible for managing the company's largest ever advertising spend. His first job was working as a tennis coach at the age of 15, and he was also employed at his uncle's art shop.
He is inspired by business figures including Harry Selfridge, and brands including Net-A-Porter.

He says: "I'm fearless, and if I don't shut up about something, you should just trust it's a well- thought out decision."

15/22

Roisin Hogan
Age: 32
Occupation: Accountant
Lives: Dublin

Roisin is a chartered accountant, who is following her dream to start her own business. She would describe herself as confident, driven and creative and says that being a risk taker has made her a keen poker player in her spare time.

She says: "Manipulate, persuade and conquer. I would identify my opponent's weaknesses and pick them off one by one."

16/22

Sanjay Sood-Smith
Age: 27
Occupation: Senior Manager, Banking
Lives: London

Senior manager Sanjay is responsible for the online sales strategy across three national banks. In his previous role as a bank manager, he increased his branch's ranking from in the 900s to 30th in the space of six months when he was 23, and was then put in charge of 12 retail branches in London.

He says: "If I had to choose between friendship and profit, I'd choose profit. I'm not in this process to make friends with people, I'm here to win."

17/22

Sarah Dales
Age: 32
Occupation: Former PA and Hypnotherapist
Lives: London

Sarah works as an executive assistant for a top financial firm. She previously worked at companies including Goldman Sachs, while also running her own hypnotherapy and match-making businesses.
She says her proudest business achievement is setting up her hypnotherapy practice on Harley Street, and describes herself as hardworking, positive and tenacious.

She says: "I am the pioneer and the ground-breaker, and I possess all the talents to succeed."

18/22

Scott McCulloch
Age: 24
Occupation: Clinical Development Strategist
Lives: East Kilbride, Scotland

Scott is responsible for global strategic partnerships within companies in the clinical development field. He previously held roles in business development in clinical research, which allowed him to travel all over the world, working with emerging markets.
He describes himself as determined, trustworthy and hungry to success and admires businessman Peter Jones.

He says: "From the minute I wake up to the minute I go to sleep, making money and conducting business is on my mind."

19/22

Solomon Akhtar
Age: 22
Occupation: Technology Entrepreneur
Lives: London

Solomon runs his own company, a technology business within the social media field, while also working at a creative agency. He has also created and managed events for students, including a retail store 'lock-in' and a group yacht trip around Croatia.
Passionate about technology and travel, Solomon describes himself as enthusiastic, energetic and personable.

He says: "I am from the 'ideas generation'; because of my age I understand technology and how to turn it into a business."

20/22

Steven Ugoalah
Age: 25
Occupation: Social Worker
Lives: London

Before moving to London, Canadian Steven spent a year in the Artic, travelling around to do community development social work with remote Inuit communities. He now runs his own social work consultancy and manages a property portfolio.
He would describe himself as resourceful, dynamic and a good negotiator, but says he often becomes frustrated when people don't have the same high standards as him.

He says: "I can deliver in minus 50: I can deliver in plus 10. If we went to Mars right now, I'd find a way to be excellent."