Posted in Power & Money - Posted on Monday, July 18th, 2011
With the News of the World Newspaper brand coming under fire lately it was still a shock to see Murdoch completely get rid of it. As new scandals emerge you can see why he was so quick to distant himself.
168 years of news over. All that seems left behind are souvenirs which can be found on eBay. The News of the World official office mug recently sold for a whopping £77. A couple of these have come up for sale over the last week.
Posted in Power & Money - Posted on Sunday, July 17th, 2011
The final episode of the BBC Apprentice Series 7 takes place tonight at 9pm on BBC 1. Who will become Lord Sugar’s business partner?
Tonight I will be updating this blog post live with feedback and comments. Feel free to join me here, on Facebook or Twitter. Would be great to hear opinions from other experienced people.
Initial comments on the candidates before the programme.
Jim Eastwood
Can Jim be in two places at once this evening? In the line of fire on channel 5 or on BBC 1 at 9pm.
A great salesman.
Proved that he can come up with ideas.
Project management skills are there but need a bit of work.
Business planning? – last week he lacked this and if the final is on business plans…
He can however stand his ground. He may even fire Lord Sugar at the end of this one.
Never say it’s luck in an interview. It’s hard work
Tom Pellereau
Experience in running his own business.
He has lots of idea. “I haven’t thought much past that”.
Project management skills. They’re developing.
Business planning – Notebook/Calculator. Need I say more?
Helen Louise Milligan
Rather corporate and can sell a good pitch.
Less of an entrepreneur and more of a manager.
Ideas? She has some but they’re developing.
Susan Ma
Susie could be a star in the making and is one to watch this evening.
Experience in running her own business.
Can come up with ideas but can’t put them forward enough.
Business planning skills.
Pre-judgement
I think the running is between Susie, Helen and Tom (in no particular order). If Susie can shine through with some independent working this evening there’s a good chance she’ll win. Tom is quite likeable and seems full of ideas. Helen. Rather corporate but ambitious to make it as an entrepreneur.
Tonight Lord Sugar will decide. Perhaps Tom is in for a better chance as Lord Sugar’s side of the partnership could be the management man as well as the money man. Or does he want a bit of both and go with Susie? – Does Lord Sugar really want a number 3 and go with Helen.
What do you think?
Live commentary below
———–
Opening line “I’m not looking for a sales person” Goodbye Jim
hmm if Susie and Natasha didn’t come up with the goods with their branding roles last week. I don’t see how Susie could win this week.
“I can’t believe you’re here” and hugs Jim. What does that say?
Don’t forget the programme is called “The Apprentice”. Although not an employee. He could mean a young inventor?
We must not forget he’s still looking for an Apprentice. But how can you choose a business partner who is still an apprentice?
Started Well. Promise in Susie. Just don’t talk him to death.
Jim the new Stuart Baggs?
A long CV…. “not a one trick pony”
Who comes out of an Interview and says you did really good to the competition? haha
Tom had his numbers going for him (Notebook/Calculator)… but it all seems in tatters now…
Check your CV for errors I think. No matter how small it could come back to haunt you.
“You’re in an elevator. Imagine you’re going up and tell me about your business”
Helen seems good at pitching. How is the business idea holding up? -… hmmmm
Helen’s business is just a remote personal secretary?
Susie scoring points. Running a business and studying? – Not a one trick Pony.
Susie coming unstuck with her numbers…. going so well too.
Questions may be tough but if you can answer them. Stand your ground and admit any mistakes. I think you’ll be ok. Be honnest.
Jim’s business. AmSmart? -
I don’t think Lord Sugar would want to use his name as a new business idea. hmm.. He would want a different brand I think.
You need to do market research. Would you ask a bank for £250k without doing research?
Be human in a job Interview…. they don’t want robots. May be some companies do?
Tom is a nice guy but would you go into business with a nice person? – Perhaps you need a tough guy.
Not a starter finisher…Tom.
You might have all the answers but do you have facts?
Business Failure due to not accounting all the costs….
At the end of the day they are all great. It just depends what qualities the Sugar is looking for. He must like them after all.
The feedback from the experts. Who could most benefit one another from a Sugar tie up? Looking like Tom.
Susie still in the game… her projections are just off.
Helen’s reply to Sugar – You don’t need to have experience in an industry to jump in.
Lord Sugar stopped thinking about people taking time off a long time ago.
There aren’t a huge amount of night clubs in Aberystwyth, and it’s down one since The Bay closed down summer 2009.
Along the seafront is the Pier. It’s one of the most well known aspects of Aberystwyth and takes centre stage in many photos and postcards of the area. If you’re visiting it’s a lovely place to go and see. But, many tourists won’t know what goes on after dark.
In the evening the outside lights up and the night club upstairs on the pier opens up to the public ( those over 18) for a long night of partying.
People have mixed views on the club ( called Pier Pressure.) Some enjoy it and go almost night after night, and other think it’s just not a place to enjoy.
I personally don’t think it’s an awful place. I think the layout is good with seats and table to the side with a good sized dance floor in the middle ( although it can get a little cramped every now and again.) There are bounces around the place making sure people aren’t being too rowdy and anti-social. No drinks are allowed on the dance floor, which in my opinion is great, nobody is dropping their glass bottles and tripping up all over the place.
Any place will seem better after one or two, and Pier Pressure isn’t an exception to this. I have experience it both merry and sober. I definitely prefer it merry. Whilst sober, the smaller things will annoy you, the sticky floor, the loos running out of loo roll and the people walking around thinking they’re the bees knees. But have a couple and you’ll be having the time of your life, if you’re with the right people.
Saying that, not everybody needs to go out with someone to have a good time. One famous person “Daz” Pier’s lone dancer enjoy dancing and going out on his own and meeting people there. If you’re ever in Pier Pressure, keep your eye out for him.
Posted in Power & Money - Posted on Sunday, July 17th, 2011
Whist watching the UK Apprentice we sometimes question whether or not we’re actually seeing some of Britain’s best business people in action.
Week after week mistakes are being made. You don’t need to be in business to have common sense.
A BBC interview with Nick Hewer “The Apprentice: Hewer says show is ‘absolute cauldron’” could go some way to explain why candidates make the decisions that they make.
I didn’t know this but in the interview, Nick divulges that candidates have little money, no mobile phone and are limited to a 10 minute supervised phone call per week.
Let’s not forget that they’re living with the competition. No wonder people make the mistakes that they do in the environment.
Could you stick out the pressure? – Nick says he couldn’t.
This isn’t new, Aberystwyth University and the town has been struggling to cope with the increased intake of students each year. Back in 2008, students were put up in hotels...
With the News of the World Newspaper brand coming under fire lately it was still a shock to see Murdoch completely get rid of it. As new scandals emerge...
