After 10 weeks in The Apprentice boardroom, we’re now down to just four Apprentice 2022 candidates, who remain in the running for Lord Alan Sugar’s £250,000 investment.
This Thursday (17th March), Brittany Carter, Harpreet Kaur, Kathryn Louise Burn and Stephanie Affleck will present their business plans to Lord Sugar’s advisors, including Claude Littner, who returns to the series following a serious bike accident.
While winning is of course their main aim, Stephanie has revealed her hopes to be mentored by one of Lord Sugar’s trusted advisors if she isn’t crowned this year’s champ.
Speaking of Baroness Karren Brady, she said: “I was genuinely so excited to meet Baroness Brady, I find her so unbelievably inspirational and being in her company did not disappoint.
“She is such a powerful, smart, sharp woman and her aura is electric. She just has this natural ability to own the room; if I don’t win Lord Sugar’s investment then I would definitely love to be mentored by her!”
She added: “There are so many other women leading amazing global causes who are my heroes but Melinda Gates is my idol. I love everything she stands for as a woman – she is so smart but leads with such kindness and humility.
“She is truly dedicated in making a permanent change to the world through the causes which she gives her time to and it’s hard to not find that inspirational.”
Back in January, 16 ambitious business people entered Sugar’s boardroom, with the hopes of securing investment for their business.
Usually, five hopefuls would go through to the interview stages; however, Sugar surprised with a double elimination last week, after both teams lost out on the challenges.
After Aaron Willis was given the boot, all eyes were on Akeem Bundu-Kamara, and Stephanie, who had failed on the branding team for that week’s baby challenge. In the end, Sugar decided that Akeem, 29, would be going home.
So, how does Stephanie feel to have made it to the final?
“It feels crazy if I am honest with you,” the online shop owner told press, including RadioTimes.com. “I always believed if I set my mind to it I could achieve it, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that out of the hundreds and thousands of people who applied – I am sitting in the top four of that!
“To be sharing this experience with 3 others who I admire and love so much is the cherry on top.”
!["Stephanie]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/The-Apprentice-contestant-Stephanie-Affleck-cea7d25.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"The-Apprentice-contestant-Stephanie-Affleck\"")
She continued: “I’m aware I haven’t had the smoothest of runs and some might be questioning why I’m still there, but I think Lord Sugar sees something in me.
“We did have some amazing chats in the boardroom about family and business and I just think he gets me, he understands what I am about and can relate.
“Lord Sugar reminds me a lot of my dad so to calm my nerves in the boardroom I would just imagine I was talking to my dad! That tactic typically helped when things went wrong – and as we can see for me they definitely did… a lot!
“I am nowhere near the perfect finished product, but I am willing to learn and I think Lord Sugar appreciates anyone that shows willing to put themselves out there, to make mistakes in order to improve.”
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