Does The Apprentice Discourage Entrepreneurship?
According to the Telegraph, the hit TV series, The Apprentice, is being blamed for lowering the desire for young people to start their own businesses. The UK version of the show is aired on BBC and has Alan Sugar as its star instead of Donald Trump here in North America.
Apparently only four percent of young people in the UK want to become entrepreneurs and some feel that “The Apprentice accentuates a blame culture which doesn’t inspire young people to see the workplace as a positive and constructive environment but rather a place which fosters dispute, aggression and unhealthy competition.”
I have never seen the UK version of the show but am a big fan of the American one. In the first season I used to have Apprentice parties and fill my living room with up to 20 young entrepreneurs to watch the episodes and guess who would get fired (note - watching the Apprentice is always more fun in groups!). Things are a little busier now so I cannot commit to every show but I try to open up my Sunday evenings to tune in.
I have always found the show interesting and exciting. I think about what I would do on the tasks, how I would enjoy the rewards, and how I would position myself in the board room. Sure it is entertainment but there is also a business component to it. If anything it gets me even more excited to get back to my business and continue growing.
How do you feel? Does the Apprentice discourage you from moving forward with your business?
Evan Carmichael.
Evan CarmichaelYoungEntrepreneur.com Blog Manager
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3 Comments so far
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The Apprentice doesn’t discourage me at all. My opinion is that folks need to look at it for what it is - television. No matter how much we are led to believe it is all 100% real, understand that some of it is not. Due to the constraints of television, it is impossible to see the whole picture. And I also believe that it is portrayed one way or another to help ratings - and not to necessarily give a realistic picture.
Anyway, just my 2 cents.
I can see why some people may be put off by the show, Alan Sugar makes a point of being totally obnoxious to everyone (guess thats why he’s on tv though) but you dont have to be like that to be successful.
He has a valid point though, at the end of the day everyone in business needs to be able to sell well. A common problem I see with businesses I work with is they focus too much on the technical side of their product or service and not enough on getting new customers.
I’d also go out on a limb here and say that traditional ’sales’ is more or less dead these days, relationship selling is the most effective method no matter what your medium. Many will agree that buying is always an emotional decision no matter what the product or sales medium.
I watch the Apprentice UK and US version. I cannot see any reason why UK v. would put younger people off business. In fact the show makes things look like fun. The group of hopefuls are from different social classes, and I am sure this is helping to shake off the stereotype image of middle aged guys in suits. But I do prefer the US version, the candidates seem to have an edge lacking in the UK, has anybody else noticed this?