The Apprentice candidates for 2024 have been announced.
As usual, Lord Sugar will be meeting with an eclectic bunch of aspiring business partners.
The usual market traders and “wheeler-dealer” make the line-up, as well as more unexpected candidates. These include a dentist who has body-popped on Britain’s Got Talent and an award-winning filmmaker!
Here is our round-up of the 2024 Apprentice candidates that appear in the new series.
Amina Khan
Ilford-based pharmacist and business owner Amina made her first turnover of £1 million just two years after setting up her skincare and supplements business.
She describes herself as a “massive risk taker” who is capable of making “calculated decisions” when it comes to her business. Her results speak for themselves, she says, as she has never made a loss.
Amina reckons joining up with Lord Sugar would mean they could “dominate the market overnight”.
Dr. Asif Munaf
Sheffield doctor Asif describes himself as “beauty, brains, body and business”. His business is the sale of healthy vitamins and supplements.
He certainly knows pressure, because he decided to launch his new business while working 12-hour shifts as a doctor during the Covid pandemic!
This isn’t his first time on TV, either. Dr. Asif previously appeared on series 15 of Dragon’s Den with his D.A.T.E Smoothie. Deborah Meaden criticised the name of his product, while Peter Jones believed it would never go to market. Dr. Asif believes this was his biggest business fail, having left the Den with no investment.
Flo Edwards
Recruitment consultant Flo, from London, describes her biggest business success as taking the plunge and starting her own consultancy firm.
She takes a measured response to failure, believing: “If you don’t fail and make mistakes, you’ll never learn and grow.”
Flo says she doesn’t deserve Lord Sugar’s investment any more than anyone else, but with her he’ll get a proven track record of generating revenue!
Foluso Falade
Manchester-based project manager Foluso reckons she’s the “Mary Poppins of business”.
Her business is a social enterprise, helping young people, and she aims for it to be the first of its kind to win Lord Sugar’s investment.
Foluso’s passion for business comes from her mother, who ran a shop in Manchester for 25 years. She says: “I’ve always been inspired by her perseverance, and passion to keep growing and she’s inspired me to take a leap of faith and believe in myself.”
Foluso believes she is a “one-of-a-kind” and wants to build her business empire the ethical way.
Jack Davies
Bristol recruitment director Jack is one for rapidly rising through the ranks – he’s achieved five business promotions in just seven years.
Jack also claims he’s never failed in business, saying that to him: “Failure is never an option.”
He is also a keen food reviewer who runs Wallop Food Reviews on Instagram, where he has nearly 5000 followers.
Maura Rath
Yoga company owner Maura, from Wexford, gets plenty of positive feedback from her customers! She says customers report that her business brings clients “a little bubble of self-love” and “helps people with that winter dread”.
She reckons she deserves Lord Sugar’s investment because her business promotes positivity and well-being, as well as having five income streams.
In her spare time, Maura loves to swim in the Irish sea – regardless of the weather! She says: “I am obsessed with sea swimming and cold-water dipping and actually prefer the colder months.”
Noor Bouziane
Liverpool business owner Noor started her premium jewellery business aged just 20, which she runs independently.
She believes Lord Sugar would be “missing out” if he chose not to invest in her.
Outside of her ambitions for business expansion, Noor describes herself as a “fantastic” cook.
Oliver Medforth
Yorkshire sales executive Oliver Medworth says he is looking forward to selling at markets during this year’s The Apprentice – it’s what he does for a living!
In fact, he describes himself as “a selling machine”.
His background is in drinks. As well as running five retail shops across the country, Oliver sells his company’s gin and tonic at local markets and “there aren’t many customers that leave without buying”.
Onyeka Nweze
Chartered company secretary Onyeka, from London, reckons Lord Sugar “needs her” if he wants to make “serious money”.
Onyeka hopes her tech business will be the first of its kind to win investment from Lord Sugar during The Apprentice.
With her successful corporate background, she claims she is “yet to experience” a business failure.
Paul Bowen
Lancashire pie company owner Paul has some big name clients already – he sells his pies to European football champions Manchester City.
He says he’s a hard worker with great ideas, and with investment he could make Lord Sugar “Lord of the Pies”.
Outside of pies, Paul also loves bike racing and has recently been riding speedway at a semi-professional level.
Dr. Paul Midha
Leeds-based dentist Dr. Paul managed to grow the valuation of his dental practice by over five times its initial value in just 15 months.
Dr. Paul is looking to “revolutionise the healthcare attire market” with his business idea.
The Apprentice isn’t his first TV experience. He’s excellent at body-popping, which has seen him appear on both Britain’s Got Talent and as an extra in a Disney TV show.
Phil Turner
The second pie company owner in this year’s Apprentice, Bognor Regis-based Paul has been awarded 2020 ‘Supreme Pie Champion’.
He bought his family’s small bakery at the age of 21 and transformed it into a seven-figure profitable business.
Phil too has a more balanced approach to failure, saying his motto is “we win or we learn”. He says: “There is no failure that I have encountered in business or life that has not been necessary for growth.”
Rachel Woolford
Boutique fitness studio owner Rachel, from Leeds, has been selling since she was a child. She went missing from home aged seven, only for her frantic mother to find her on the side of the road selling her toys while shaking a biscuit tin full of cash.
As an adult, she started her fitness business during Covid, which she describes as her biggest success to date.
She admits in the past her weakness has been trying to do everything herself without asking for help.
Raj Chohan
Leamington Spa-based mortgage broker Raj has won ‘Mortgage Broker of the year’ as well as achieving the Silver Award winner of Best Businesswoman in Finance.
As well as being a mortgage broker, she is also a property developer and serviced accommodation provider.
She says she wants to be the “UK’s leading lady within the bridging world of finance” and a multi-millionaire by 50.
Sam Saadet
Pre and post natal fitness coach Sam, from Essex, has been described by her friends as a Del Boy-type and part “wheeler-dealer”.
She is an online fitness coach, with a focus on mums, a business she started whilst looking after her own two small children.
Sam describes herself as “one of the savviest, go-getting women I know!”
Steve Darken
London-based management consultant Steve lists his proudest achievement as “proving that you can succeed in business without being a jerk”.
As a management consultant, he’s partnered with some of the biggest companies in the world, which he claims he transformed into market leaders.
Consultancy isn’t his first taste of success. He once won a filmmaking contest at Pinewood Studios and had a film screened at Cannes Film Festival.
Tre Lowe
Music and wellness entrepreneur Tre hopes to win investment for his wellness business, after being forced to give up music due to severe tinnitus.
The London-based entrepreneur is known internationally for being part of UK garage band Architechs. In 2000, the band hit no.3 in the UK music charts with their single Body Groove.
The London-based entrepreneur is a big fan of The Apprentice and reckons he is “different” to the usual candidate. He’s older and from a creative background with international music success.
Virdi Singh Mazaria
Another candidate with a background in music is Music Producer Virdi, from Leicester.
Lord Sugar’s never invested in a music business before, and Virdi wants to be his first.
Virdi has worked as a DJ in seven countries, first working internationally at the age of 18.
His goals go far beyond business and winning The Apprentice. He says one of his ambitions is to be in a Marvel movie as one of the Avengers.
Fans are divided over the line-up as one said: “Ahhh another show ticking all the boxes…”
Another complained: “Every single one of these people have been on the show before, probably.”
However, someone else tweeted: “Looking forward to the new Apprentice series!”
Another gushed: “I’ve just seen the candidates profile that will be on The Apprentice and its looking good.”
Read more: Former Apprentice star launches petition for Alan Sugar to be replaced with Dragons’ Den favourite
The Apprentice season 18 airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from Thursday February 1 at 9pm.
What do you think of the 2024 Apprentice candidates? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.