AN entrepreneur from Derby has been announced as a candidate on the upcoming series of BBC One’s The Apprentice – beating thousands of applicants for a place on the TV show.
Dan Miller, who is originally from Smalley and the founder of careers company Young Professionals, will appear in the programme’s 20th series, which launches later this month.
He founded his company while still at school, building the business from his bedroom on a laptop. Today, Young Professionals works with schools, colleges and employers nationwide, supporting thousands of young people into apprenticeships, placements and early career roles.
Dan will now be putting his business acumen to the test, competing against 20 other contestants for a chance to become Lord Alan Sugar’s next business partner.
The opening episode was filmed in Hong Kong, with candidates tasked with competing challenges under intense time pressure, as Lord Sugar’s trusted advisers Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell MBE assess performance throughout the process.
Dan said: “I started Young Professionals as a teenager and I’ve built the business instinctively and by myself. When I saw the opportunity to apply to go on the show I just thought it was the right moment to push myself and learn from some experienced business minds.
“Applying was an extremely vigorous process and involved several full day assessments and screen tests where you’re up against hundreds of other people. The BBC never say exactly how many people apply but it’s rumoured to be around 80,000 people every year.”
Although Dan is not allowed to reveal how far he gets in the process, he said the experience was “intense from start to finish” and gave him a fresh perspective on his own business.
“One of the biggest things I took from the experience was how quickly you have to make decisions,” he said. “Sometimes you have just 30 seconds to make a decision and I’m more used to asking others what they think before committing to anything.
“On the show you’re constantly against the clock, and you have to back your judgement. It was challenging, but it taught me a lot about resilience, leadership and staying true to yourself under pressure.
“I also learned that I could be away from my own business and that it will survive – which is something that I have always worried about before.”
Contestants were allowed only one 10-minute phone call a week and Dan would speak to his partner to sign off on business decisions. Candidates are banned from using phones and other forms of technology and Dan said the enforced digital detox was not as difficult as he feared.
“We were only allowed one call a week and I would use mine to find out what was happening with the business – but the process forced me away from being operational and it was absolutely fine,” he said.
“It was surprising how quickly we all got used to life without phones and because we were all in the same boat we didn’t really miss them. I actually read a couple of books and did some sudokus in the house – things I’d never do at home.”
Among the 20 contestants, Dan says there were plenty of “big characters”, but he remained focused on being himself throughout the process.
“Karren and Tim were exactly what you’d expect – incredibly professional and very sharp,” he said. “Tim in particular was very approachable and supportive behind the scenes, while Karren takes her role extremely seriously. You always knew you were being watched and assessed.”
Dan also praised the production team for how the show was run, including the support put in place for contestants’ individual needs.
“It’s a huge operation and there’s so much that viewers don’t see,” he said. “From early starts to long filming days, it’s intense – but it’s also very well managed. The BBC were incredibly supportive and made sure people were able to perform at their best.”
Although the programme is known for its high-pressure tasks and dramatic boardroom scenes, Dan said the experience ultimately reinforced his confidence as a business leader. “I stayed true to who I am throughout,” he said. “I didn’t feel the need to play up to the cameras or become someone I’m not. I went in to learn, to challenge myself, and to come out better than I went in – and I absolutely did that.”
This article was written by Sarah Newton. For media enquiries, press support or strategic PR advice, please get in touch with Penguin PR to find out how we can help tell your story.
