Derbyshire entrepreneur Dan Miller has left The Apprentice in third place after deciding not to give up 50% of his existing business – but says he enjoyed every minute of the process.
Dan, who set up his company Young Professionals aged just 17 from his bedroom in Smalley, spent 11 weeks on the BBC programme showcasing his business acumen and calm, analytical approach.
Throughout the show, he emerged as one of the most composed candidates, proving that success in business – and on the programme – doesn’t depend on being the loudest voice in the room.
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His strongest performance came during the notoriously tough interview stage, where he impressed with both his preparation and calm confidence.
In a rare twist, he also turned the tables on the tough-talking interviewers by asking his own questions – highlighting his desire to ensure any investment was the right fit.
Dan said: “For me, going on the show was never about the money – it was about securing mentorship and guidance. I was looking for Lord Sugar’s support to launch a second business, YP Graduates, but because it was so closely linked to my existing company, the expectation was that I would need to give up 50% of that as well to secure his investment.
“At that moment in time I didn’t really know what to do. I was torn as I knew some of the other contestants really needed the investment and I wasn’t sure about parting with 50% of the company I had been building since I was 17.
“But I’m still really glad I took part in the show, which was a huge risk for me, and I’m happy with the way I was portrayed on screen.”
Reflecting on the interview stage and last night’s programme, Dan added: “Watching the interviews being screened last night was fascinating. Each interview took around 45 minutes to an hour to record, although they were only aired for a few minutes, and I left each one with a smile on my face because they had gone so well.
“At times it felt like Claude, who is known for being pretty tough, was actually really rooting for me and genuinely impressed with me as a businessman. We also spent quite a long time talking about holidays in Marbella and skiing in Sierra Nevada, which we both enjoy.
“They all treated me well and with respect and I actually sat back down with Claudine to ask her some questions – which is apparently unheard of. Some of the other contestants came out in tears, but that wasn’t my experience at all.”
Despite not coming away from the programme in first place, Dan has no regrets about taking part. Around 80,000 people applied to be on the programme and Dan is proud that he made it to the final five.
“It’s a very strange process – you have to hand over your phones and your watches at the outset so you exist in a little bubble where you’re completely cut off from the rest of the world,” he said.
“Moments that take no time at all on air – like walking out to the cars first thing in the morning – have to be reshot from different angles and can take ages to film. You’re thrown together with a group of people that you don’t know and, in our case, flown half way around the world for the first task.
“I was massively out of my comfort zone a lot of the time and because I have both Aspergers and dyslexia the fast-paced, high-pressure environment was particularly demanding.”
Dan praised the production company and the BBC for the support provided during filming, particularly around his hidden disabilities, including access to a reader and additional time for written tasks.
He remains in touch with many of the other contestants and is already putting lessons from the show into practice.
Dan’s company, Young Professionals, connects school leavers who choose not to go to university with employers offering apprenticeships and work experience.
The business now partners with around 50 major employers – including the Big Four accountancy firms and leading law firms – and works with more than 4,000 schools across the UK and Ireland.
Since filming, Dan has further evolved the business, merging Young Professionals and his graduate scheme into a single, unified operation, creating a clear pipeline for early careers talent.
He has also recently passed all exams and will soon be a fully chartered management accountant (CIMA) after taking on board feedback from Lord Sugar about managing costs.
He added: “My journey on The Apprentice might have come to an end, but this is an exciting new phase for my business and I’m looking forward to using some of the skills I learned during the process.
“I took Lord Sugar’s advice, got a handle on my costs and I actually felt that the time spent with his advisors was invaluable – getting to talk through my business plans with people like that would have cost me many thousands of pounds in the real world.
“I’ve learned a lot about myself during this process and I’m really excited about what comes next.”
