The Apprentice made us tough bosses say Lord Sugar's finalists
THE APPRENTICE finalist Courtney Wood says that Lord Sugar taught him to be ruthless and nasty.
The Apprentice: Courtney and Alana reach the final two
Essex boy Courtney hopes that his novelty goods business plan will win him the £250,000 investment from Sugar in tonight’s series final.
The 29-year old is going head to head with cake maker Alana Spencer, 24. Courtney faced criticism throughout the series for a lack of charisma but said he had learnt valuable business lessons from the tycoon.
He said: “I feel like I’ve become so much more ruthless. I have learnt from Lord Sugar that sometimes you can’t be nice and you’ve just got to stand up for yourself.
"I feel like I have started implementing that in my business to some form of success already.
I feel like I’ve become so much more ruthless
“I like him. I think he is a straight shooter. He is direct and to the point and I like operating like that, especially in business because it means you get more done.”
Courtney said he was inspired to become an entrepreneur by his mother.
“My mum’s an Avon lady. She has done that for 30 years and I even used to go around the streets with her collecting orders and stuff like that.
The Apprentice finalists Alana Spencer and Courtney Wood
"So that’s maybe where my entrepreneurial spirit started.
Alana, who was known for her tearful outbursts, admitted she almost quit in week three.
She said: “I was feeling really low at the beginning and quitting did cross my mind.
“It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions. It was so much tougher than I ever anticipated it to be but it was an incredible experience.”
Lord Sugar will decide tonight who will get his £250,000 investment
Alana, from Ceredigion, mid-Wales, started her first business selling chocolate when she was 17.
Tonight the pair are tasked with building a brand, making a TV advert and creating a company that Lord Sugar will want to invest in.
They will unveil their campaign to an audience of industry experts in central London.
The Apprentice, BBC One, 9pm.