The Apprentice – New Zealand
I’m with Cactus on this.
I can’t see the cream of NZ’s aspiring business leaders applying to be The Apprentice just to earn a six figure salary working for Terry Serepisos.
Most business graduates reckon they will be earning $100,000+ before they are 30 anyway.
But it is not just about salary. The US Apprentice worked so well as people would do anything to work for the Don. Not so much for the US$250,000 salary but for the prestige, and more importantly the wealth of contacts you gain. Working for Trump will get you through almost any door.
I think Serepisos has been very successful, and like what he has done with the Pheonix. He isn’t a bad choice for the role, but the problem is that with one or two exceptions there are no good choices.
Unlike the US, you don’t need to work for a top businessman, to gain access to top business and political leaders. We are a small enough country that people see them all the time.
So what was needed was a strong personality. Bob Jones would have been ideal 20 years ago. It would have been the best viewing possible.
November 1st, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Doesn’t help that Serepisos is a wanker who no-one likes.
November 1st, 2009 at 1:12 pm
If that is the “prize”, then everyone entering should be fired immediately.
For lacking ambition.
November 1st, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Is he?
I don’t know him at all.
He is good mates with Kerry Prendergast as he’s brought good publicity to the city in recent years.
November 1st, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Teflon.
Wiseguy.
November 1st, 2009 at 3:39 pm
As a young person already working with a leading firm I can assure you that I wouldn’t cross the street to work for Serepisos let alone lose my dignity on TV for a mere chance to work for him.
Why would I risk my reputation to kiss up to Bob Jones either?
If they really wanted to excite people then they should have stayed away from property wankers… they aren’t entrepreneurs. The Graeme Harts, Sam Morgans, Rob Camerons etc are the real heros in NZ business.
Hart or Morgan wouldn’t be seen dead on a show like this…. I would think the same could be said about candidates with real talent.
This show is going to be a muppet masterclass. The contestants will just be second rate publicity whores looking for a quick ticket to Z-list celebrity status.
November 1st, 2009 at 3:59 pm
jag, with you there. Hart is N0. 1 If I had to name one person I could spend a day with it would be Hart and second would be Rob Fife.
Hart because he hasn’t just done a one off but has kept up the pace and gone from one project to the next.
Fife because of the way he thinks about business and people.
wouldn’t rank Morgan. Tindall a maybe. Jones because of his irreverence to most things.. He is still a very knowledgeable person.
But still Hart at n0.1
November 1st, 2009 at 4:36 pm
It is simply illogical that the ‘cream’ would be applying to take part in this sort of nonsense.
Here are some things the ‘cream’ do not do –
1. Work for someone else
2. Seek publicity of this nature
3. Consider a low six figure salary evidence they have ‘made it’
4. Spend time watching these sorts of programmes
Anyone doing any of the above is not the ‘cream’ of anything; although no doubt the programme will have myriad of contestants who have been (wrongly) told they are the cream all their lives, and will show their shallowness, appalling accents, lack of business acumen, lack of imagination and general stupidity to a wide audience… who will all be applauding and continuing to tell them what geniuses they are.
http://www.nightcitytrader.blogspot.com
November 1st, 2009 at 4:55 pm
oops Elijah – double take.
For a minute there I thought you said that there ought to be a cream that can be applied for this sort of nonsense.
November 1st, 2009 at 7:22 pm
The thing that is really annoying is that someone is putting this shit on telly. Fucking ‘reality’ TV gives me the screaming shits. I haven’t checked, but if NZ On Air is paying for this I’m thinking rocket launcher and their building.
November 1st, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Having said all that David, I suggest you apply. Would be fun.
November 1st, 2009 at 7:46 pm
“Working for Trump will get you through almost any door.”
Not mine. A self promoting egotistical serial-verge-of-bankruptcy guy with bad hair.
I dont even know who Terry Serepisos is, but I dont watch much tv.
November 1st, 2009 at 7:56 pm
” continuing to tell them what geniuses they are. ”
Uneducated twit.
..when referring to an individual as a genius, the most correct plural is genii (that’s three syllables). This is because genius is derived from Latin. It is the first-person masculine singular form of the word. The first-person masculine plural is genii.
November 1st, 2009 at 9:33 pm
In order to get on this show the applicants are vetted extremely rigorously, What about Terry Seripisos did the same rule apply to him. A quick discussion within his own greek community would give any newsman a good insight as to where Terry as come from and how he gained his wealth. Very poor show TVNZ hopefully they aren’t affraid of red faces.
November 1st, 2009 at 9:52 pm
This will totally be a waste of time……… Cant believe 1500 ego maniacs applied, NZ is a tiny place in the scheme of things of this nature….
November 1st, 2009 at 10:09 pm
True story. A acquaintance of mine is a semi-distant relative of Terry’s. They share the same surname. This person (‘Fred’, not his/her real name) has been doing some house renovations, and when looking for trades people they ask his/her name.
-They say “Fred”
-Tradie ask “Fred who?”
-Dodging the question they say “Fred from ”
-Tradie reply “No, what’s your surname Fred?”
-They fold, and say “Serepisos”
-Many the tradies express a disinclination to take the offer of business any further forward. Click!
-”Fred” moves to the next tradie on the list
Back on topic, I’m can’t stand these programs. Moreover I detest Trump with a passion. He’s a kind of ‘last-millennia’ megalomaniac CEO that is the very worst example of business leadership.
November 2nd, 2009 at 5:23 pm
^^^ What getstaffed said. About both Serepisos and Trump.
November 2nd, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Terry, you know what, you’re fired!