In the U.K., the new season of BBC’s The Apprentice is well underway. The Apprentice is a British business-styled reality game show, based on a similar television programme broadcast in the U.S. (2004 – 2017). How real the show is to the world of business is questionable; yet the show remains a popular entertainment contest.
A new study has revealed the most successful businesses after receiving Lord Sugar’s investment. Lord Sugar – or Alan Sugar – made his money by selling satellite dishes before moving into computing and then property.
Data compiled by Stock Market Guides examined factors including net assets, cash reserves, company status, and founder involvement for 14 Apprentice winner businesses.
The top five best performing Apprentice businesses
| Rank | Winner | Business | Net Assets | Cash in Bank | Years Trading | Index Score out of 10 |
| 1 | Ricky Martin | Hyper Recruitment Solutions | £1,250,000.00 | £87,030.00 | 14 | 8.11 |
| 2 | Tom Pellereau | STYLIDEAS | £1,040,000.00 | £117,010.00 | 14 | 7.67 |
| 3 | Joseph Valente | Trade Mastermind | £1,010,000.00 | £157,320.00 | 8 | 7.45 |
| 4 | Alana Spencer | Ridiculously Rich by Alana | £685,670.00 | £410,770.00 | 10 | 7.36 |
| 5 | Leah Totton | Dr Leah Limited | £342,130.00 | £494,860.00 | 12 | 6.58 |
As the table indicates, Ricky Martin’s Hyper Recruitment Solutions emerged as the most successful Apprentice business, with a total score of 8.11 out of 10. Martin won The Apprentice in 2012. The specialist recruitment firm has accumulated net assets of £1.25 million since its founding in 2012 and has been trading for 14 years, with Martin still actively involved in the company.
In second place is Tom Pellereau’s STYLIDEAS with a score of 7.67. Pellereau won The Apprentice in 2011 and become Lord Sugar’s first business partner. STYLIDEAS, which specialises in innovative beauty products, has £1.04 million in net assets and £117,010 cash in bank. Like Martin, Pellereau remains involved in the company 14 years after its founding.
Joseph Valente’s Trade Mastermind secured third position with a score of 7.45. Valente won The Apprentice in 2015. Despite trading for only 8 years, the shortest time of any business in the top five, the business education company has amassed £1.01 million in net assets and holds £157,320 cash in bank.
The top five worst performing Apprentice businesses
| Rank | Winner | Business | Net Assets | Cash in Bank | Company Status | Index Score out of 10 |
| 14 | Sian Gabbidon | Sian Marie Fashion | £130,280.00 | £50,270.00 | Liquidation | 1.06 |
| 13 | Harpreet Kaur | Oh So Yum! | £379,730.00 | £4,220.00 | Liquidation | 2.00 |
| 12 | James White | Right Time Recruitment | £84,060.00 | £2,380.00 | Liquidation | 2.52 |
| 11 | Mark Wright | Climb Online | £23,350.00 | £102,050.00 | Active | 3.43 |
| 10 | Carina Lepore | Dough Artisan Bakehouse | -£183,910.00 | £32,520.00 | Active | 4.03 |
At the other end of the scale, Sian Gabbidon’s Sian Marie Fashion performed the worst with a score of just 1.06 out of 10. Despite Gabbidon winning in 2018 and having £130,280 in net assets, the fashion brand entered liquidation after only 5 years of trading, with Gabbidon no longer involved in the business.
Harpreet Kaur’s Oh So Yum! ranked second-last with a score of 2.00. Kaur won The Apprentice in 2022. The business changed its name to Big Momma Waffles five months ago, around the same time as entering voluntary liquidation. Kaur left the business in 2024.
James White’s Right Time Recruitment came third-last with a score of 2.52. White won The Apprentice in 2017. The recruitment firm also entered liquidation after 7 years of trading, despite White still being involved with the business until its closure.
The data shows that some Apprentice winners have built businesses with strong foundations that stand the test of time. Generally, businesses with the highest net assets and longest trading histories consistently outperform those with shorter lifespans.
