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December 21, 2004

The Apprentice 2: The last post

Since everyone on the planet (or at least reading this blog) already knows the results, I won't go into the gory details. Kelly won. And Jennifer was the runner up (as I had predicted from episode one). Lets do a quick review of how my predictions matched up with The Donald, then I would like to go into a much longer discussion about the Apprentice in general (hell why not?).

For the season I am 12 for 14 , batting .857. Not a bad season!
I predicted one of the two finalist from show #1 (Jennifer) and picked Kelly as a finalist half way through (after I saw him in action).

My finalist from Nov 14 (when I had to add some since Raj was fired):

Jennifer (hard core and straight up)
Kelly - solid organized, player.

My original finalists from the very start of the show were:

Raj - kookie but maybe smart behind it all (turned out to be just silly and not smart)
Jennifer - Steel eyes, very crafty.
Elizabeth - Very quiet and tight disposition that unfortunately fell to pieces as soon as she was put into leadership.

Overall, I have to agree with Trump on hiring Kelly. But Jennifer put up a very good fight. I truly believe that Trump was torn and did want to hear other people's comments in the boardroom (Kennedy Center). Trump likes people who perk up in the board room. Remember how Andy got "killed" by the two girls? Kelly didn't do a good job defending himself. All he could do was say "my record, by background". His teams were 10/4 where Jennifer was 8/6, but I don't think that really matters. The real difference was that Kelly was 100% as project leader. So was Jennifer, but she only was PM once to Kelly's three. Jennifer was good at staying out of the board room and good at taking credit for other people's work, but The Donald saw through that. One very REAL part of the show as when Trump's COO couldn't talk in front of a camera. Here, a big guy with a mustache. It can happen to anyone. I didn't give two shits what Omarosa had to say. That was pure theatre to bring her back. And that outfit? Please. Well, no cash offer's this time, but it was pretty funny that Ivana Ma was about to say she would drop her skirt again until The Donald convinced her otherwise. Kelly is right to have taken the NYC job. Stay close to the Donald.

As you know, The Apprentice 3 has a new twist. Highly educated MBA's against street smart people with highschool diploma's. Mark is obviously getting bored with the format and frankly so am I. I like this angle. This year had too many ivy league people and was pretty boring. I loved Troy last year! He totally outsmarted a couple of those smarty pants ivy types. Well the Donald made $750,000 for the Apprentice 1 and $3.2M for the Apprentice 2 (not including tie-ins), how much do you think he is getting paid for the Apprentice 3? I bet over $6M. And more product tie-ins.

But, oh fair reader, you won't get my commentary on The Apprentice 3. Yes, you see I have better things to do. Like watch Boston Legal. Maybe I should write about that. Actually I will probably watch less TV in the new year. This Venture Capital thing is really heating up (now that Ivana is out of it). Something else. I would NEVER want to work for The Donald. And moreover, I would NEVER hire anyone he thought was great. The Donald is an anachronism. His management style is straight out of the 50s. I mean the guy still wears suits every time you see him. Have you seen his penthouse? Did anyone bother to tell him that goldtone fixtures went out with the French Revolution? The Donald is straight from the "my way or the highway" management style. Which, by the way I like VERY MUCH in an early stage start-up CEO. In many ways I was like that at Loudeye. And he makes quick decisions and doesn't look back. That is all good in a fast changing environment where you get paid for hanging your balls out there (like a tech start-up). But I would never want to work for the guy. And his style would not work in a tech start-up because unlike the real-estate business, in tech the CEO has to hire people who are intellectually superior to himself (they are called developers). The CEO is usually not the most technically proficient person in a tech start=up. But he has to know how to recruit and motivate them. For all his bluster, Larry Ellison knows how to do this. So does Bill Gates. The both have very abrasive in your face management styles, but also have a culture of meritocracy. Challenge everyone and let the smartest win. The Donald may be like this, but I doubt it. He has too much of an ego. He was peeved when Jennifer didn't stick around and hold his hand. No Donald, she was doing this thing called WORKING. The Donald asks people for their opinion, but I don't really think he wants it. All of the truly smart people I know are innately curious. I don't get the feeling that the Donald is innately curious or interested in much other than what he thinks he already knows.

So he is off the list. I am done with the Donald. Thanks for reading.

Posted by Martin at December 21, 2004 10:12 PM

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