YOU’RE Hired!
This is what one ex-Southampton Solent student will want to hear when he stars in the new series of The Apprentice tonight.
Richard Woods, 32, studied Business with Entrepreneurship and received a first class honours in his time at university from 2002 to 2005.
He worked alongside his brother Tim Woods, 31, and they were part of the rugby team together.
Seventeen candidates will sit alongside Richard in a bid to be chosen as Sir Alan Sugar’s business partner.
The entrepreneur will be hoping that Lord Sugar will want to invest £250,000 in his idea when the show airs it’s first episode this evening. He said: “I applied for the programme because I believed that I have a really good business idea that I wanted to get investment for.
“As they say, in for a penny, in for a pound.
“Sitting in that iconic waiting room was strange. The receptionist is a star in her own right as she has been there since the programme started. I was a mix of star-struck and nerves.”
On the programme’s website Richard described himself as a ‘Swiss army knife of bouncy skills, business skills, and enthusiasm who has got everything highly tuned and highly chiselled.’
During his time at Solent University, Richard met his wife Cara, as they lived across from one-another in Deanery halls.
They are now married, have a young son, Mylo, and another baby on the way.
He started his company YOMP Marketing with brother Tim.
The pair design websites for clients and help them grow their brand within their industries.
Richard said: “I think (my brother) is proud of me, however he likes to take the mick because of the programme,” he jokily added: “Tim said I was ‘perfect’ for the show.”
While living in Southampton, the brothers bought their student house and now rent it out to other university students.
Lord Sugar
Richard has also written a book called Digital Trailblazer, about growing your business by harnessing the power of the internet.
This year’s instalment of the television series will see Lord Sugar sit alongside Baroness Karren Brady for her sixth series.
Claude Littner, who was previously part of the gruelling interview stage, will now also be part of the boardroom.
The Apprentice, which is now in its 11th series, airs at BBC One at 9pm.
By Will Rimell
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