You made it very far in The Apprentice. What was your strategy?
I had two strategies - one was to be true to myself and my teammates, and the second was to give 100% for each task.
Everybody can second-guess a decision with 20/20 hindsight. It seemed that in the boardroom Mr. Trump was really focused on the price point being the reason your team lost. Lee was the one who suggested a lower price point so he would seem to be the person you would least want to bring back. What role did personal friendships play in your choice to only bring Lee back?
Personal friendships did not play a role in who I brought back to the boardroom. Charmaine and I discussed early on in the interview process that if needed to, we would bring each other back into the boardroom and it would not be personal. I do not believe you should bring back someone just because you do not care for them personally. Lee and I actually got along really well on a personal level so that theory in not relevant in this case.
I brought Lee back into the boardroom for many reasons. The first being his attitude during the task. There were many times when I did not agree with the direction the team was heading during certain tasks, but I voiced my opinion and then put my feelings aside and supported my team and my project manager.
The second reason I brought Lee back was because he worked on a deal which after he described to me as "shady." Well, it was a nice try but why would you waste so much time working on a "shady" deal when he could have been an asset on the sales team? The third reason was I brought Lee in the boardroom is because I felt Lee conveniently positioned himself during a task. It is very easy to take a standing opposition to later be able to save yourself in the boardroom in the event of a loss. I believed this needed to be exposed.
What's the best thing and the worst thing about being on The Apprentice?
It was wonderful meeting Mr. Trump and his associates. Carolyn and Ivanka were intelligent, strong and personable. I truly value the friendships I have formed with the participants and the experiences we have shared together. There are so many great moments the audience is not able to see on television and those are the moments I will treasure for a lifetime.
I feel the worst part is calling out your friends in the boardroom, knowing that you have to return to the suite and live with them, but as Mr. Trump says, it's business, nothing personal.
You've been on the inside. Who should we be looking out for in the weeks ahead? I think Charmaine is a very strong candidate. She stands up for what she believes, and she has great people skills. I also think Michael is a strong candidate: he is a hard worker, articulate, and I thought he worked well within the dynamics of Gold Rush. Although I feel all of the remaining candidates have outstanding attributes. As far as Synergy, look out for Allie and Roxanne; I believe they are a powerful duo.
If you were giving advice to future candidates what would it be? My advice to future candidates would be to always be yourself, work hard, be honest and make sure you have a thick skin. I think it is also important to go on the show for the right reasons. I went on the show for the challenge and the opportunity to compete and work with some of the brightest and most talented people in the country.
What's next for you? I would love to utilize my broadcast journalism degree and explore in the areas of TV hosting, sports reporting or the entertainment field. I am presently working for a top international investment firm.
