Q) What was it like hearing the words "You're fired?"
A) Hearing Mr. Trump tell me that I was fired was heartwrenching, but I knew it was coming. I fought a good fight in the boardroom, and I still stand by everything that I said, but the hard truth is that my team lost, miserably. As their leader I was ultimately responsible and therefore had to pay the ultimate price.
Q) Did you agree with Trump's rationale for your firing? Or did you think one of the other contestants deserved it more?
A) My firing, as much as I regret it, was justified. Fortitude chose a HORRIBLE location, and even though I signed off on it, I knew it was a misguided choice all along. I, in an effort to build consensus and give everyone an opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way, trusted someone else's judgment over my own. That is not true leadership. It was a hard lesson to learn, but it's one that I will never forget.
Q) What moment or moments on the show were surprising to you?
A) I was most surprised at some people's willingness to sacrifice the good of the team for their own personal gain. I think we, as a nation, have paid too high a price for individuals' own selfish decision-making. Some of the scheming and manipulation that I witnessed throughout the show served as a sad reminder of exactly how we got into the mess that America now faces. I do believe that everyone deserves a second chance, but I also believe that a paradigm shift must precede that opportunity. I'm afraid that the opportunity Mr. Trump has provided us may be wasted on some of the remaining contestants. That would be an even greater tragedy.
Q) Do you feel as though you've made any lasting friendships and business relationships from the show? With whom?
A)have a great deal of respect for many of the contestants on the show. I look forward to seeing what's next for them as they continue to turn their lives around.
Q) What was the best part of your experience? Why?
A) The best part of this experience was simply being here. When I was drowning in my tears only a few short months ago, I could have never imagined that by losing my job I could have gained the opportunity of a lifetime. Simply coming on the show, competing against so many capable people, and working for the man whose own story is one of pitfalls and perseverance was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.
I did not win the job of becoming Mr. Trump's next apprentice, but I did win the experience of witnessing how one door closing can lead to a world of possibility opening. That's a prize I'll take any day, and one for which I'll forever be grateful.
Q) What have you been doing since being on the show?
A) Since I've been back I've been working on building a life and a career that I can love, based on all the things I've learned about myself over the course of the show.
Q) Has the experience changed you? Do you approach decisions differently now?
A) I am forever changed by this experience. I have learned that no matter what happens to me, I have everything it takes to get back up again. I will always trust my own instincts, and I will never again work in an environment that does not suit me. The American economy is going to require that we give the best of our time and our talents. If we are to truly become the land of plenty once again our work must be a labor of love - love of ourselves, of our work, and of our country. I am looking forward to starting a new phase of my career that will allow me to do just that.
Q) What has the experience taught you about people?
A) This experience has taught me that Confucius was 100% correct, "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do."
