If the opposite quote is true then what happened Lewis?

Week 3 didnt quite go to plan for him, did it!  He went from Marketing Guru to kidnapped Unicorn in this task and overall will be remembered as the one who kept putting himself forward and the one who kept being knocked back - its not fair! Life is not fair Lewis - It never was and it never will be!

First he didnt put himself forward for PM even though imagination, creativity, design and brand awareness were all key aspects to be promoted; all skills that should be a walk in the park no matter what the product is. 

He did however want to be Sub Team Leader, but PM Pam had different ideas - she wanted one of the women as her comfort blanket to ensure  they would represent her, probably as she had got to know the women better than the men since the process began.  The same men that lost the last 2 weeks and were currently 2 down therefore she wasnt feeling any confidence in giving the role of Sub to any of them and given it was only Lewis who showed an interest, it then became a Pamela v Lewis where it came to the more important decision making that would affect how the task was managed and its outcome. 

The comment to whip the men into shape was a bit tongue in cheek, but Lewis took this seriously utilising it to become the victim of inequality.  Instead of taking the above on board and on the chin, it became a battle of the sexes!   I’ve been overlooked in preference for what’s in between my legs – Really?

"It shouldnt be a gender thing, it should be based on skill set" - Well why didnt he shout up and showcase his relevant skills at the start of the task instead of it being an afterthought?  

I have a masters in marketing, I went to university, I am a marketing expert - blah blah blah - switched off, not interested, not listening .....

Marketing is all about promoting and selling and yet Lewis couldnt do either where he was concerned for this task - doesnt bode well for being Lord Sugar's next business partner!

Watch this space! ........

With the task's focus on ice lollies, it was a disastarous week for the boys including Lewis!

Keena's focus was on cost and creating something so cheap and nasty the client declined to buy it even for a £1, Thomas's focus; eating & selling, Dean's focus; bad decision making & rubbish negogiating, Souleyman's focus; keeping mum, Ryan Mark's focus; U Turns, Riyonn's focus on how to wear a hairnet and Lewis .......?  At one point I wondered if he had wandered into the deep freeze of the industrial kitchen as where was he?  Lewis's presence didnt make the same impact as Week 1.

In Week 1 Lewis stood up to the challenge of PM and even though things didnt go well and he got a  bit of a telling off from Lord Sugar for losing his cool, it was as though he then chose to take a back seat in this weeks activities.  A big mistake as consistency is one of the attributes looked for in this 12 week process!

Lewis needs to raise his profile and stand out for the right reasons - can he do it in the next task?

Watch this space....... 

It is always a risk to put yourself forward to be PM on the first week especially as history shows it’s the PM who normally gets fired on the losing team when the fatal finger points! 

However, in Week 1 Lewis fancied throwing his hat into the ring having gained exposure to numerous itineraries whilst selling excursions during his time as a holiday rep.  Conveniently he overlooked the type of tour he previously flogged and the holidaymaker he flogged them too all involved copious amount of alcohol making selling the dream so much easier!  If the powers of exaggeration and false information got him commission, then so be it!  But it’s a bit different when you sell a tour for a game reserve in South Africa on the basis the customer will see the Big 5!

That was Lewis's first big error not to check the details before he and his sales team rushed off to sell the 16 tickets needed.  The sales team comprised of him, Thomas, Dean, and Shahid as a lot of testosterone and banter flew around about who was going to sell what whilst boasting of their individual extraordinary sales skills.  They were superheroes of sales who in mega quick time would sell what they needed and have time for a spot of dinner.  However, when push came to shove the reality was very different leaving sales down and only 12 of the tickets sold and a few red faces!

Second error to not ensure that your team sold and that all options were explored including dropping the price.

Third and final main error was in getting too friendly and being one of the lads rather than standing out as a leader!

In the boardroom both Dean & Shahid felt it appropriate like a couple of fishwives to happily bitch without taking breath and only piped down when Lewis lost his cool but not in the most constructive or professional way!

Think there is more to Lewis and although wanting the PM position he didn’t rise to make the most out of the situation  - he only got to stay to see another week in the apprentice house because Shahid sold absolutely nothing!

Will Lewis step up to what it takes to become Lord Sugar’s next apprentice?

Watch this space …..

One wonders what qualities Sir Alan Sugar looks for in his apprentices.  What skills and qualities do the people recruited to appear on this show need to have?

Tenacity/The ability to think before you speak/Humility/Good timing/ seizing the moment/Ability to build positive working relationships/Being able to articulate oneself/Hard graft/Intelligence - to name but a few.....

The above are all the sort of competencies identified – so went wrong where it comes to Lewis Ellis?

Perhaps this former Thomas Cook holiday potty mouth rep who in 2016 decided to gain worldwide media attention -but not for doing anything of any substance or something to be proud of – no he decided to tell the world after a night of booze in Ayia Napa, that he and two friends ended up in Syria on a fishing boat – what an absolute hoot!  Bet the nation was uncontrollably rolling around, holding onto their stomachs in hysterics unable to breath - or did anyone actual give a flying fart at that point or when he announced it was nothing but a joke?

What an absolute geezer!  Oh, did you hear the one about a goggled man in trunks who jumped into the food court pool at the Trafford Centre?

3 years on meet Lewis now 28 and now a Digital Marketing Project Manager - serious business proposition?  He describes himself as a marketing whizz with a straightforward approach who exceeds expectations (advice - do not hold your breath!). 

The owner of a Pomeranian which he thinks is a girl’s dog, (a bit ruff), but does recognise he is the owner whom he is proud to dog walk with his pink lead. (A little pink never has harmed anyone Lewis!)

Kicked out of a few colleges, not seeing himself going through education, instead he escaped to sunny climes where the beer was cheap and everflowing on endless pub crawls, all year tan and no umbrella required with the word FUN etched in the sand working as a holiday rep. 

He sees himself growing up although admittedly doesn’t necessarily want to as afraid he may lose the inner child admitting being a bit of a Peter Pan.  A true example showing that growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional

Like Marmite, people either love him and his jokes or despise him and don’t wish to speak to him – so is he the best thing since sliced bread? Or will he prove to be the worst thing since burnt toast?

Not the smartest or sharpest knife in the drawer, but someone who will outwork others through putting in the hard work and winning the day and deal!

He learns a new skill every six months, from riding a motorcycle, to skiing and Latin and Ballroom dancing.  But will he be able to master the art of being an apprentice and demonstrating that perhaps he can put his maverick side on hold and follow the rules when required?

As he often betrays his true feelings with his vivid facial expressions – he is definitely one to watch ……