Arts & Culture

The Apprentice Week Seven: Pods

24 February 202223 February 2022By
The Apprentice Week Seven: Pods

This week the candidates were summoned to Here East in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London for their briefing by Lord Sugar. He arrives not in his usual limo but a type of driverless vehicle known as a POD.

The remaining candidates learn that they must gear up to design, brand and pitch their own electric driverless PODs. They will also be meeting with a major corporate client looking to lease driverless vehicles. The team that makes the biggest overall profit will drive away with the win. 

Previously:

Kathryn took the wheel but soon hit the rocks. While Aaron and Amy struggled with selling top price tickets and their tour turned dark. Sophie and Akshay hit the buffers on Stephany’s team, and Nick ran out of steam. In the boardroom, it was a first-class win for Stephany. Kathryn was almost sent packing, but Amy got a one-way ticket home. 

9 am: 

The candidates were off to the Heart of Queen Elizabeth park ‘Here East’, a thriving hub for innovation and technology. 

“More and more companies over the world are looking to invest in greener vehicles, and these pods may be the solution.” Said Lord Sugar.

Before the task began, it was time for a team mix up. Kathryn moved to team Diverse and Brittney to team Infinity. 

Team Diverse:

The first task was to decide who would be the Project Manager, and yet again, Sophie and Akshay began to clash as they battled it out for the role. 

On one side, it was Akshay with his love of cars. On the other side was Sophie’s extensive knowledge in interior design. 

“My visions are based on what I have done before. I have created a bar completely from scratch. Because of this, I want to create a party pod. I want something that screams WOW.” Said Sophie.

It was clear from the start that not all of Sophie’s team understood what kind of pod she wanted to create… 

“I don’t know if I am 100% on Sophie’s Vision. I think we need to be careful it doesn’t go into the tacky route.” Said, Kathryn. 

Separating her team, Sophie put Kathryn and Akshay on the branding team and herself, Nick and Stephany on the corporate side. A decision that didn’t impress Akshay. 

“I think that is a mistake. I understand cars, I love cars, and this is related to cars. Specs, Tech, so thought I could deliver.” Said Akshay.

Team Infinity: 

Strategy manager Akeem took the PM role. 

“I think we can make our pod in the style of a taxi. I want something that has an element of sustainability, but also futuristic.” Said Akeem. 

Struggling again with having a lead on his team, Akeem’s decisions again became disrupted by the other candidates. 

“Akeem has come out strong and put himself forward as project manager. Brilliant. But straight away, he is already changing the idea based on the ideas of his team. He is the leader. He has got to stick to that plan.” Said Campbell. 

Here East is a multi-million-pound complex with the stadium at its heart. It is visited by almost 2.5 million people a year. 

It was now time for the teams to get down to business. First off, meet with the corporate clients. 

For team Infinity, they had the task of pitching to Wembley Stadium.

“I think the meeting with the corporate client went okay. I wasn’t too happy with how Akeem was leading it. I really feel like I had to step up and find out what the client wanted because Akeem wasn’t doing that at all.” Said Harpreet. 

“I think we got everything we wanted.” Said Akeem. 

Pod planning:

Team Diverse began to pitch their party pod to NEC.

“Sophie pitched to the NEC, saying that she will bring them an experience pod. Well, she is not. She sent her team off to create a party pod. They could have a very different idea of what kind of experience they may be getting.” Said Brady.

Over in Central London, it was a base for both teams to work with a leading digital design agency.

Team Diverse begin to brainstorm ideas for their party pod. 

“What about Cele-Pod. Because they are celebrating in a pod!” Said Akshay.

After a range of possible name ideas being thrown around the room, Kathryn and Akshay decided on ‘Star Pod’ and soon started to put the name into a logo. 

 “Their logo is simply a pod with a star in the middle. But what it actually looks like is a toaster with an explosion in the middle.” Said Brady.

When designing her pod, PM Sophie seems to be headed back to the party vibe. 

“I completely confused. Sophie told her sub-team to tone down the party. And then she has gone picked glitter walls and pink chairs. I mean, she has gone all-out party.” Said Brady. 

Across the hall…

Team infinity’s branding team created Bee-Pure. 

“Pure has the connotations that we do not want to damage the environment, and we like the concept of the bees because of what they contribute to the planet.” Said Brittney. 

“This team has ended up with BeePure. What has that got to do with driverless pods? Absolutely nothing. I don’t think anyone is going to get it because I certainly don’t,” Said Campbell. 

Wanted to keep things simple and futuristic, the design and branding team seem to have a different approach. Confusing Campbell even more…

“The design of this brand is all over the place. They have got pure with blue for water, but no water. They have got a leaf that is yellow, not green, and a bee which is just a bee. I don’t really get it.” Said Campbell.

7 pm: Interior done and brands built. Tomorrow, temp buyers place orders for their pods.

10 am: Each team begin to pitch their pods to corporate clients… But first, it was time to see the pod prototypes. 

Team Infinity: PM Akeem took a first glimpse of his taxi pod. 

“Umm yeah, it looks very eco-friendly. It looks very ummmm,” Said Akeem. “I wanted something a bit simple and minimalistic. And when I saw it, I saw grass, the sunflower and the bees. There is a lot happening. That’s my major concern.”

Team Diverse: 

“It is not at all what I was expecting….” Said Sophie.

With Sophie mixed messages, the exterior and interior didn’t match up.

“I mean, why is there a karaoke machine?” Said Akshay.

“is it a party pod? Is it an experience? Is it an experience or a party pod…?” Said Stephany.

1 pm: Pitching to clientele

Team Diverse:

“This client had £1 million to spend on pods, up to 30 they would have bought. They only bought five because it was too niche. Certainly not good enough for their corporate clients.” Said Brady. 

When at the launch, things grew worse in terms of profit.

“Sophie decided to go forward with a party pod but then wanted to abandon anything that had anything to do with a party pod. So, it left us really struggling to get sales.” Said Stephany. 

On the other team…. Pitching their taxi pod to Wembley Park.

“The outside has got a playful vibe, and the inside has got a formal vibe. It’s just a little bit confusing.”

Confusion carried on into the launch. Akeem and Brittney failed to get a sale with their biggest customer.

“They were one of the main people we thought we would get high units from, and they didn’t order anything, so I’m pretty gutted.” Said Brittney.

The Boardroom:

Team Diverse:

“Team Diverse got £180,00 worth of orders. The other buyers ordered £355,200 worth of pods. Making their total £535,200.” Said Brady.

Team Infinity:

“Team infinity did okay, in terms of corporate orders, team infinity secured a total of £156,000. With the other buyers, the team made £1,106,800. Making their total profit, £1,262,800.” Said Campbell.

Losing the task with a much lower profit, Sophie, Nick and Akshay awaited their fate in the boardroom.

Nick: “You didn’t sell. I haven’t seen anything since you have been here.”

Akshay: “The branding was poor. But I think It was poor simply because the goalposts were changing.”

Sophie: “You was the project manager, and you created a useless product which was hard to sell. And that is unforgivable. It was a bad idea, it was badly executed and for that reason, Sophie. Your Fired!”

Eight Candidates now remain.

Next Week: Racing theme away day.