APPRENTICE’S STAR STEPS
Alana Spencer’s road to winning Lord Sugar’s backing.
EARLY DAYS
I grew up in the Midlands then we moved to the Welsh seaside, which was a bit of a change. It was my mum and dad James and Sarah and my sister Amalie.
My parents always had lots of jobs to make sure we were well looked after. There were entrepreneurs in my extended family, particularly my uncle. He was the first to introduce roadside recycling collections and he’s just built a big recycling station.
WORK ETHIC
My mum would always make me work for my pocket money. And when we moved to Wales I’d get an allowance which I had to earn.
I saw what my parents did and that inspired me. As I got older it was really down to me just wanting to achieve something for myself, a drive to make money. It was inevitable I’d end up running my own business.
CARD-CARRYING SUCCESS
When I was at school I started producing hand-crafted cards for birthdays, holidays and the like. They were quite cute but I don’t think they were ever going to make me my millions.
I started it on my own but when the orders were picking up I cut my best mate Hannah in. She wasn’t getting enough cards out, though – so I had to fire her! Luckily it didn’t spoil our friendship.
WAITRESSING WOES
The only real job I’ve had working for someone else was waitressing.
I’m one of those people who like doing their own thing and it just wasn’t for me. I got it when I was 15 and did it through my GCSEs but then I started my chocolate business and I was trying to juggle it all. I don’t think I was great at it, to be honest, I was a bit slow. There’s a bit of an art to it – and I definitely didn’t have that art!
CHOCAHOLIC HEAVEN
I started making batches of chocolate which I’d sell on.
When it came to my A-Levels I didn’t do very well. I’m dyslexic so it was a bit unexpected that I did do well with my
GCSEs.
My parents could see that running my own business was what I wanted to do and said that I should pursue that. It was such a massive boost, especially from my dad who’s really academic and thought that was the way to go. I rented a kitchen to take it to the next level.
HAVING YOUR CAKE
My chocolate business very quickly changed to a cake one and I started selling to a deli and cafes. The kitchen I was using went under new ownership so I got another one but it was used during the day and I had to go in at night.
I’d go in at 9 in the evening and bake right through until the middle of the night.
I got a government grant – I was
just 17 – and a contribution from my parents and they allowed me to build an extension on to the side of the house for a commercial kitchen. I started doing a lot of food festivals and my boyfriend Bart was as passionate about it as I was and helped before coming fully on board.
DABBLING WITH THE APPRENTICE
I applied for the Junior Apprentice and got so far in the audition process but didn’t get on to the show. I was gutted at the time, but I realise now I wasn’t ready. I didn’t do anything more until the applications went out for the last series. I applied on a whim and never expected to get on, let alone go on and win it. Every step was a bigger shock than the last one.
SHAKY START
It was really tough and when it went out on telly a lot of people came up and said at least I was giving it a go.
I felt massively out of my depth alongside all these big characters.
It took a while to realise you didn’t need to be loud and boisterous to do well.
At the beginning I thought I had no chance. It was horrendous and when I was in the boardroom I was absolutely terrified.
So much so that in the first couple of weeks I wasn’t sure it was the right thing for me.
I did think about walking away and in the third week, when everything was riding on it, I wasn’t sure I could go back in there and lose again.
I felt I just wanted to end it then but a couple of the other candidates convinced me to go on. That was the moment I was on the edge.
THE FINAL TRIUMPH
When it came towards the end I thought I had it in the bag because the other finalist Courtney struggled with pitches. But when I watched it back and saw how well he did I should probably have been a bit more nervous.
When Lord Sugar finally pointed his finger and said I was going to be his business partner it actually didn’t sink in. It’s a big thing to take in.
BUSINESS BONANZA
We’ve just had the launch and the idea is to replicate what I’ve been doing nationally. We’re recruiting ambassadors – mini-mes – who’ll have the licence to sell in their area. We’ve set up a facility in Wales to produce the six core products and then I can make other special products.
I talk to Lord Sugar all the time and no matter where he is in the world he’ll respond to my emails straight away.
He’s very heavily involved and, as much as the money, it’s just having his advice and knowledge.
I need someone to check over my ideas because I do struggle with a bit of self-doubt.
Having someone like him to say yes or no is invaluable and I’m sure we’ll have Ridiculously Rich products all over the UK.