The Apprentice, Season 5 Preview: Fire When Ready

The fifth season of The Apprentice starts on Monday night, February 27 at 9:00 EST, and the challenges will be big. How big? Think Goodyear blimp. Wal-Mart. And cruise ships.

Once again, The Apprentice is using bigger and bigger corporate sponsors in their challenges this season. Thos sponsors include Gillette, Chevrolet, Outback Steakhouse, Wal-Mart, Arby’s, 7-11, Xbox, and Norwegian Cruise lines, to name just a few.

Creator and executive producer Mark Burnett explains why the show strives to use so many corporate sponsors. “The Apprentice continually looks to challenge its candidates with real world business tasks. Instead of make-believe business situations, Donald Trump gets to see how his chosen 18 candidates get to interact with some of the worlds most important brands.” These sponsorships are incredibly successful for the companies in question. After the Solstice challenge in Season 3, Pontiac sold 1,000 of those cars just 41 minutes after the show aired. In Season 2, there was so much interest in Crest Vanilla Mint toothpaste that Proctor and Gamble received 4.7 million web hits the day after the show aired.

Who are the candidates who will be competing in these challenges and vying for the spot as Donald Trump’s fifth Apprentice? Here’s a list of the candidates.

Allie, 30, medical sales manager, Columbia South Carolina

Allie not only graduated #1 in her class at the University of Florida, but she was also a cheerleader and has competed internationally in gymnastics. She also has an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. She considers Bill Rancic an inspiration and defines success as reaching one’s potential.

Andrea, 31, sticker company owner, San Diego, California

Andrea skipped college, opting instead to start her own business. She is now the founder and C.E.O. of five different companies. The movie Office Space inspired her to quit her last corporate job.

Brent, 30, attorney, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Brent is a proud Canadian who attended college and law school in the United States. He currently works both as an attorney and handling real estate closings. To Brent, success is “making lots and lots of money.

Bryce, 28, home builder, Kansas City, Missouri

While in college, Bryce invested in two townhomes with his parents. He quickly realized that he loved real estate and would never use his journalism degree. He now builds custom homes. Bryce believes in the importance of honesty, integrity, and ambition.

Charmaine, 27 real estate consultant, Nashville, Tennessee

Daughter of a Filipino immigrant, Charmaine is a successful saleswoman. She admires Troy from Season 1 and believes that her “inability to lose” will make her the next Apprentice.

Dan, 31, clothing company owner, New Jersey

Dan owns companies selling both activewear and hats, but he began his career as an entrepreneur selling cookies. He loves books by Malcolm Gladwell and says he makes “a mean apple cobbler.”

Lee, 22, business analyst, Brooklyn, New York

Lee graduated from Cornell University with a 4.0 grade point average. He has also worked at a day program for people with mental illness and as a fourth grade teacher. He believes that confidence is a necessary quality for a good leader.

Lenny, 37, trading company owner, the former U.S.S.R.

Lenny and his family came to the United States when he was 24. Although he knew no English, he worked his way from being a janitor to owning his own Russian restaurant. He then became a stockbroker. His sixteen year old son inspired him to go on the show.

Leslie, 28, realtor, Houma, Georgia

Leslie went to college on a volleyball scholarship, but was also a star athlete in tennis and swimming. As a realtor, she has a 100% closing rate. She believes that it’s very important to lead a balanced life.

Michael, 29 management consultant, Chicago, Illinois

Michael has studied three languages and holds a Bachelor of Science in finance and marketing. He works in Chicago as a management consultant. He believes in taking risks- not only in business, but also in his thrill-seeking hobbies of snowboarding and wakeboarding.

Pepi, 25, attorney, Miami, Florida

Pepi is a graduate of Columbia law school. He volunteers for Habitat for Humanity and takes on many pro bono cases. While he thinks that all past Apprentice winners have been very qualified, he admires Bill Rancic’s “balance of intelligence, ingenuity, and personality.”

Roxanne, 26, appellate attorney, Austin, Texas

Both of Roxanne’s parents are professors, so education has always been important to her. Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Conner inspired her to pursue law. Roxanne is also a certified Jazzercise instructor. She believes that a good leader possesses versatility and courage.

Sean, 33, recruitment consultant, London, Englad

Sean is the top-ranking salesperson globally at his firm. He loves holding dinner parties and is a devoted Arsenal fan.

Stacy, 38, criminal defense attorney, New York, New York

Stacy graduated from college with a journalism degree, but soon discovered her passion for the law. She thinks that some of the past Apprentice winners seemed “a little vanilla.” Her favorite book is The Great Gatsby.

Summer, 30 restaurant owner, Huntington Beach, California

Summer’s family experienced “financial ruin” when she was a teenager. That experience made her vow to work hard always, regardless of her title. She now owns a popular restaurant in Huntington Beach. She believes that a great leader finds a way to motivate those around her.

Tammy, 33, wealth manager, Edison, New Jersey

Tammy is the founder of a company that designs briefcases for women. She also works as vice president of an investment firm in Beverly Hills. She believes that she has both the skills and the “human element” that will make her the next Apprentice.

Tarek, 28, hi-tech manager, New Bedford Massachusetts

Tarek is a member of MENSA, a rugby player, and a member of a crew team. He hasn’t seen many episodes of The Apprentice because he doesn’t own a television.

Theresa, 36, psychotherapist,Barrington, Illinois

Theresa holds degrees from Northwestern University and the University of Chicago. In addition to her psychotherapy practice, she is a licensed real estate agent. She hopes Trump recognizes her “star quality.”

One of these candidates will become the next Apprentice. Who will it be? Reality News Online will be right here to lead you through it every week!

Betsy Wasser, 31, is the associate editor of Reality News Online, from South Riding, Virginia. She can be reached with any comments at betsywasser@gmail.com

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