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Britain's entrepreneurs don't like the taste of Sugar

Less than half of the UK’s entrepreneurs consider The Apprentice’s Sir Alan Sugar a good business role model, according to a new survey. While wannabe candidates slog it out for a chance to work with the Amstrad boss, 37% of small business owners across the country think his influence is positive, according to a survey commissioned by Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank.

Of the entrepreneurs questioned who watch the show, one in five (19%) admitted that they have learnt nothing new from watching him in action, and over a third (36%) said that the show has taught them ‘what not to do’. Sir Alan is more of a hit with the ladies, 43% of whom see him as a positive role model over 34% of men.

Four out of ten (41%) of those that watch the show thought that working as his apprentice would have made them more prepared for setting up their own business. However, almost half of those questioned (47%) said that popular shows like The Apprentice and Dragons’ Den were inspiring more Britons to go it alone.

Steve Jennings, Director of Business Banking at Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank, said: “It is clear from our research that TV shows such as The Apprentice inspire people to start up their own business.”

He then went on to say that such shows were perhaps instilling unrealistic expectations of life as an entrepreneur with large expense accounts, and warned that new businesses needed to be supported by a sound business plan.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .