Conor Gilsenan has taken a swipe at Lord Sugar by claiming he only hires contestants with active businesses – after becoming the second Apprentice candidate to be fired.
The former rugby professional, 28, told MailOnline he understands Lord Sugar is made aware of each candidate’s business plan from the start of the process and that plays a huge part in the decisions he makes in the boardroom.
In an exclusive interview, the Irishman, who wasn’t running an established company at the time of filming the show but has since setup his business proposal, insists: ‘The odds were stacked against me.’
‘I wasn’t in that position’: Conor Gilsenan has taken a swipe at Lord Sugar by claiming he only hires contestants with active businesses – after becoming the second Apprentice candidate to be fired
He said: ‘Lord Sugar definitely looks at the business plans.
‘It would have been great to win it but watching the previous shows he typically invests in people who have their businesses up and running and are established but I wasn’t in that position, so the odds were stacked against me.
‘In his defence he does have limited information to make decisions, particularly in the early stages.
‘He is a very confident and accomplished businessman and I think his style of abrasiveness and he is unapologetically himself has served him well, but I know it’s not my style of leadership.
‘I don’t think that is as commonly placed in business as it used to be either.’
‘It’s not my style of leadership’: Conor told MailOnline he understands Lord Sugar is made aware of each candidate’s business plan from the start of the process
Conor, who now runs a mobile drinks business called The 301 Bar, refuses to be ‘defined’ by his brief stint on the BBC One show.
Indeed, he even refused to post a picture of his promotional shot to his Instagram to avoid being known among his friends as ‘the guy that went on The Apprentice.’
He said: ‘One thing about The Apprentice – it is a small chapter in my life, and I won’t be defined by it.
Moving on: Conor, who wasn’t running an established company at the time of filming the show but has since setup his business proposal, insists: ‘The odds were stacked against me’
‘It was a fun experience, but I’ve done a lot of other interesting and great things like I’ve played professional rugby for nine years, I recently got engaged, I set up a business, I have a great circle of friends around me.
‘I will post about it on Instagram eventually, but I definitely do not want to be the guy that went on The Apprentice.
‘That was never the objective, I have always been a massive fan of the show and I was nine months out of my rugby career and the opportunity arose and I thought it would put it outside of my comfort zone.’
Conor was given the boot after the boys lost for a consecutive week, failing to impress Lord Sugar with their wand inspired electric toothbrush.
Reflecting on his time on The Apprentice, he added: ‘I am proud of myself that I kept my cool and I was quite composed, and I never got personal or undercut at anyone throughout.
‘At the time I remember leaving and thought I should have done things differently and have been more confrontational but now I’ve watched it I think that would have actually haunted me.
‘I would much rather go in, be myself, come across as okay and get on with your life rather than get to episode 10 and come across as a bit of a loose cannon.’
The Apprentice continues tonight at 9pm on BBC One, followed by You’re Fired on BBC Two. Watch live and on-demand on BBC iPlayer
‘It’s a small chapter in my life’: Conor, who now runs a mobile drinks business called The 301 Bar, refuses to be ‘defined’ by his brief stint on the BBC One show (pictured Alex Short, Aaron Willis, and Conor)
