Reality shows such as The Apprentice and The Celebrity Apprentice make most of us want to get into business. But the way those poor contestants fight to get the nod from arrogant Donald Trump is just hilarious.
Now we may not have a Donald Trump in SA, but we do have a show that matches The Apprentice formula – SABC2’s The Big Break Legacy.
A few weeks ago we were introduced to 12 contestants who had to prove their entrepreneurial skills through a number of business challenges. Now that the 13-episode season is about to end, we caught up with two remaining contestants to pick their brains about their feelings regarding the show in general, the tasks they have been given, the competition and, of course, the R5 million prize.
The enthusiastic contestants have completed various challenges over the weeks and the group has been whittled down during that time.
Now only three challengers are left in the competition – Graham Rowe, Paul Kim and Lebohang Khitsane.
While Rowe was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press, his two counterparts had a lot to say about him and each other. The week ahead is going to be a rather interesting one, methinks.
“I was attracted to the show by the incentive that I could compete against other entrepreneurs such as myself,” said Kim, justifying why he had joined the show. A methodical thinker, Kim believes being in The Big Break Legacy environment provided him with a different perspective on business management. That said, not all was rosy for him on the show.
“A lot of stuff was frustrating. I guess it is a case of us being on a show of this kind, so it is a learning curve for everyone. On the flip side, what I found interesting was the fact that I learnt you excel not because of skill, but because of the type of task that is handed to you. We are all specialists in different business areas,” he said.
Khitsane, a granite stone products merchandiser, came across as a confident businessman. To him it is only a matter of time before he is united with the R5m prize money.
“That prize is the main reason I joined this show. I have been in business for the past 18 years and since this show started I’ve managed to raise R220 000. I know all the seasons of business. I have been broke and I’ve made money so I understand what it takes to win in this kind of show,” he said, trying to muffle his confidence with a hint of politeness.
But for anyone who has seen the show they know Khitsane is street smart and has charm enough to sell ice to an eskimo.
That said, Kim feels the winner could be any one of them.
“Again I say this, it depends on the task. If it is a challenge that involves presenting, then I’d rather go up against Lebo as Graham is very good at that. But if it is an actionable that involves being street smart, then I’d rather go against Graham because Lebo is good at that,” Kim said.
“At this level it all depends on the last task. It is a question of being at the right place at the right time.”
• Who do you think will walk away with R5 million? The Big Break Legacy finale airs on Thursday on SABC2 at 7.30pm.