The ‘bossy’ ex-bank manager set to make Lord Sugar millions: How Apprentice 2022 winner Harpreet Kaur worked in her parents’ shop before juggling online degree with a full-time job
- Harpreet, 30, started out in her parents’ convinience store before gaining an online degree while working as a bank manager
- Harpreet grew up in a ‘loud’ Punjabi family in Birmingham, before her parents and siblings upped sticks to Yorkshire where they ran the corner store
- The Apprentice winner says she was a a ‘quiet’ child who didn’t mind time alone but was recently described as ‘bossy’ by Karren Brady
- Harpreet and her sister Gurvinder founded a dessert parlour, which she is convinced can be scaled up with the billionaire’s help
She’s bagged herself a £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar, having eclipsed 15 other hopefuls in the latest high-octane series of The Apprentice.
But despite Harpreet Kaur’s assertiveness, decisiveness, and winning record standing out from the rest of the candidates, she claims to have been a ‘quiet’ child who didn’t mind time alone.
Described by Karren Brady as ‘bossy’, the 30-year-old had her start working in her parents’ convenience shop before juggling an Open University degree with a full-time job in a bank.
Winner, winner! Harpreet Kaur started out in her parents’ convinience store before gaining an online degree while working as a bank manager
Believing she could be her own boss, Harpreet and her sister Gurvinder founded a dessert parlour, which she is convinced can be scaled up with the billionaire’s help.
Harpreet grew up in a ‘loud’ Punjabi family in Birmingham, before her parents and siblings upped sticks to Yorkshire where they ran the corner store.
She said in special BBC programme The Apprentice: The Final Four, ‘I had the shock of my life when I moved up from Birmingham. I completely felt out of my zone.
‘Everything was new to me and because I was so shy at the time I found it really difficult. Having to work in the shop behind the till speaking to lots of different people probably did me the world of good.
Impressive! Harpreet gained an an Open University degree and graduated with a first class
Big plans! Believing she could be her own boss, Harpreet and her sister Gurvinder founded a dessert parlour, which she is convinced can be scaled up with the billionaire’s help
‘I don’t think you could say I’m shy now. I’ve obviously come out of my shell.’
She had her first taste of work when she helped her mum Jasbir behind the counter and by the age of 18, she took on a full-time position at a high street bank while attending university.
Harpreet graduated with a first class degree and by the tender age of 22 she was managing the bank branch.
‘My parents were so proud to finally say, “My daughter is a bank manager.” It’s pretty much the moment all Indian parents wait for.’
Victory! Harpreet was crowned as the winner of The Apprentice and took home Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment after a dramatic final showdown against Kathryn Burn
Background: Harpreet grew up in a ‘loud’ Punjabi family in Birmingham, before her parents and siblings upped sticks to Yorkshire where they ran the corner store
Changes: She said in special BBC programme The Apprentice: The Final Four, ‘I had the shock of my life when I moved up from Birmingham. I completely felt out of my zone’ (pictured with her family)
Then one day, she decided to break away and start her own business.
She explained: ‘I was working so hard for somebody else but I knew I had the talent and the skill to be able to do it by myself and make some of my own money.’
Together with Gurvinder, Harpreet founded Barni’s dessert parlour. It started in a shopping centre and is now a standalone restaurant in Huddersfield.
During the programme, she explained she hoped to grow her business with six new stores with the help of Lord Sugar’s investment.
She said: ‘We’ve got these two cafes now, I’ve perfected the model, it can be scaled up. It works.’
Childhood: She had her first taste of work when she helped her mum Jasbir behind the counter and b y the age of 18, she took on a full-time position at a high street bank while attending university
She also revealed she hoped to diversify into the savoury snack market, which the advisors warned her against.
Harpreet’s go-getter attitude has shone through in The Apprentice. She has the joint best record in the process, including two wins as project manager.
Now she has her sights set on the future: ‘I feel I’ve got my business to a fantastic level but I’m want to scale up, I want to level up. I want the pressure.
‘I’m really confident Lord Sugar will see the opportunity in me and my business.’
Sister, sister! Harpreet opened her bakery business with her sister
Baroness Brady added: ‘Harpreet has been a solid candidate throughout this process but now, none of that matters, it’s all down to the business plan.’
However during the interviews, Harpreet’s relationship with her sister was questioned by Claude – who accused her of being a liar for saying she was the ‘founder and CEO of the business.
He said: ‘It’s not straight. You’re not the owner…You make light of it, but Lord Sugar could have a problem. He’s seen you and he hasn’t seen your sister. It sounds like one of you is superfluous.’
While speaking to Lord Sugar later in the programme, Claude said: ‘I was impressed with her, but who is leading the business?
All smiles: However during the interviews, Harpreet’s relationship with her sister was questioned by Claude – who accused her of being a liar for saying she was the ‘founder and CEO of the business
‘But maybe the sister is the grafter? We don’t know. That would need to be examined.’
But later Harpreet said the relationship wouldn’t be a problem, saying: ‘If it’s a problem, she is prepared to step down.
‘I’ve already had that conversation with her on a personal level, it wouldn’t affect the business going forward.’
‘If you don’t want to invest in the business with the current structure, I’ve already had the conversation with her. You can invest in it 50 per cent and do it with myself.’
Business: Together with Gurvinder, Harpreet founded Barni’s dessert parlour. It started in a shopping centre and is now a standalone restaurant in Huddersfield
‘Dreams do come true!’: She revealed plans to ‘level up’ her successful coffee and cakes business after her victory in a bid to become a leading UK brand
The Apprentice 2022: ‘Dreams do come true!’: Harpreet Kaur is crowned WINNER over Kathryn Burn and takes home Lord Sugar’s £250k investment in dramatic final episode
Harpreet Kaur was crowned as the winner of The Apprentice and took home Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment after a dramatic final showdown against Kathryn Burn.
The dessert parlour owner, 30, said she plans to ‘level up’ her successful coffee and cakes business after her victory in a bid to become a leading brand in the UK.
Speaking about her victory, Harpreet, who also runs a sweet treat delivery company, gushed: ‘I cannot believe Lord Sugar has chosen me to be his business partner!
Victory! Harpreet Kaur was crowned as the winner of The Apprentice and took home Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment after a dramatic final showdown against Kathryn Burn
‘I have dreamed of this moment, and it just completely proves that if you work hard and you believe in yourself, dreams do come true.’
The dedicated businesswoman said she isn’t in the business to ‘make friends’ but plans to ‘make money’ in her new partnership with business magnate Lord Sugar.
She said: ‘I’m definitely not in business to make friends, I’m here to make money, and I’m pretty sure Lord Sugar isn’t looking for a new mate.’
The explosive all-female final saw Harpreet and Kathryn go head-to-head to prove to Lord Sugar, 75, to prove why they deserved the £250,000 investment money.
Wow: Harpreet couldn’t contain her delight as she won the £250k investment
‘Dreams do come true!’: The dessert parlour owner, 30, said she plans to ‘level up’ her successful coffee and cakes business after her victory in a bid to become a leading UK brand
In the final boardroom before Lord Sugar made his decision, Karren Brady and Tim Campbell described Harpreet as ‘respected’ but questioned whether her business venture would be ‘scalable’.
Tim, 44, said: ‘She’s been a really good candidate. Lots of the other people in the process really respect her, they followed her and she’s delivered several times.’
While Karren, 52, asked: ‘The question you have to ask yourself is, is it scalable? What is unique that turns her from her two stores, to the 100 stores that she has the ambition to be?’
Speaking about Harpreet’s opponent Kathryn, who owns an online pyjama shop, Karren said she considered herself an ‘expert’ when she was only just starting to build her business.
She added: ‘She thinks she’s an expert when she’s really just beginning to build her business – when you questioned the jungle trend, she wasn’t having it – the whole part of being your business partner is to take on board your advice.’
Head-to-head: The explosive all-female final saw Harpreet and Kathryn go head-to-head to prove to Lord Sugar, 75, to prove why they deserved the £250,000 investment money
Emotional: Harpreet was delighted as she won over Kathyrn (right)
No bad blood: The finalists embraced after Harpreet was selected as the winner
Back together: The fired candidates returned to help the finalists reach their goal of becoming The Apprentice
But Tim said: ‘If she listens, takes the wise words, this could be one.’
After a last impassioned pitch from each finalist, Lord Sugar made his much-anticipated final decision, bringing to an end a jam-packed series.
He said: ‘It is a very, very difficult situation for me…Harpreet I’m not sure whether this business is scalable or whether you are trying to do too much and that’s what I’m worried about at the moment.
‘Kathryn, I’m concerned on the longevity of it, and the popularity of it, it’s very hard, this is difficult for me…
‘A lot of the companies that I invest in are a start from scratch situation, basically what Kathryn is proposing, so ladies, I think that I’ve decided now… Harpreet, you’re going to be my business partner.’
They’re back: The series finale also saw previously fired hopefuls (pictured: Harry Mahmood and Amy Anzel) return to the show while they were constantly at each other’s throats throughout the episode
Oh dear: The pair plastered on some smiles as they filmed a commercial
Harpreet was deemed a worthy winner by viewers of the BBC one programme, as they took to Twitter to celebrate in her win after it was announced.
One person said: ‘Was there ever a doubt! The winner of The Apprentice. I said from dot day she will win!’
Another person agreed, and said: ‘The right person won The Apprentice – it will be scalable. The pyjamas business is a risky one, it’s a start up.
‘Whereas the winner already has an established business.’
A third said: ‘Is it just me or did Alan Sugar make the quickest decision on who would win? I’m glad that Harpreet won!’
Another said: ‘Sis deserved the win. But I wanna know what went down with the sister.’
Reaction: Harpreet was deemed a worthy winner by viewers of the BBC one programme, as they took to Twitter to celebrate in her win after it was announced’
A different person said: ‘Worthy winner. Warmed to her as the series progressed.’
One other said: ‘Well done Harpreet Kaur, you are an inspiration.’
While another said: ‘Aw I knew she’d do it. Harpreet is hired. Thoroughly enjoyrd The Apprentice this year.’
One other person said: ‘Really happer for the winner.’
One other person said: ‘Really happer for the winner’
The series finale also saw previously fired hopefuls return to the show while they were constantly at each other’s throats throughout the episode.
Lord Sugar summoned the two front-runners to the British Museum in central London to set them their final challenge – the chance to launch their own business over three days, and aided by some of the fired candidates.
The finalists had to create a new brand for their company, produce a digital billboard and direct and edit a television advert before pitching to Lord Sugar and a room full of industry experts at London’s Pennington Street Warehouse.
But their fired teammates locked horns during the tasks – with first eliminated contestant Harry Mahmood, feuding with Amy Anzel while filming a billboard commercial, before making a dig at her brief stint as an actress.
Meanwhile, Navid Sole directs his wrath towards Nick Showering in the boardroom, while telling Lord Sugar he was feeling ‘p****d off’ with his co-star.
Throwing shade: Their fired teammates locked horns during the tasks – with first eliminated contestant Harry , feuding with Amy while filming a billboard commercial, before making a dig at her brief stint as an actress
When Amy recapped her group’s events, the Amstrad founder quickly pulled her up, telling the embarrassed candidate: ‘I only asked for a little summary.’
While Kathryn hoped to impress with her plan for a pyjama brand, Pyjamily, her contender attempted to draw on the sweet tooth of her customers with a dessert company, Oh So Yum.
The episode saw Navid star in an advert for Harpreet’s brand, Oh So Yum, but he soon started rowing with Akshay Thakrar.
Akshay declared: ‘Next one, next one, don’t touch it yet,’ as he bosses about Navid who pretends to eat the cakes.
He continued: ‘OK, I don’t like it. All you’ve got to do is pick that cake up, ready pick it up, show it to the camera, hold up, hold up, hold up. And now eat it. careful, wait, wait, wait, now eat it, yeah.
What a pair! Lord Sugar summoned the two front-runners to the British Museum in central London to set them their final challenge (Harpreet, left, Kathryn, right)
Rejects: They were given the chance to launch their own business over three days, and were aided by some of the fired candidates
Becoming irritated, he continued: ‘Just, just, just in shot of you eating a cake, pick that brown one up. Pick it up! That doesn’t work at all.
Afterwards he ranted to camera: ‘All Navid had to do was show an expression, eat the cake, show it to the camera. I genuinely didn’t think it was a hard thing to do.’
Nick took over and filmed it instead.
Meanwhile, Harry and Amy began feuding as they filmed an advert for Kathryn’s brand, Pyjamily.
Pressure is on: The finalists had to create a new brand for their company, produce a digital billboard and direct and edit a television advert
Tasty: Harpreet attempted to draw on the sweet tooth of her customers with a dessert company
A bumbling Harry forgot to write out a note as a prop for the advert, with Amy crying out: ‘Harry, did you write it? Can I write it? I just think I can do it in one second. No, Harry don’t tell them to cut we didn’t get the hug.
‘You’ve got to let the whole thing happen and then we can cut it short in the edit. Let the whole thing happen.
Afterwards she said: ‘Harry is more of a hindrance than helpful. Everything I’ve told him to do so far, he’s either made a mess of it or it just didn’t get it done. I could pretty much do it all myself, I don’t really need him.’
Trendy: Kathryn hoped to impress with her plan for a pyjama brand
Designing: She named the line Pyjamily, and was criticised for her all-navy logo in market research
Harry said: ‘I thought Amy was an actress’ – drawing on the star’s past as an thespian.
Amy performed in musicals such as the US Tour of Annie, the European Tour of Grease, Happy Days and a Cinderella panto with Jimmy Osmond.
She also appeared in the first season of US dating show The Bachelor in 2002.
The boardroom also saw Navid announce he’s ‘p****d off’ with Nick over his micromanaging, leading to gasps from the room.
Navid told Lord Sugar: ‘Literally at the last minute Akshay was like, ‘Nick, you try it,’ but obviously I was kinda p****d off with Akshay. I was like, ‘You should have chosen me and not… you know all that hard work with bending down.”
Oh no: The episode saw Navid star in an advert for Harpreet’s brand, Oh So Yum, but he soon started rowing with Akshay Thakrar
Feuding: Nick and Navid were also at loggerheads, with the former having to take over from his co-star to film the commercial
Amy added: ‘We did get the job done and that was what was important and Katheryn was extremely happy, we were all so happy with the billboard and the commercial despite some of the interruptions…
While Alan chimed in: ‘I only asked for a little summary’.
Amy was banned from its final celebration show after she complained about Lord Alan Sugar posting ‘hurtful’ tweets about her, it has been claimed.
The American entrepreneur was reportedly not invited to join the spin-off You’re Hired, which will be aired straight after the much-anticipated final.
Eek! Meanwhile Harry (far right) and Amy started feuding as they filmed an advert for Kathryn’s brand, Pyjamily
Angry: Afterwards she said: ‘Harry is more of a hindrance than helpful. Everything I’ve told him to do so far, he’s either made a mess of it or it just didn’t get it done’ (pictured with Akeem)
Amy was said to have been left devastated after Lord Sugar, 74, posted ‘insulting’ comments about her on Twitter and voiced her feelings to bosses in an email, according to The Sun.
In January, the business magnate tweeted: ‘Amy didn’t sell she was so slow. Slower than broad band Wi-Fi in Cornwall.’
When she was fired from the show just weeks later, he posted: ‘I think if I came up with a task of the life and time of Amy Anzel she would still be sub team leader.’
Speaking about the tweets, Amy’s friend told The Sun: ‘When Lord Sugar posted his tweets, she thought they were nasty, hurtful and insulting and told them so in an email.’
Hands on: Kathryn knew what she wanted from her brand – but the logo was slammed by Sugar’s aide Campbell
Nerve-wracking: The pair were tasked with pitching their businesses to Lord Sugar and a room full of industry experts at London’s Pennington Street Warehouse
Stern: Karren Brady looked stony-faced as she watched on from the audience
The friend said the beauty brand owner didn’t understand why she was fired, saying she felt they had used the fact that she hadn’t taken on a project manager role as an ‘excuse to get rid of her’, claiming Amy volunteered for the job in the second week.
They also claimed Amy’s calls and emails were ‘ignored’ by bosses when she reached out about the spin-off series, saying Amy got an email saying invitations were given at ‘their discretion’.
‘She knew the final taping was happening last Wednesday but they ignored her phone calls and emails again,’ they added.
Gang: Harpreet’s team enjoyed a group hug before heading into the dreaded boardroom
Ouch! Meanwhile, Navid Sole (top) directed his wrath towards Nick Showering in the boardroom, while telling Lord Sugar he was feeling ‘p****d off’ with his co-star
Her pal also claimed that Amy was left feeling ‘humiliated’ after having a Zoom call with production bosses at Naked TV, which makes the BBC series.
An Apprentice source told The Sun: ‘Invitations to You’re Hired are always discretionary and never guaranteed.’
A BBC spokesperson declined to comment when approached by MailOnline.
MailOnline contacted Amy’s representatives and Naked TV for comment at the time.
This comes as finalists Harpreet and Kathryn described how they became close friends during the process and always hoped they would end up in the final together.
Tense: The leading ladies nervously awaited Lord Sugar’s verdict outside the boardroom
Kathryn, who owns an online pyjama shop, said: ‘My closest friend in the whole process, and from really early on, was Harpreet, which is really weird now, that we were roommates (on the show).
‘And as the process was going on, we were becoming closer and closer. So it’s so weird now that we’re in competition but we’re actually such, such good friends as well.’
Despite ending up as rivals, the two women said they have been supporting each other during Lord Sugar’s hunt for his next business partner.
Harpreet said: ‘We were moving through the process hoping to be in the final, we wanted that, so it’s worked out.
Who will win? The Apprentice final airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on March 24 at 9pm
‘We 100 per cent support each other and will be happy for each other because we know how hard we’ve worked to get to this point, and I’m sure there’ll be success for both of us no matter what, whoever wins.’
The women also expressed their delight at the success of the female candidates in the series.
Kathryn also spoke about working with Lord Sugar, revealing that he is not as scary as people may think: ‘I don’t think he’s that scary even on TV. He’s just direct, but a lot of businessmen and women are, you’ve got to be straight to the point and he is.
‘He’s not rude, he’s just direct and he’s like that in real life.’
Harpreet credited her success to being a ‘tough cookie’, and suggested future contestants should avoid the show if they are intimated by Lord Sugar.
She said: ‘If you’re a sensitive person you might be offended but if you’re a tough cookie, and you can just take on board the feedback, you’re going to be absolutely fine.
‘At the end of the day, don’t apply for the process if you’re going to be intimidated by someone like that, because you’re applying to go into investment with this person.
‘So if you’re scared you’re not really going to get anywhere.’
Speaking after her victory, Harpreet said: ‘I’m a confident person and I gave 110% throughout the entire process and the final but at the end of the day you just don’t know because Lord Sugar is going to invest in
‘No, that was a bit of a panic in the interview stage, I do want to expand across the UK with lots of lots of stores, but I’ve been working really hard to make sure my delivery brand Oh So Yum opens in time for the final. I’ve been doing it over the past week with my existing brand but now I’m rebranding to what I’ve been doing on the show.
‘I absolutely loved the whole element but from then onwards it was just fire, I believe in business you can’t get far without strong supportive women around me, I have a really good support network so when we were in the process and we got to the final as a four, they were just so supportive, so nice and I didn’t feel that we were against each other.
‘We were presenting the best versions of ourselves and our business plans and we were almost like 4 friends and we couldn’t believe we had made it this far, so I was really happy because I’m all about girl power and I believe women are really really strong.
‘But I don’t think we got to the final because we’re female, or anything, I think its because all four of us had worked hard to get to that point.
‘Do you know what as a woman you do get that little bit of a satisfaction beating the men, but to be honest man or woman I’m not fussed, gender doesn’t come into it for me, its all about ability, you can be any gender, colour, race, when you’re a team, everyone mucks in, so I think with my behaviour I don’t really change if im a man or a woman so I actually really enjoyed working with the lads.
‘I’ve only just found out that Lord Sugar’s investing in my business, but I’ve been working behind the scenes non stop anyway because for me my business is my passion and my growth plans.
‘I’m gonna make them happen regardless but now I’ve got the investment and I know im the winner of the show I can take it to the next level so I’m really looking forward to working with lord sugar and bringing the investment to reality. That’s gonna be really exciting, a dream come true.
Discussing working with Lord Sugar, she said: ‘We’ve been running the company for 6 years and we’ve got it to where it is today, together. At the end of the day, he’s getting two for the price of one. Why would you not want that?
‘he ain’t going anywhere and we make an amazing team so we’re gonna be a powerhouse with Lord Sugar on as well.
‘We’re an amazing dynamic duo, we have amazing personalities actually, we complement each other’s skills and that’s what ensures were gonna have success in our business so its really gonna supercharge our growth, the two of us still involved, and yeah its gonna be brilliant.
She added: ‘I applied thinking it would be easy and that I could smash it but when I got there, the exhaustion, the difficulty of the tasks, you don’t know anyone around and you’re trying to work as a team but you’ve never met them before, the intensity of the boardroom, the cameras, everything is full on more than you could imagine unless you’re in it.
‘I found it really difficult and because I took it so seriously I could not relax, I was like a machine running on exhaustion. But I did it and I believe that focus and determination and task got me through, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done by far.
‘I just loved the final boardroom, when the candidates left after helping me and kathryn, I couldn’t believe that moment, I honestly felt like i was watching it because I’ve genuinely dreamt of that moment. I will never forget that moment of I chased my dreams, I did it and I got there.’
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