Dad-of-two Dean Franklin is among the 18 candidates bidding to win Lord Alan Sugar’s £250,000 investment and advice.
Dean is the co-owner of ADL Air Conditioning, which he set up during Covid lockdown restrictions.
The business, based in Upminster, won the best tradesperson award at the 2023 Havering Small Business Awards.
Dean spoke to the Recorder to provide some insight into him as a person and his motivations for entering The Apprentice.
“I’m a proud father to two beautiful children and I’m a husband. I’m a family man,” he said.
“I started from the bottom and worked my way up, now owning my own company – we are an award winning company. We’re doing really well.”
When asked about his motivations behind applying for the show, Dean said: “I’ve always wanted to put myself in uncomfortable situations and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I’ve always wanted to test myself.
“I’ve always watched the show and thought I could do better and I guess now is the time to prove it. Time to step up and give it a go because that’s what I want to show my kids.”
Dean told the BBC that he believes similarities between himself and Lord Sugar could be key to potential success.
“I honestly believe me and Lord Sugar are very similar. I can relate to a lot of things he has said and done in the past.
“He is very passionate about science and electronics and that’s pretty much what air conditioning is, this is what he has done in his businesses and it’s what he knows. This is right up his street.
“I’m just hoping he can show me the ropes and together we can get to the next level.”
The first episode, which airs on January 30 will see the contestants take a trip to Austria where they will run alpine tours.
The Apprentice series 19 premieres on Thursday January 30 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
