6 Valuable Tips from The Apprentice Champion

Get Ready for Success! The Apprentice 2022 Winner, Harpreet Kaur, Shares Her Best Business Tips

Glenn Burgess

At The Business Show 2022 in London’s ExCeL Centre, Harpreet Kaur shared some down-to-earth business wisdom with the audience.

“I’ve been classed in recent months as an overnight success, but I won’t accept that because this business has taken me years of mistakes, costs, highlights, lowlights and so many different obstacles that I’ve had to overcome,” she opens.

Discover Six Key Takeaways from The Apprentice Winner’s Seminar.

1. Stay Flexible and Don't Overthink the Future

“Why are you running your business?” Kaur asks the audience. “I’ll confidently say that there’s nothing wrong with starting and running a business because you want to make a profit, achieve financial freedom, and be successful. There’s a lot of pressure to find your ‘why’ and this deep-seated passion.”

However, it’s essential to put your goals in writing. “You need to jot them down. Many of us never get around to it. Write down your objectives. My twist is ‘Don’t dwell too much on the distant future.’ She talks about the pressure to predict where you’ll be in two or three years. ‘A few years ago, we had no clue there would be a global pandemic. I focus on the next six months because I can’t predict how the world will change.'”

Kaur advises not to be afraid if your goals change because hers change all the time. If another opportunity arises, and you no longer want to go in the same direction, that’s okay: “Another thing that can hinder your business success is fixating on a grand goal you conceived of two years ago, so maybe it’s time to reassess.”

2. Perfect Your Branding

“This might not apply to everyone,” she acknowledges, “but it’s been a game-changer for me since winning The Apprentice. I sell waffles, crepes, and ice cream. I didn’t invent cake; there was definitely cake around before I entered the scene,” she says with a hint of self-deprecation.

“In my mind, I thought, ‘Okay, let me create a logo, choose some cool colors, and start trading.’ There’s nothing wrong with that approach to get started. But, as we’re talking about scaling up and growing your business…”

“I’ve actually rebranded twice,” Kaur reveals. She rebranded Oh So Yum in line with The Apprentice because it’s a requirement of the show. “I didn’t want to do it because, let’s face it, rebranding costs money, and we all want to cut costs where we can.”

However, she warns against the misconception that branding is all about a logo. “If you want to promote your business effectively, you need more than just a logo. You need to be proud of what you do and have an overarching theme that can be translated into the physical and digital realms.”

For Kaur, it meant considering the emotions her products evoke. “A few years ago, I’d have said I run a dessert parlor. I make waffles, crepes, and ice cream – that’s it,” she recalls. But now, because she’s invested in her brand and defined Oh So Yum’s message, the company has thrived.

“We deliver a taste of happiness because everyone deserves that. Doesn’t that sound better? This way, when you seek investment or expand to different platforms, you have a consistent language and tone that can be carried across these channels.”

“I’m probably the worst at branding. I don’t enjoy it,” she admits. If you’re struggling with branding and growing your identity, Kaur offers a couple of options.

“I used a branding agency, and they were fantastic. They can assist with packaging, marketing, and everything else. However, it can be quite expensive. If you decide to go with a branding agency or any professional, ensure they understand your ‘why’ and share the same goals for the project, especially if they’re not familiar with your industry.”

Alternatively, if you’re on a budget or prefer not to go the agency route, platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and 99designs are viable options. The key is not to request just a logo. “If you want to change your logo, opt for a brand package and engage in a detailed discussion. The more effort you put into making your expectations clear, the better the outcome,” advises The Apprentice winner.

3. Embrace Digital, But Keep It Sensible

Kaur displays a slide with various platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Shopify, Amazon, Snapchat, and WhatsApp Business. “There are so many platforms available for selling your product or service online that I can’t even count them on all my fingers. However, I urge you to carefully consider your strategy and the platforms you want to be on.”

She emphasises that finding the right approach for Oh So Yum has been a journey. “Naturally, we’re all salespeople at the end of the day. We want to capitalise on every possible sale, so the instinct might be to be on every single platform out there. But I wouldn’t recommend that.”

Instead, she advises choosing a few platforms that you feel comfortable with and that align with your target market’s preferences. Get familiar with the tools and resources these platforms offer for marketing your products and driving sales. Once you’ve mastered these channels, you can think about expanding to others.

“Otherwise, trust me, you’ll find yourself glued to your laptop, handling administrative tasks day in and day out, uploading products across all these platforms. You might even need to hire extra help, which adds to the chaos.”

Additionally, Kaur points out that these platforms typically take a commission, so you need to be financially comfortable with your decision. You should be asking yourself if you can afford to be on these platforms and if these selling methods align with your overall business strategy.

4. Streamline Your Processes with Automation

Every entrepreneur understands that when you initially start a business, you’re essentially a one-person show, and it feels like no one else can quite do things the way you do. Harpreet Kaur acknowledges this challenge, stating, “It’s as if you’ve asked someone to do something, but they just can’t do it the same way you did. It’s really tough to let go as a business owner.”

However, she emphasises the necessity of accepting this reality, especially when you’re delegating tasks to others. “We’re talking about scaling your business here, not just nurturing the one you’ve already got – we want to grow, right?”

Kaur advises that you must be prepared to step back from certain tasks and responsibilities, even if you enjoy doing them. “You need to delegate because those tasks aren’t actually growing the business.”

“Your time and talent should be focused on expanding the business, not on the daily to-do list. Someone else or something else can handle those tasks for you.”

5. Have the right mindset

Kaur acknowledges that one of the most common pieces of advice for entrepreneurs is the importance of mindset. She attributes her accelerated business growth to the work she’s done on herself in the past two years. “To me, anything is possible.

There’s no such thing as ‘Can’t do’,” she asserts. “If you believe you can’t do it, you’re absolutely right. It all comes down to self-confidence. Internally, work on yourself, wholeheartedly believe you can achieve it, and maintain a positive attitude.”

What you truly need is respect for your goals and the determination to harness all the tools, resources, your team, and your support network to reach those goals.

“Everyone has their unique personal journey and experiences that have brought them to this point,” she says. “Your insecurities, strengths, and weaknesses are entirely unique to you. If you’re nervous about something or lack experience in a particular area, let’s say you’re holding back because of insecurity or a lack of confidence or qualifications – then it’s your choice.

But by doing so, you miss out on the benefits, the experience, and the opportunity to learn and grow.” Kaur prefers the approach of learning from someone with more expertise in a certain area than she has. “Always turn insecurity into a positive.”

She openly shares her past experiences, like attempting to start a handbag company and a nail business without any beauty qualifications. “I don’t have any beauty qualifications whatsoever – that was really silly,” she laughs. She considers these two ventures as failed businesses.

However, she believes that’s the essence of being an entrepreneur. “That’s what we do. We give things a try, and we’re not afraid to move on. Sometimes, the greatest strength is the ability to let go rather than cling to something.”

6. Dealing with Feedback: Should You Accept or Reject?

When asked about taking feedback, Kaur acknowledges the challenges entrepreneurs face, especially when they’re pouring their heart and soul into their business. Negative feedback can be tough to handle when you’re working tirelessly and someone criticises your efforts. She explains that it’s natural to feel defensive or upset because you may think, “I know how to run my business. I didn’t ask for your opinion or advice.”

However, Kaur views feedback as a significant gift. “Thank you to the people who provide it because, as a business owner, it’s your choice how you handle constructive criticism. In every situation, you should listen and then make a conscious decision about how to process that information.”

She outlines four ways to respond:

Reflect: You can sit on the feedback and consider whether there might be some validity to it. You don’t necessarily need to admit this to the person giving feedback; you can simply acknowledge it with a “Thank you.”
Agree: If you fully agree with the feedback and believe it aligns with your business’s direction, embrace it and make the necessary changes.
Consider: Even if you don’t completely agree with the feedback, you can view it as an opportunity to explore new perspectives and ideas. Use it as a starting point for further investigation.
Reject: If, after careful consideration, you find that the feedback doesn’t align with your business or your gut feeling, you can choose to disregard it.

Kaur shares a valuable trick she uses – taking the emotion out of business decisions. While her business, Oh So Yum, is like her baby, she emphasises the importance of detaching emotionally when needed. “If you want to scale and grow your business, you have to get out of the emotional side of business,” she advises.

“Yes, it is your baby, but you need to see it as almost a separate entity. It’s a company. You have to think about how to optimise it, use the available resources, and get the best out of this distinct entity.”

In closing, she summarises, “rely on a blend of your own gut instincts and experience, while also giving heed to others, because they can either validate your existing knowledge or do you the favor of guiding you towards a new path.”