Peterborough’s Apprentice winner dreams of becoming Prime Minister

BBC Apprentice winner Joseph Valente has told how he harbours an ambition to one day be Prime Minister to ‘champion the interests of ordinary people’.
Joseph Valente with his new company Trade Mastermind in January 2020. EMN-200115-154253009Joseph Valente with his new company Trade Mastermind in January 2020. EMN-200115-154253009
Joseph Valente with his new company Trade Mastermind in January 2020. EMN-200115-154253009

Mr Valente (31) revealed his aspiration to reach the highest office in the land after announcing the creation of a string of new business ventures.

Mr Valente, who shot to fame five years ago after becoming the youngest winner of the BBC reality show The Apprentice, said he plans to get into politics in the next 10 years and has ‘lofty ambitions’ to become Prime Minister one day.

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He said: “The country is in a complete mess and there is a lack of leadership, not offering practical solutions to problems.

Lord Alan Sugar (left) with Apprenctice winner, Joseph Valente. Photo credit: John Stillwell/PA Wire EMN-151220-223313001Lord Alan Sugar (left) with Apprenctice winner, Joseph Valente. Photo credit: John Stillwell/PA Wire EMN-151220-223313001
Lord Alan Sugar (left) with Apprenctice winner, Joseph Valente. Photo credit: John Stillwell/PA Wire EMN-151220-223313001

“I want to champion ordinary people and help the masses towards a better future.”

Mr Valente has also disclosed how he suffered from ‘major depression’ after the sale of his ImpraGas business earlier this year.

ImpraGas, based in Yaxley, had benefitted from a £250,000 investment by the tycoon and BBC Apprentice show compere Lord Sugar - the prize for Mr Valente winning the Apprentice title.

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ImpraGas soon became the UK’s largest independent boiler installation business with a £10 million turnover and 150 staff.

But Mr Valente says challenging economic conditions in January forced him to sell the ImpraGas brand and assets to entrepreneur Andy Scott, who six months later closed the business because of the pandemic.

Mr Valente said that a shell company owned by himself, VBH Assets, had entered into voluntary liquidation, owing £1.9 million to creditors.

Mr Valente said: “2020 was extremely challenging.

“At the age of 30, I had to start from the beginning again, a position I never thought I would find myself in.

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“For a few weeks, I suffered with major depression and I wasn’t in a good place but one day I woke up, dusted myself off and went to work on rebuilding, like my life depended on it.

“I didn’t give in, I didn’t give up, I fought back and built two successful businesses from scratch during the pandemic, learning all the lessons from before.

“I’m now on a mission to show business owners how they can bounce back when things don’t go to plan and that will be relevant now more than ever.

He said: “I fear for the lack of support that small business owners receive when things aren’t going to plan.

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“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, I will do all I can to support them.”

Now Mr Valente, who says he is determined to be a ‘billionaire by the age of 40’, has launched three businesses, is planning an expansion into America and Australia and is also writing three business mentoring books and about to launch three new podcasts.

The new businesses are Trade Mastermind, which helps one-person ventures, sole traders and SMEs in the construction industry and is forecast to generate revenues of £2 million for the year ahead and create 50 jobs, and Power2Succeed, a coaching and mentoring academy that is on track to deliver £10 million in revenues in the next three years.

Mr Valente also has a third business Business Unleashed offering 121 coaching for business owners.

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Following the success of his first book, Expelled from the Classroom to Billionaire Boardroom, Mr Valente is currently writing Sell2Survive, SellMore2Thrive and The Underdog.

He is launching three new podcasts,in addition to his current podcast, The Social Entrepreneur.

He said: “I am extremely ambitious and my self-belief is unwavering.

“After starting my business aged 22 and growing it to become the largest business of its kind in the UK, I have gone on to show what can be achieved if you work hard, strive for success and never give up.”

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