This week, Catherine meets The Apprentice 2019 contestant Thomas Skinner, one of this year’s most popular contestants, who’s charmed the nation with his down-to-earth personality and quick-witted business solutions.

Thomas is the owner of The Fluffy Pillow Company, a burgeoning empire supplying beds and pillows to those in search of comfort. He joins Catherine this week for a truly unique conversation covering everything from what life on set is really like, his humble beginnings, the lessons he’s learned from Alan Sugar and his fellow contestants, the places and people who provide him with inspiration, his tantalising idea for a podcast,  and the one thing he’d change about the world if he had one wish.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Thomas didn’t even apply for The Apprentice. His application was sent in by his girlfriend, and Thomas didn't expect to get very far. But his natural charm appealed to producers, who ended up insisting that he appear on the show.
• People don’t consider the fact that while you’re on The Apprentice, you aren’t earning. You are living, isolated, in the house, and cannot have any contact with the outside world. You have to make sure your business is taken care of while you’re gone.
• Tom is a market trader, who began selling at a very young age. His first job was a paper round, and he was inspired by his father to keep going. He now has his own company, and his own brand.
• Thomas aspires to making The Fluffy Pillow Company a household name, and a brand recognised by the public as one of quality and value.
• Alan Sugar has been a huge inspiration to Thomas since his time on the show. Alan Sugar is self-made, honest, and most importantly, successful. 
• Thomas sees each day, and each challenge as an opportunity to learn and grow. Seeing the world, and life, this way, help to turn each negative into a positive, and keep Thomas hungry.
• Of all the problems Thomas could fix, he would rid the world of cancer. While the world is watching Thomas on The Apprentice, no-one realises that in real life, he is facing personal tragedy. Two weeks ago, he lost his grandmother to cancer.
• Play to your strengths, love what you do, and if you can keep doing that, then you’ve cracked it. If working makes you happy, and you get satisfaction from it, then by all means keep doing it. On the other hand, if you feel as though you could be doing more, then maybe you’re an entrepreneur, but you don't know it.

BEST MOMENTS

‘It don’t make no sense, does it?’

‘I’m saying it exactly how it is’

‘I’ve had stalls. I’ve ducked and dived my whole life’

‘I was just myself, you know what I mean?’

‘Don’t tell Louis Vitton, we’ll get in trouble!’

‘Every day I can learn something new’

‘I lost my nan two weeks ago to cancer’

‘Crimewatch is on again, you’re on it!'  

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Leveraged Lifestyle Podcast

The Fluffy Pillow Company - https://thefluffypillowcompany.com/pages/about-us

Thomas Skinner Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iamtomskinner/?hl=en

Thomas Skinner Twitter - https://twitter.com/iamtomskinner?lang=en  

ABOUT THE HOST

Catherine is an iTunes No.1 podcast host of Leveraged Lifestyle, entrepreneur, businesswoman, an Inspirational Speaker, world record holder, Co-Director of Ideal-Collective.com and a mum of 2!

Catherine quit being an employee in 2013, after working more than 50+ hours on average a week, over 3 jobs. Jobs, hours and a lifestyle which led to a diagnosis of clinical depression before the age of 25.

In 2011/12 Catherine discovered the power of investing in property, and tried many different property investment strategies over the years, finally settling on Serviced Accommodation in 2015, which has now grown from one unit in her home town of Chelmsford, Essex to over 50 across the UK, helping investors, landlords and developers create a better return on their money or property.

This year, Catherine and her husband Stephen, also her business partner, joined forces with the Directors of LoLite Homes to create the Ideal-Collective.com, which is all about leveraging the services and knowledge of all four Directors when it comes to Serviced Accommodation, Social Media, Finance & Virtual Assistants.

Catherine started Leveraged Lifestyle podcast to give business owners and those not leading their ideal lifestyle, to learn the mindset and skill set it takes to create a lifestyle of Freedom, by leveraging time, money & knowledge and using outsourcing and systemisation.

CONTACT METHOD

http://www.ideal-collective.com

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