Interview with Ricky Martin, winner of The Apprentice 2012

Interview with Ricky Martin, winner of The Apprentice 2012Here he is, Lord Alan Sugar's newest business partner, Ricky Martin, who has been crowned the winner of The Apprentice 2012.Kerri-Ann Roper Senior Editor, MSN Entertainment2012-06-03T09:04:06Interview with Ricky Martin The Apprentice 2012 winner Ricky MartinBusiness executive Claude Littner branded him an 'arrogant fool', while former Young Entrepreneur of the Year Matthew Riley didn't hold back saying: "I opened your application. There were just so many things in there that make me want to be sick." We're talking of course about The Apprentice's Ricky Martin.Despite his many bumbling statements through out the process, he's gone on to steal the crown from the other three finalists - Jade Nash, Nick Holzherr and Tom Gearing - to be named the winner of The Apprentice 2012.MSN TV had a chat with Ricky about Lord Sugar, those statements he made on his CV and wrestling. In the final you told Lord Sugar you'd changed through out the process. How do you think you did change?"There definitely was a big change in me, I defintely felt it through the process. The main thing I learnt, the biggest one was, it's not about what you say, it's about what you do that counts. At the start of the show I was happy to put on the bravado of my wrestling character, and have these one-liners and this big ego, to try and make the other people wary of me and that's how I went into the process. But I think I matured into it."Do you have any regrets?"I think regret is a strong word. It was embarrassing in the final, being called up on some of the statements I'd made in my CV and some of the catch phrases. I used it to stand out and to make myself stand out, and I don't regret the choice. I think I could have been a little bit more tactful!"Do you think your earlier behaviour made it difficult for people to take you seriously in the process?"There are some people may have thought what's this guy about, is he really serious, is this really him? My intention was the minute I started to try and get the real me across. I work with people I don't work against people. If I'm true to the real me, and what people know me for, it's not this bravado and this over the top - I'm a credible business man. I enjoy proving people wrong. You should never judge a book by its cover."What do you hope to learn from Lord Sugar going forward?"It's what I discussed with Lord Sugar in the final. We'll be working together, I'll be doing the lions share, and we'll work well together. I'm excited about getting started, growing the business, expanding it. I mean, there are no guarantees in business so, I'm going to give myself a healthy amount of pressure to perform well. It's been my lifelong dream to have my own company and I now have that opportunity."What were your highlights (besides for wining of course!) and lowlights from the show?"The highlight was Lord Sugar telling me we'd won the task from Week 11. The lowlight was probably some of the things I said earlier on, I think when I interacted with some of the other candidates I was quite forceful, I think I was a little too arrogant in my approach to people and it didn't represent me the best as possible. "Tell us, is Lord Sugar as scary as he seems?"(Laughs) I think Lord Sugar is exactly as he seems. I really like the way Lord Sugar comes sacross. He doesn't like people who waffle on, he likes you to be very clear, for him it's black and white. It's either a yes or a no. It's right or it's wrong. And I really like that about him. Sometimes in the process I'd over-compensate to sell something and he'd go 'Ricky, make it simple, tell me what it is, is it a yes or a no?'."Are you going to carry on wrestling?"I'm not, no. I've hung up my boots now. I loved it while I did it, but wrestling was always a hobby. If I was to continue wrestling I couldn't give 110% to the business. I'm going to be working 12-hour days, 7 days a week."