Aggie 'Apprentice' star gives tips on business
14.04.2005, 08:13
A Texas A&M University graduate who got a taste of celebrity last year competing on the NBC reality show The Apprentice returned to campus Wednesday, offering women advice on how to succeed in business.
Amy Henry, who ended up being one of the show’s three finalists to compete for a job working for real estate tycoon Donald Trump, told a crowd of about 90 the most important lesson she learned on the show.
"Sometimes being competent is not enough," Henry, 31, said of the key to success in business. "It takes building relationships, networking and speaking up and bragging to make yourself known."
The 1995 A&M graduate beat 13 other contestants in a series of competitions during the show. Oddsmakers at one point even declared her the favorite to win the post in Trump’s empire.
Although she won the competitions each week, her success in the challenges ultimately was her downfall, Henry said. Trump fired her on the second-to-last episode of the show.
"I believe the reason I was fired was that Donald had no idea who I was," Henry said. "Because I won so many times, he didn’t know who I was."
Getting a spot on The Apprentice required Henry to compete against 250,000 people. As she waited in a line to try out for the show, she settled on a story to play up to producers.
Henry said she lost more than $2 million in the dot-com bust of the 1990s. She played that up during auditions, and emphasized that she’s a ruthless businesswoman with a Southern sense of charm.
The audition helped Henry win one of 16 spots among the business-savvy professionals competing on The Apprentice. She told students Wednesday night that creating their own images will be vital for getting a job after college.
"Find out what are your unique strengths. How can you sell yourself above the others in which you’re competing?" Henry said. "It’s important as you embark on your future to create your own personal brand, and to use it."
Henry fondly recalled her experiences on The Apprentice, relating them to business. For several weeks, she and other contestants worked 20-hour days.
She wanted to curse and scream, she said. But thinking about the cameras following her around New York City helped her keep her emotions in check, Henry said.
After the show, her fame led to numerous appearances on such TV shows as Good Morning America, Larry King Live and Today. She also has been on the cover of People magazine.
Henry said the question most often posed to her concerns Trump’s hair.
"When people ask if his hair is that bad, I say the answer is yes," she said. "It’s much worse. It’s a little brown, a little gray and really combed over."