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After finding herself in the firing line and being saved by Lord Sugar in week 5 of The Apprentice 2019, it seems like a good time to find out more about Jemelin Artigas as she battles her way through the competition. Jemelin is a 34-year-old South Londoner who came from a humble Venezuelan background. Things have definitely not been plain sailing for Jemelin as The Apprentice hopeful was once homeless when coming to the UK at age 17. This did not stop the determined lady as Jemelin got cleaning jobs and handed out flyers in order to survive! The hardwork paid off as not only did Jemelin become a successful network marketing consultant, but she took the huge risk of taking time out of her personal and work life in order to pursue her passion of business and be on The Apprentice as many people do not really know how gruelling the process can be - with weeks of intensive filming and no real access to the outside world! Do what your love, don’t chase a paycheque. Chase whatever sets your soul on fire and you will never work a day in your life. 'If Only They Knew' had the pleasure of speaking to Jemelin, who said that at an earlier stage in her life, she wished she knew that it's ok to make mistakes! "It's ok to fail and to make mistakes that’s how we learn ! I didn’t know or wasn’t sure what I really wanted to do in life until later on ! Sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves to have it all figured it out that we actually forget to live , being so caught up in the future and what we want we forget to appreciate the present and be grateful for the things we do have and accomplish so probably will be to be more in the present while working on my dreams" In the next 5 years or so, Jemelin wants to continue her success by running great businesses and helping others to do the same, whilst also inspiring people through talks and travelling the world. "I love what I do as I help many people find the thing that many will only dream of and that is freedom and financial stability. My business is growing rapidly as times are changing and the model I have is the most wanted. I also want to inspire people through my talks and hopefully be somewhere hot, near the beach, travelling the world (which is another one of my passions)." The entrepreneur reveals that she is developing a smartphone app for events, proof that Jemelin never stops working hard! "I have a passion for solving problems, which is why I am developing an app for events that will revolutionise the industry solving many problems that no one has tackled so there is a huge gap in the market that this app will be filling!" Best of luck Jemelin!

Meet Riyonn Farsad, The Apprentice 2019 candidate Riyonn Farsad is a fan-favourite on 2019’s edition of The Apprentice and is in running to be business partners with Lord Sugar. But what is Riyonn's story? By day, the South Londoner is an events manager, but outside of work, Riyonn is both an actor and entrepreneur! “Why work for someone else, when you can work for yourself and be the best at that” The 30-year-old is not only the founder of ‘Middle Eastern Kitchen’ which sells a range of Middle Eastern cooking sauces, but he also created a party card game. The card game is called ‘Auditions’ which is a fast-paced game whereby players will draw both a ‘Role’ and a ‘Scene’ card and will then act out that scenario. This game clearly stems from Riyonn’s passion for acting as he has featured in Aladdin, Men in Black and ITV’s Jekyll & Hyde! Whilst speaking to If Only They Knew, Riyonn shared his advice for young entrepreneurs. “In the early stage of your career, I would suggest you have a firm idea of what you want to do and achieve and just go for it. Don’t worry about doing things ‘the right way’ do everything your way. Go for your dreams and remember they are your dreams. Not anyone’s else’s. So don’t let anyone put you down or steer you in another life direction. It’s your life” “In 5 years time, I see both my card game business ‘Auditions’ being in every retail store that sells games and gifts and same with all the online shops. There’s no limit and then bring out the follow up game. Always have the next idea ready.” “My other business ‘Middle Eastern Kitchen’ which is a range of Middle Eastern cooking sauces. I see this going global and being in all supermarkets and becoming a worldwide brand” I’m glad to see Riyonn pursuing his passion as I believe it’s something that many of us should look to do if you can! To keep up to date with Riyonn, follow... Instagram: @Riyonn_ @middleeasternkitchen @auditionsgame Twitter: @Riyonn LinkedIn: Riyonn Farsad Youtube: Riyonn Farsad

Who is Mohs Mayfair? Entrepreneur, influencer, artist and model to name a few, Mohsin Mayfair is a seriously hard-working individual. What does Mohs do? Mohs has run Personal Investment Wings globally for almost a decade, providing the greatest levels of Financial Services some of the world's most Elite organisations and individuals - working with clients with over $335 Billion in assets! However, Mohs doesn't just spend his time with Elite businesses, he also spends a portion of his time speaking to and motivating audiences of all kinds. Whether it's 12 year old school kids gaining the advice in preparation for the future or older folks gaining an insight on the young generation, Mohs shares his advice and adds value to all ages. As well as this, Mohsin also runs a mentoring programme to help those that want to propel their career or personal brand. Mohs believes that he is the right person to add value to somebody's thought process and push them to start their journey to success. "Everyone is like a car. The car has the ability to start, yet requires for someone to actually push the button and start it" Why work with Mohs? Perhaps one reason you should contact Mohs in relation to his brand development packages is because he lives the life that he is attempting to elevate people to. From jetting off to LA and Dubai, to driving round in G-Wagons and Ferraris, Mohs really is the real deal. However, this does not mean he is out of touch, he is very humble and understands all spectrum's of society. What is Mohs’ tip for young entrepreneurs? Mohs’ tip is simple: “Cut the bullsh*t” Talking on the If Only They Knew Podcast, he suggests that people need to “decipher between what’s being said and what’s actually being done. It’s all great having 1000 ideas, but not being able to complete every single one of them is what’s going to kick you in the ass”. Where can I found out more about Mohs? You can listen to my Podcast interview with Mohs, in which he talks more in depth about his life and his journey. Similarly, you can follow Mohs on Instagram and contact his business here.

Jamal Edwards, founder of SBTV, opens youth centres in Acton, West London You will probably know Jamal as the founder of SBTV, a platform that gave talented young people the opportunity to succeed (such as Ed Sheeran) and racked up millions of views in the process! The entrepreneur is now having even more of an impact in the streets as he has opened a number of youth centres in London, acting as a safe place for kids to go to after work and hopefully develop the skills that they cannot practice in school. There will be 4 youth centres which will be located across Acton, a place in West London where Jamal grew up. “For me it’s really important. Just having a safe space to go to outside of school and your home. And a lot of the centres have been closed down so if I can try and help and I had a youth centre when I was younger, I want to try and set these kids up to have the best possible start that they can have.” I feel that it is important to note just how this was made possible as the journey has come round in a full circle! The success of SBTV seems to be mostly due to Jamal’s work ethic & vision, but it may not have even started if he didn’t take part in a film course at a youth centre in his teen’s. After finding his passion at the centre and then mastering his craft on the streets, the entrepreneur shed light on some of the biggest names in UK music history. This success led to Jamal connecting with very influential figures such as Richard Branson. It is this belief and trust in the SBTV founder that seems to have really helped to kickstart his project as Google and the Wellcome Trust helped to fund the youth centres. So far, almost 200 people have been involved in the project (which began 30 weeks ago), proving that it has been a success so far! Hopefully this starts a chain reaction of investment into the future and wellbeing of young people as the knife crime rates alone shows that something needs to change, so thank you Jamal for continuing to provide more opportunities for young people.

Meet Souleyman Bah, star on Undateables, Para-Athlete & The Apprentice 2019 candidate Souleyman Bah was 1 of 16 candidates competing to be Lord Sugar's new business partner in the 15th series of The Apprentice, however he was controversially fired after heavily criticising his teams product but not acting upon his criticism. Here's all you need to know about the multi-skilled 20-year-old. Unlike many of the other candidates, Souleyman isn't directly involved with a business as of yet, he is mostly known as a Team GB para-athlete that specialises in the 100m sprint. Souleyman had his 1st encounter with athletics at age 12 after winning the 100m race at his school sports day, breaking their record. After the win, he was referred to the 'Playground To Podium' (a scheme that helps young, disabled people progress to high-level competitions) ready for the London 2012 Olympics. The athlete suffers from a rare eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa (affecting the retinas at the back of his eyes which means he has poor vision) & would love to represent Great Britain in the 100m & 200m events at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic games. "[Ray Charles] made blindness cool and achieved immense success despite his disability" He is no stranger to fame & attention, being both a motivational speaker & has appeared on television multiple times. Souleyman once appeared on BBC News after winning the 100m race at the Paralympic School Games in Brazil. Not only this, but he had also appeared on Channel 4's 'The Undateables', leaving viewers heartbroken after his date cancelled the date that Souleyman was genuinely excited for! The inspirational young man stated that he would be brutally honest on The Apprentice and that his eyesight is nothing but a strength. However, it was this brutal honesty that landed him in the boardroom as he consistently criticised an idea, but Lord Sugar felt that this criticism lacked solutions. "The less sight I have, the more imagination I gain, because what you see is what you see and what you don't see is when the magic begins" Despite being fired by Lord Sugar, it is clear that Souleyman has a great future ahead of him, no matter whether it's in the sports world or in business.

Meet Omari Simpson, the owner of EarnTheMuscle Omari Simpson is the 21 year old owner of the EarnTheMuscle (ETM) movement, hence his nickname, MR ETM! EarnTheMuscle is a movement which stemmed from Omari’s passion for self-development and fitness. But where did it all start for Omari?! Omari started his fitness journey roughly 4 years ago as a hobby at first, but has developed into a business and lifestyle. The motivated young adult started gym to escape the struggles in his life. He had no goals or positive mindset, but the newly found passion of fitness had helped change Omari’s whole outlook on life! “I thought let me make a name for myself but also a movement that can make people realise all you do is EARNED not given” Since that change in mindset, Omari has gone from an initial Instagram post to now being overwhelmed with support, boasting over 8000 followers across both his personal and ETM accounts! Similarly, a Youtube channel was also made which not only documents Omari’s progress, but also teaches others the best workouts! The young entrepreneur also became a personal trainer around the same time as the birth of ETM (September 2018). “that was a HUGE jump in the wilderness but the business started really fast, however, reality hit me and made me realise running a business is not easy, so I stopped and learned - I’m now looking to be a big force for 2020 onwards” Omari admits that he didn’t do too well in school, but always had the mindset to do something creative. “I can only thank God it’s to motivate people through gym and lifestyle” ‘Mr ETM’ told ‘If Only They Knew’ that the one piece of advice that he would share with other young entrepreneurs looking for success is that everything happens for a reason! “Everything happens for a reason, so just do the right things and the light at the end of the tunnel will always be bright. STAY EARNING!” In the next 5 years or so, Omari would love to see the support of ETM grow significantly, hoping that one day he will be able to see many wearing ETM clothing and have people promoting the brand in order to inspire others to earn! Follow Omari & ETM via: Youtube Instagram: @CallMeOmari_ Instagram: @ETMapparel

Meet Lewis Ellis, The Apprentice 2019 Candidate & Digital Marketing project manager Lewis Ellis is one of the candidates on the 15th series of The Apprentice hoping to partner up with Lord Sugar. In the 1st episode, Lewis unfortunately found himself in the firing line after losing to the girl’s team by a difference of less than £20! Luckily, Lewis dodged a bullet as Shahin Hassan was the unlucky candidate to be pointed at by Lord Sugar. But what is Lewis’s story? Well, If Only They Knew spoke to the candidate to find out more! The 28-year-old from Lancashire is a digital marketing project manager by day, but he isn’t your ordinary office worker by night. Lewis may also be known by some as a prankster as he was not only posting pranks and funny videos to his YouTube channel (LostBoyLewis), but he also fabricated a story that went viral in 2016. Lewis claimed to have accidentally ended up in Syria, after having got on a fishing boat in Ayia Napa - yes, people really believed it! Nowadays, Lewis’s YouTube channel is full of interviews with entrepreneurs & business minds and has accumulated hundreds of views. The “maverick” who doesn’t like following rules also claims to learn a new skill every 6 months - from motorbike riding to Ballroom dancing. If Only They Knew spoke to Lewis, who shared more about his story and the advice he would like other young entrepreneurs to take on board. One piece of advice that Lewis wishes he knew at an earlier stage in his life is that “everyone has an equal opportunity to make something of themselves and 9/10 although an entrepreneur might look like they have it all together, they’re learning as they go through success and failures” “I really do want to reach out to students and show them that you can be yourself, you can have a personality and it’s okay to not know what you’re doing! Just set yourself goals, take every opportunity, and continue to push no matter what!” In the next 5 years, Lewis plans to have his first “real” business within the travel industry into existence, “hopefully turning over a nice profit and reinvesting this into diversification” You can catch Lewis on The Apprentice every Wednesday at 9pm, BBC1 or follow him via: Instagram LinkedIn Youtube If Only They Knew Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Facebook

If you've been into any JD Sports or House of Fraser, you're bound to have seen Fresh Ego Kid on the rails. However, not many people know the story behind this brand and that it was created by Marvin Morgan, an ex-professional footballer. Marvin Morgan is a 36 year old footballer who was born in Manchester in 1983. Marvin had a passion for football, playing for over a decade with spells both in both professional and non-league teams. Having an inconsistent football career with multiple controversies, such as when he was transfer-listed after frustratingly tweeting "Like to thank the fans who booed me off the pitch. Where’s that going to get you! I hope you all die." after a defeat, Marvin knew that he should start a new venture separate from football. That is why Marvin created streetwear brand Fresh Ego Kid in 2011. Fresh Ego Kid was made possible not only because of Marvin's vision, but also because of the free-time and capital made possible by a career in football. "As a professional footballer you realise you have so much time on your hands. I was at training in the morning, finishing at lunchtime and had the whole day free" Instead of spending his time playing video games, which he originally found himself doing, he took the leap of faith and began to follow another passion of his - fashion. "I had to do something else. I had this passion for fashion and I wasn't afraid to experiment. It was then that Marvin began creating in his bedroom with the help of 2 of his friends and then set up a website to sell his designs. The entrepreneur get working away despite criticisms from haters, even his fellow teammates attempted to shut down Marvin's plans, explicitly stating that they wouldn't support him. The founder does admit that he was winging it in the beginning and that a lot of the things he was trying were self-taught. But this all worked out so well as he now has Fresh Ego Kid in major retailers and has the support of many major influencers such as Anthony Joshua, Dele Alli, Romelu Lukaku and many more. Marvin understands the power of influencers and can often be found giving out boxes of free items to those that support him and he realises the crossover between sports and music and how urban musicians influence sportspeople. Looking forward, Marvin's plan is to have a show at London's Fashion Week by 2020 and at this rate, it looks like he may just do that. "I want to represent the culture and what I bring to the table. This isn't about money for me, it's about the culture and how far I can take it" Marvin Morgan shows how it's not only never too late to begin a new venture, but also the importance of never staying still and always wanting more. You can follow Marvin and FEK's journey here: Marvin: Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Fresh Ego Kid: Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Website If Only They Knew: Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Website

Leveraging the support of Big Idea Wales (an entrepreneurship service), 21-year-old Jonny Hanford has been able to turn his passion into paper by opening his own barber shop called Jonny Blades. The 21-year-old had wanted to develop his career in hairdressing for a while before this, working hard to get trained in both men’s and women’s cuts. However, he felt that opening his own barbershop would be a greater challenge. Jonny found out about Big Idea Wales via Instagram and simply reached out to see if they could help him follow his passion. The group helps many Welsh entrepreneurs from age 5-25 to further develop a business idea of theirs. The group is part-funded by the Welsh government and is a great way to help the younger generations. “It’s a scary experience to open your own business but knowing I have the support of Big Ideas Wales made it easier. Between this and several business courses I’ve attended, I’ve developed a better understanding of business owning and it’s made me feel more confident with the whole process.” However, Big Idea Wales can only help to a certain extent, the rest of the work lies with Jonny and it is safe to say that he has succeeded! The barber shop has drummed up so much business that Jonny is already considering opening a second store. “My ultimate dream would be to franchise Jonny Blades across the UK, but for now my attention is focused towards growing the business locally and giving back to the community. I’ve also sponsored Morriston Youth Football Club and at Christmas time I’m planning to give out free haircuts to those who may need one but can’t afford it.” Not only this, but the successful entrepreneur has been shortlisted for a Wales Start-Up Award in the Consumer Services Start-Up of the Year category AND has also been asked to come back and share his skills with the agency he originally trained at. Based on Jonny’s story, my message to young entrepreneurs would be to go, get out there & change your life just like Jonny did. Age and resources are becoming less of an issue in today’s world...where there’s a will, there’s a way!

Meet Shahin Hassan, The Apprentice 2019 Candidate Shahin Hassan is the 36-year-old chartered engineer from Birmingham who will competing to be Lord Sugar’s latest business partner in the 15th series of The Apprentice. Shahin kindly spoke to If Only They Knew to share his advice for young entrepreneurs. Like all of the 16 candidates, Shahin has the confidence needed to be involved in such a tough process. The candidate believes that his imagination & vision will help him stand out as just like his role model, Elon Musk, he “thinks outside the box”. ““I love business more than sharks love blood…I’m ruthless in my pursuit of success” As well as being a chartered engineer, he has also had a successful run in the entrepreneurial world. As his website shows, he has ties with a variety of businesses, from venue hire to linen hire. Unlike Thomas Skinner, who will also be on The Apprentice 2019, Shahin believes that sticking to & executing plans is the key to success, getting frustrated at those that don’t - so I’m expecting conflict between Shahin & Tom, who doesn’t like planning at all! [You can read my interview with Tom here 😉] Speaking to If Only They Knew, Shahin says that the one piece of advice he wish he knew when he was younger was to not be “afraid of mistakes. The harder you try, the luckier you’ll get”. Looking to the future, in 5 years time Shahin would like to “help develop new innovative technology to improve the standard of life for everyone” which is a great vision to have, let’s hope he can make that possible. To keep up with Shahin’s journey, you can watch him on The Apprentice on Wednesday 2nd October at 9pm (BBC1) or follow him via: Instagram LinkedIn If Only They Knew: Instagram Twitter Facebook LinkedIn

Omari mcQueen, the 11-year-old founder of Dipalicious & award winning entrepreneur Omari McQueen is the (very) young entrepreneur that has turned his passion into paper after founding Dipalicious, the place for all the best, 100% vegan approved, dips. If Only They Knew spoke to Omari, who shared a golden piece of advice for other young entrepreneurs. Cooking had always been something that Omari loved, spending a lot of his younger years baking with his family. The passion then grew stronger after his family taught him how to cook meals as his mother was ill and needed a helping hand in the kitchen. This all somewhat prepared Omari to start his entrepreneurial journey at the age of 8 when he uploaded a video of him making vegan pizza to YouTube - which now has over 2000 views! Whilst filming, Omari realised that he was unsure whether Heinz tomato sauce was vegan or not, and this is where the first Dipalicious was born! The first dip (Caribbean Kick) was loved by his family, so Omari decided to make more dips to sell. Since then, Omari has seen large amounts of sales and a huge impact on his personal brand. Instead of spending his money on things that many other 11 years old would have, Omari decided to invest in a bus that was then converted into a restaurant to sell vegan meals for children. Omari has also become heavily involved in the vegan world after watching a PETA video on Youtube. He then educated himself on the matter and aims to teach other children about the food they eat. McQueen stresses the fact that: “You’re never too young or old to follow your dream and find your passion” The young entrepreneur’s success has led to him winning 3 awards: TruLittle Hero Award: Entrepreneur Hero under 12 2018 by Cause4ChildrenCompassionate Kids Award (for using his entrepreneurial flair whilst also helping animals) Proud and Gifted Award in recognition of being a vegan chef & youth-empowerment speaker. As well as this, CEO of Boxpark (a chain of food halls of in London), Roger Wade, had also waived the £1000 rent for a week-long pop-up at Boxpark just for Dipalicious - allowing Omari to claim the title "the youngest restaurateur". Roger states that: "Age doesn't define a person any more than gender or race does. We were happy to support a dream. Omari is a role model for dreaming big." At such a young age, it will be exciting to see where Omari’s career leads him! Omari McQueen: Instagram Youtube LinkedIn Twitter Dipalicious: Instagram Twitter If Only They Knew: Instagram Twitter Linkedin Website

Meet Thomas Skinner, candidate on The Apprentice 2019. Thomas Skinner is the 28 year old entrepreneur hoping to partner up with Lord Sugar in the 15th series of BBC’s The Apprentice. Tom spoke to If Only They Knew & shared his tips for other young entrepreneurs. Like many great entrepreneurs, Thomas started his journey at a young age, selling on the market in his early teens as well as wheeling & dealing anything he could get his hands on. Like many in their early stages of life, Thomas wasn’t sure where he’d end up, but one thing’s for certain, he definitely didn’t expect to becoming a superstar mattress salesman! However, after a bizarre chain of events, the young entrepreneur ended up buying a large number of mattresses from a wholesaler which were then snapped up by customers. Since then, Tom has built an empire in the form of The Fluffy Pillow Company, one can say that he has positively made his bed & lied in it ;). However, it wasn’t just simply a case of rubbing a magic lamp (that he may have found during his time wheeling & dealing) & having a business appear. Tom spent a long period of time experimenting & working closely with industry sleep experts to create his own memory-foam pillow! This, as well as the vision of Tom & his great team, has allowed the company to become the successful entity that it is today. As well as being an entrepreneur, Tom also claims to be a “professional beer drinker”, “full time geeza” & unfortunately, a West Ham fan - sorry to hear that, Tom. These qualities perhaps stem from being born & raised in London, which is why he also claims to be both “sharp” & “streetwise”, which makes up for his lack of planning as he does “everything on impulse” because when he plans he “always gets it wrong”! Speaking to If Only They Knew, Tom said that one piece of advice that he wishes he knew at an earlier age was to save money for a rainy day, as this was never really expressed to him before. "you never know when you're gonna fall on hard times" In 5 years time, Tom wants his own brand of pillows & mattresses to be a house hold name across the UK. One thing is for certain, Tom’s bold personality will make for great TV & I’m sure his street-wise, entrepreneurial mindset will kick in once again & get him far in the competition. Follow Thomas: Instagram: iamtomskinner LinkedIn: Thomas Skinner Follow If Only They Knew for all the great The Apprentice content: Instagram: @ifonlytheyknewuk LinkedIn: @ifonlytheyknewuk Facebook: @ifonlytheyknewuk Twitter: @ifonlytheyknewu