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EPISODE FOUR


EL POLLO LOCO

 

With a bad habit of losing and their only taste of victory being an intra-squad win, Arrow seemed to be pointing in the wrong direction. In an effort to help straighten them out, Mr. Trump called Arrow PM Aaron and Kinetic honcho Heidi to see which of Kinetic's team members might be willing to switch sides. Aimee, Surya and Heidi all volunteered, but Aaron decided Surya was the best fit. "We have all type-A personalities," said Aaron of choosing even-keeled Surya. "We need balance."

Balanced or not, Surya immediately took on the role of a motivational speaker for his new team, producing a laundry list of to-do's intended to enhance Arrow's group dynamics. Among other things, Surya stressed the importance of improved discipline, creating a clear chain of command and striving to always be better.

Arrow had their chance to put theory into practice the next morning when Mr. Trump summoned the teams to a scenic overlook in the Hollywood Hills. Flanked by last year's Apprentice winner Sean and executives of El Pollo Loco restaurants, Mr. Trump tasked the teams with creating, marketing and selling a new "pollo bowl" for the drive-thru chain. A hungry Arrow shot off to a fast start, concocting a tasty "Chicken Tortilla Bowl" and a robust strategy for sales and marketing. "We're going from outhouse to penthouse," smiled a confident Aaron. Though blessed with an energetic sales team, Aaron realized it might take more beat Kinetic. Risking a potential manpower shortage, Aaron sent Frank and Tim out to drum up bulk orders. "No risk, no reward," said Aaron. And the strategy seemed to pay off when the bulk order duo returned with a 22-bowl order.

Meanwhile, Heidi and Kinetic were cooking up something very different, adding mango and pineapple to a classic chicken dish to create their "Paradise Pollo Bowl." But there was a little trouble in paradise. Marisa, brainstormed marketing ideas with Derek offsite, and called in repeatedly to suggest what she thought was a better idea: the "Spicy Bravado Bowl." Heidi and the rest gave it a thumbs down, but Marisa kept lobbying for her dish. She also hit redial to suggest a street marketing plan: guys in chicken suits. This notion too, met with group disapproval. "Marisa has no idea how abrasive she's being," noted Derek. During the sales event, Kinetic got off to a slow start, but soon the joint was jumping. Derek and Marisa offered free samples outside while the rest of Kinetic manned the drive-thru and the counter, pitching the Paradise Pollo Bowl whenever possible.

When it came time to reveal the bottom line in the boardroom, Sean said he felt Kinetic had a "limited marketing strategy" and could have done much better on sales. Indeed, the final tally bore out his analysis with Kinetic earning $313 and Arrow pulling down $418. Arrow was thrilled to finally escape the tents and move into the mansion. For their reward, they traveled to Malibu for a private beach concert given by legendary singer Andrea Bocelli followed by a fireworks display created especially for them.

"I can't wait to tell my mother," said Frank. "She's not going to believe this." James also enjoyed the moment, saying that for Arrow it's not just about winning, "It's about passion for life." And there seemed to be another kind of passion building for Nicole, who was impressed when one of her team members tickled the ivories after Bocelli's star turn. "Tim was awesome on the piano," gushed Nicole.

While the victors dined on sumptuous lobster at the beach, the landlocked losers carbed up on blasé beans and pasta. Forced out into the yard by defeat, Kinetic was appalled by the slovenly habits of Arrow, who had left the campground in shambles. "Our respect for the other team has gone down so much," said Muna as she and her team cleaned up. Things promised to get even messier in the boardroom.


 

LESSONS LEARNED