Elizabeth Jarosz
May 2008ZANI goes The Apprentice USA
The role of an apprentice has not always been associated
with glamour, power or success. Rather it is perceived as a vocation where you
learn a trade for a minimal wage, work long hours and are treated with contempt
by your employer. However, thanks to the arrival of reality TV the role of
apprentice has taken on a whole new meaning. For many a young professional
person, it is something to aspire to, at any cost. ZANI are talking about the successful TV production ‘The Apprentice’. Devised by British born Mark Burnett in the USA for NBC. A show hosted by billionaire entrepreneur, Donald Trump. Eighteen contestants from similar professional backgrounds are split into two teams, entering a merciless contest to win the much-desired title of ‘The Apprentice’. In addition, there is a lucrative six-figure salary and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work alongside with one the world’s greatest entrepreneurs and businessmen, Donald Trump.
The winning team is selected by profits made, or performance from the task. The losing team has to face the wrath of Donald Trump and his aides in the boardroom. There a contest will hear the immortal catch phrase, "you’re fired". The losing contestant leaves the boardroom, rejected. Hopes and aspirations are shattered for millions to see. The teams are whittled down each week, until one is left standing and crowned ‘The Apprentice’, live on TV. A star is born.The format has proven to be so successful that the rights have been sold worldwide. Sir Alan Sugar hosts the UK version, which is now facing its third season.
The show has many appealing features. It has drama, similar to a good soap opera. Intriguing and hard-hearted hosts, set against the backdrop of stimulating locations. Complex tasks performed by the exquisite contestants. One competitor that ZANI found enamouring, was Elizabeth Jarosz from season 2 of The Apprentice USA. Elizabeth Jarosz comes from an Italian American background. She was raised in Dearborn, MI, educated at The University of Michigan and now resides in Los Angeles.
She is a successful businesswoman, running her own marketing consulting company Pulse 40. She is also a TV host, published poet, dancer, and an award winning short filmmaker. Elizabeth was the 8th candidate to be fired from season two. What made her exit unique, was that Donald Trump denied her the opportunity to argue her case with the other members of her losing team. Elizabeth was fired on the spot. Up until to that moment, she was the bookies’ favourite to win.
Elizabeth Jarosz bought a touch of sensitivity and creative flair to the show. Approaching all tasks with enthusiasm and proficiency. She was sorely missed after her shock departure. Oh well, it was the show’s loss.ZANI decided to catch up with Elizabeth Jarosz in Los Angeles to find out more about herself and what life was really like on The Apprentice
ZANI – How is life in sunny LA now?
Elizabeth Jarosz - Life in LA is great. It may sound like a cheesy ad, but I go for long walks on the beach all the time. In fact, my favourite thing to do with my summer intern is to go to lunch at a beach café and dig our toes in the sand while we talk about work. Life is good.
ZANI - California dreaming. What projects have you been working on?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I’m writing a book, speaking around the country and developing a talk show.
ZANI - You like to keep busy. Would you describe yourself as a workaholic or someone who doesn’t like to waste time?
Elizabeth Jarosz - Both. I work a lot, but I like to be efficient so I can spend time with important people in my life. For me, to balance work and life is not only possible, it’s critical.
ZANI - You grew up in Dearborn Michigan. Your parents divorced when you were eight. After that incident, your Italian mother raised you. Do you think that such a dramatic episode affected you at an early age?
Elizabeth Jarosz - My parents’ divorce was pivotal for me. The divorce was sad, as you might expect. However, the good news is I had amazing parents, who became role models for how to prioritise what is important in life and make the best of any situation. They both attended every important event in my life without fail. I give them a lot of credit for being clear about their values and not letting divorce and the juggle of everyday life get in the way of being amazing parents.
My mother, like many women in the U.S., worked full time. Because of this, I became very responsible as a child. I still maintain an extreme sense of responsibility as an adult, which I’m sure has contributed to my drive for success. Today I speak around the country about topics such as: balancing work and life; defining success professionally and personally; and "how to have it all". These topics are near and dear to my heart and very important / relevant for most working women today.
ZANI - The events obviously did not hold you back, as you went to the University of Michigan graduating with flying colours. In the UK, we believe that college life is one big party. Mainly thanks to movies such as ‘Animal House’. Please tell us, what is campus life like. Is it drunken students’ singing ‘Louie Louie’ and trying to pull every night?
Elizabeth Jarosz - My goal in college was to do well, have fun, and find myself. I wanted to "do it all" and I feel like I definitely did. ‘Animal House’ is an exaggeration, but I did do my fair share of partying. I lived in the dorm with the "Fab Five" my freshman year.
ZANI - Do you mean the rap group Fab Five from the early 90's?
Elizabeth Jarosz - Nope. The basketball team "fab five" from University of Michigan.
ZANI - Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson?
Elizabeth Jarosz – Exactly.
ZANI - After university, you were recognised as an Angell Scholar. You received the Branstorm Prize and were ranked in the top 1% in the nation for academic and leadership skills. What is an Angell Scholar and the Branstorm prize and how was ranking decided?
Elizabeth Jarosz - An Angell Scholar is someone who receives a 4.0 every semester while in college. I don’t remember the specifics of the Branstorm Prize, I just remember it was an honour to receive the award. I was on the ‘Deans List’ and many other lists that rank students in the university and across the country. I was in the top 1% of the university and the country many times.
ZANI - Was that your objective when you started college or did you just want a good education?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I tell this story a lot when I speak, because it ends up being a story about overcoming obstacles and going for your dreams.
Early in college, I became fascinated with mass media and how it influenced society. I knew someday I wanted to be a part of using mass media to influence society in a positive way. I took a Radio and TV production class and fell in love with production. Production, however, wasn’t a stable industry and I wanted more stability and training early in my career.
I found marketing. To me, it was a way to blend production with a more stable career in business so I applied to the business school at Michigan. UOfM has an extraordinary undergraduate program which admits about 250 people a year even though thousands apply.If you’re selected, you essentially complete the MBA program during your final 2 years as an undergraduate. I was accepted into the business school and majored in both Marketing & Finance. One day I was in the Business School library and came across a brochure for brand management. It was my ideal job because it blended marketing and creativity with business.
As a brand manager, you run a business within the corporation. You are responsible for the volume and profit as well as all creative and marketing aspects. It was perfect. Here’s where the story gets exciting. I ran into my business school counsellor’s office, very excited that I finally found what I was looking for. She said, "You can’t do that. They don’t hire undergraduate students they only hire MBAs in brand management." I looked at her and said, "you watch me." About 3 months later I had brand management offers from multiple companies.
In the end, I chose Procter & Gamble. It was an incredible experience.
ZANI - What did you learn from P & G?
Elizabeth Jarosz - P&G is one of the best training grounds in the country. They are a ‘promote from within’ company. Therefore they train very well, knowing their employees of today are their leaders of tomorrow.
ZANI - Are Americans ruthless hirers and firers? Elizabeth Jarosz - The Apprentice TV show would lead you believe that is true, but I don’t think so. In fact, there’s a major trend here in the U.S. that would say the opposite is true, particularly for women.
Fortune magazine recently discovered 20 of the 50 most powerful women named in its pages over the years left their power positions. Many left voluntarily for more flexible, fulfilling lives and jobs.Many people don’t know this yet, but women owned businesses are growing at twice the national average. One in every 11 adult women in the U.S. now owns a business. So to answer your question, hiring and firing is no longer the issue. People are choosing to leave businesses and start their own businesses in an effort to achieve better work and life balance.
ZANI - After you left P & G, you joined a leading market research company Understanding Unlimited. You then founded a consulting firm called Pulse 40. How did Pulse 40 come about and how long did it take the company to be recognised as a reputable consulting firm?
Elizabeth Jarosz - During my time at P&G, I hired some of the best psychological researchers to help me understand the consumer and create product visions and marketing strategies. I loved this work, but I knew it was time to pursue my life’s passion to use media and entertainment to send empowering messages. I came to Los Angeles to pursue my passion. To support myself in the meantime I began working for Understanding Unlimited as a market researcher and consultant. This afforded me the opportunity to work 5 days per month and make enough money to pursue my passion projects.
It’s not typical to leave brand management and become a market researcher, so I was unique. I knew exactly what questions to ask, exactly when to ask them. I could consult in a way that many market researchers without brand management and psychological research training couldn’t.
It was not uncommon for 5-10 people in the back room to ask me to do a future project for them after seeing my research. Consequently, clients requested me far more than I wanted to work. A good problem to have. I started Pulse40 in an effort to pick and choose clients, work less, and make more money. It took very little time to get going and I was profitable with my first client. I’ve never advertised.
ZANI - Why do the above companies come to firms like you? Don’t they have in-house teams to develop their own ideas?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I help companies understand their target consumers. Form a vision for marketing or product development, and or evaluate existing businesses, brands, projects, and campaigns. The creative agencies are often a big part of the team when I lead the client through the process. Ultimately, creative teams or product development teams bring alive the concepts I help create. In short, we work together, each contributing different areas of expertise.
ZANI - At Pulse 40, the process to make an idea worthwhile and profitable seems like a long haul. In layman’s terms, how does Pulse 40 start a project?
Elizabeth Jarosz - All my projects start with understanding your target audience. I firmly believe you must know your customer well, particularly focusing on what that customer wants and needs. Only then can you deliver it to them with excellence. This is the sure formula to success in marketing and in product development. I always begin by understanding the target audience.
ZANI - You used psychological researchers whilst at P& G. What is it about the human mind that you find remarkable?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I find everything about the human mind remarkable. I love to understand what people truly want in life and, more importantly, why they want it.
ZANI - I am fascinated by the Pulse40 mission statement. Uncovering the truth of society or the unspoken truths. What do you regard as unspoken truths?
Elizabeth Jarosz - Unspoken truths are insights. Things you know are true at the core but you’ve never been able to articulate. Often at times, they can transform your life when they are revealed. Oprah Winfrey calls them "a-ha moments". It’s my favourite thing to uncover in an interview.
ZANI - This brings us to a tag line of a film you appeared in, ‘Mind Games’. "Behind every truth is a lie. Behind every truth is bigger lie".You have appeared in several films and won an award for a short film you directed ‘Trick or Treat’. How did you get into acting?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I’ve always been a performer. I started dancing at age 4. Acting is fun, but I don’t see myself doing it as a career. I’m much more inclined to be a talk show host. Hosting uses more of my total skill set.
ZANI - Do you plan to direct some more?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I began directing in an effort to use my talents to share important and empowering messages. I absolutely love directing. I feel very alive when I direct and I plan to do more later on in life. Right now I’m focused on my talk show.
ZANI - You moved to Los Angeles, was that to develop your acting career as well as your business?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I moved to LA in exploration of my path in entertainment and media. I wanted to explore how to best bring inspiring messages to the public.
ZANI - In the early 2000’s, you co founded the Tano Media Institute with Shereen Noon. A foundation to help artists to develop. Tell us more about TMI.
Elizabeth Jarosz - Tano Media Institute is a transformational experience for screenwriters who desire to write inspiring films. We created annual retreats where prominent writers would come to Santa Fe, New Mexico to ‘coach’ up-coming and some established writers.
In short, Tano focuses on compelling stories that have the potential to transform audiences. We created the institute with the firm belief that if you change the stories that are told about the world, you change the world.
ZANI - You had a small part in the hit movie Traffic. Here you suffered the worst rejection of all, with the scene being left on the cutting room floor.Did you know that was going to happen or did you go to the cinema, hoping to see yourself on the big screen?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I knew I was on the editing room floor. Steven Soderbergh (the director) was a coach and mentor to me while I attended directing school here in LA. Steven told me personally before the movie hit the theatres. It was no big deal.
ZANI - In 2004, you were doing well. Then you decided to appear on NBC hit show The Apprentice with Donald Trump which was another new challenge. What persuaded you to appear on the show?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I had a solid business background and I thought I could win. Many of the tasks were things I had done many times at P&G.
ZANI - When you entered did you think that you would make it onto the show?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I talk a lot about this in my speeches as well. I don’t believe in thinking about the ‘odds’. I form a vision, create a plan, and go for it.
ZANI - What is the selection process like? Was it tough?
Elizabeth Jarosz - It was much more involved than I ever imagined. In addition to 4 rounds of ‘interviews’ with the last round being 1 week in a hotel. They did background checks, gave us psychological and IQ tests. They even drew blood in the final week of interviews.
ZANI - Were you an admirer of Donald Trump before the show. Was it ambition to meet him? If so, what was your overall impression of Mr Trump?
Elizabeth Jarosz - Donald is a legend and a master marketer and publicist. I always want to meet people who create passion and wealth. I find there’s always something to learn. It was a giant networking opportunity.
ZANI - Once you got onto the show, did you believe you could win?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I knew I could win. I just wasn’t willing to give up my integrity to do it.
ZANI - Who did the public see, Elizabeth the actor or Elizabeth the executive?
Elizabeth Jarosz - The public saw small bits and pieces of me. I wasn’t acting. I wish they had included more of my hero moments and times where I was doing great things.Actually, I wish they had shown more of everybody’s hero moments. In my opinion, it would make for a much higher level show and it would separate the show from other reality shows that focus primarily on backstabbing. They did this well in season 1, and then in season 2, they lost it.
ZANI - Did you get on with the other constants? Jennifer Crisafulli & Maria Boren came across as super bitches, was that the case?
Elizabeth Jarosz - You only got to see bits and pieces of them. Both of them are amazingly dynamic and smart businesswomen. For the record, Jennifer is not racist. Her stepbrother is Jewish.
ZANI – I remember, she coated off two elderly Jewish customers in a restaurant task. Got any good behind the scenes gossip?
Elizabeth Jarosz - Right after we got home from filming, two women left their husbands. Since the show, three women in our cast got boob jobs.
ZANI - Do you feel the producers of the show manipulated peoples characters? I understand that you have to sign a contract that allows the producers to do whatever they want with you.
Elizabeth Jarosz - As everyone knows now, it takes about 3 days for each task. If they shoot you for 72 hours and you make it to the screen for 2 minutes that episode. They cannot possibly tell your whole story in that amount of time.
As with any TV show, they tell the story they think will be most compelling. Yes, we did sign a contract that allows the producers to do whatever they want with us and our persona. I believe most reality shows have contracts like this.
ZANI - You said that the show made you look very wimpy and the brilliant things that you had not done were not shown. Do you think that shows like this want characters similar to a soap, just to give the production some talking points?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I’m not sure if they want characters similar to soaps. I do know they’re trying to make good dramatic television. They would be fools not to. But I personally don’t believe you have to make people look bad to have good dramatic television. In my opinion, business games are like sport games. When skill is high and people play at the top of their game, it’s more exciting to watch.
We had some very high level players in season 2 and many of us were not portrayed that way. It’s not a bad thing, it’s a creative choice. What they thought made good television was not what I thought made good television. The ratings began going down on season 2 when they focused on faults, back-stabbing, and manipulation, so I still think I’m right.
ZANI – The ratings seem to be plummeting.
Elizabeth Jarosz – I know
ZANI – If that is the case with the manipulation of the contestants then is it not the case that reality TV is just another TV show with characters and a simple plot?
Elizabeth Jarosz - Mark Burnett, executive producer and creator of Survivor, Rockstar, The Contender, The Apprentice, and many more reality shows has been trying to change the name ‘reality TV’ to ‘unscripted TV’ for many years.
ZANI - I don’t think ‘unscripted TV’ has such a ring to it. One incident, which I felt was bullying, was the situation with Stacie Jones Upchurch. Where you and the other female contests branded her as a schizophrenic. This lead to her being fired. In hindsight, do you think that was the right thing to do?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I brought Stacie into the boardroom, not because she had an episode. But because she did not perform on the task. She made mistakes and did not deliver results. When Donald called all the girls back into the boardroom to talk specifically about her episode, we were compelled to answer his question.
I was personally careful to say I wouldn’t comment on "if she was crazy". I said something like "I’m not a psychologist." I think my comment made it into the extended version of the show here in the U.S. I don’t think it’s right to label someone schizophrenic unless you’re a doctor.
I personally think to do it on national TV is defaming and wrong. I felt horrible that’s what the episode focused on. I wish it focused more on her inability to complete her task. In my opinion, that was the argument to make. For the record, Stacie is not crazy. In fact, she’s doing incredibly brilliant things as a business woman today. Her last launch was a perfume line. I support her 100%.
ZANI - You were reasonably successful in the show. The eighth contest to be fired. However, as you know, Donald Trump did not allow you the opportunity to argue your case and bring two other teams mates in for the firing line. He fired you on the spot. Did you think that was unfair?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I thought it made for sensational television. Here in the U.S. the media headlines were ‘The first contestant fired without a boardroom’.
ZANI - The firing was due to running an ad campaign for Police recruitment in New York for Deutsch Advertising. You opted for a military style approach, but you tried to change the concept halfway through the project?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I never liked or supported the military campaign. I decided to do another idea and I found out later we didn’t have the video footage to support it. The team wanted to stick with the military campaign in an effort to get the project manager fired. I happened to be the target of the week.
ZANI - Was it the most frustrating situation you have been in?
Elizabeth Jarosz - Yes, and yes. Particularly because it was an area of my expertise.
ZANI - Up until your firing. You were the bookies’ favourites to win. Were you aware of this?
Elizabeth Jarosz - Yes, I was aware I was the bookies’ favourite. I think it had to do with my experience at P&G. Honestly, many of the tasks were things I did many times in the real world. They were easy for me and technically, I should have been a lead contender. I let the backstabbing and manipulations get to me.
At a certain point, I decided not to be a part of it anymore and shortly after I was fired. It taught me that my integrity is more important than my fame or reputation. It was a powerful lesson I am proud I received.
ZANI - Very few of us will ever get the chance to do battle in the boardroom with Donald Trump. What is it like?
Elizabeth Jarosz - It was very intense. Being on the debate team is a good training ground.
ZANI - When you’re fired, what was the walk of shame like. Is it actually there and then, or do you get time to collect your belongings and say goodbye?
Elizabeth Jarosz - We’re not allowed to comment on this one. Sorry.
ZANI - The taxi ride home, must be a real downer.
Elizabeth Jarosz - I was more in shock than anything else.
ZANI - You did return for the final and helped eventual winner Kelly Perdew in his task. Did you ever think during this, that this could have been me?
Elizabeth Jarosz - Yes, all the time. But by then, I accepted my path. I wanted to do my best to help Kelly win. I’m very glad he won.
ZANI – ‘The Apprentice’ seems to have done wonders for your career. You have even been on a cruise with Donald Trump and other contestants from the show. You have also presented on ‘The Fish Bowl’, conducted motivational speeches and the profile of your company Pulse 40 has increased. So, there is life after the show. What has been the best achievement in the last two years?
Elizabeth Jarosz - The best achievement has been creating my speeches and workshops for working women. I have two workshops now and they both help working women. The aim of the workshops is to create true visions of success and a tangible action plan to achieve it. First, I help you form your own vision. Second, we overcome roadblocks, so that nothing stands in your way.
Finally, we create a tangible action plan so you know how, when, and with whom you will reach your goals. Women who have attended these workshops have hugged me and told me that I have transformed their life. It’s been the most rewarding experience of my life and I don’t think I would’ve done it without the notoriety of The Apprentice.
ZANI - Would you appear on the show again?
Elizabeth Jarosz - Yes, only I would play the game very differently and win.
ZANI - You are a published poet. What is about poetry that you like and are there plans to bring out a collection of your poems?
Elizabeth Jarosz - Poetry is my connection to my spirit. When I write, it is as if someone else takes my hand and I hear what I need to hear at any given moment.
I hope that one day I publish my poems and they inspire others as they’ve inspired me. I’m not ready to publish them yet. I want to get many more years under my belt first.
ZANI - One of your other past times is dancing. Can you shake your moneymaker and what is your favourite style of dance?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I absolutely love dance. It is another connection to my spirit. My favourite dance is Salsa, no question.
ZANI - Have you seen the UK version of The Apprentice with Sir Alan Sugar?
Elizabeth Jarosz - No, unfortunately, I’ve never seen the show. I hope to watch it one day.
ZANI - Apart from the States what other countries do you like to visit for business and pleasure?
Elizabeth Jarosz - I’ve travelled around the world and I love to see new areas. More importantly to experience the culture at the grass-root level. I stayed in Italy for 3 ½ months, studying Italian, Art History, and Cooking. Florence is still one of my favourite places to visit. My experiences in South Africa, Egypt, and Japan were all unforgettable.
Japan was a business trip where I went in-home with Japanese housewives and understood their daily life, habits, practices, and beliefs. I did the same research in Japan, Germany, Italy, and the U.S. Getting to talk about the same topic and compare the cultural differences was truly fascinating.
ZANI - Going back to films. What is the film that most inspires you?
Elizabeth Jarosz - Films that inspire me are those that tell the story of overcoming unbelievable odds and reaching success. I also love films that show people accepting other races and cultures.
ZANI - . Finally Elizabeth, when you wake up in the morning what motives you?
Elizabeth Jarosz - Knowing that I’m working on things that will serve women, and our society.
Coming 8th and having one of the most dramatic exits from The Apprentice has not tarnished Elizabeth Jarosz’s character. Nor has it diminished her status as a businesswoman.
If anything it has enhanced all aspects of her career. It just goes to show that it is the "taking part that matters" as far as reality TV is concerned, fame is guaranteed. But to what extent and what good it will do, only time will tell. Elizabeth Jarosz has certainly seized the moment and used it to her advantage. Knowing that her face and name is now a commodity associated with The Apprentice and Donald Trump. This to many people, is success in its own right.
Jarosz’s energy and approach to business and life is commendable. She is young, beautiful, dynamic, and successful. A positive female role model encouraging woman from all walks of life that business world is not the male dominated arena that it used to be. Pioneering and supporting creative projects and giving hope to those whom may lack inner belief.
Against all odds, her attitude is endearing and at times is inspirational. However staying positive and upbeat is hard work. If Elizabeth had any demons of self-doubt, then she certainly did not show them to ZANI. Not one bitchy or cynical statement left her lips, which in hindsight is refreshing. Elizabeth Jarosz is an expert chancer with her fingers in many pies. She has developed many skills, and when the right opportunity comes along in whatever field, she will snatch it with both hands. Her next major project is a talk show and she has the right credentials to be successful in this field. Basically wit, intelligence and charm. ZANI wishes her the best of luck.
© MATTEO SEDAZZARI/ ZANI
