Very rarely do programmes such as ‘The Apprentice’ produce stars of popular culture, but that was until the British public met and fell in love with entrepreneur, Tre Azam. 

“Forthright, outspoken and a bit of a maverick” - all words that can be used to describe Tre Azam when he is performing against competition and certainly true of the first impression he made on the public when he took part in The Apprentice in 2007. But as the weeks went by and viewers witnessed Tre’s strong work ethic, commitment and, at times, brutal honesty, he became one of the show’s most entertaining contestants.

Combining determination and a no-nonsense attitude with a great sense of humour, Tre is great advertisement for the next generation of business people, but it his personal experience of business, the lessons he has learned and the philosophies that have helped him cope that make him an enthralling public speaker.

Growing up in Hackney, London Tre started work aged only 10 building PCs in his father's factory.  In his teens, he was teaching groups of men three times his age about the technology when, after a horrific car accident, he spent over a year in hospital, wheelchair-bound and dealing with pessimistic predictions about his future. Despite what he was told, Tre made a full recovery and immediately threw himself back into the family business.

By the age of 20, Tre was enjoying a lavish lifestyle from an internationally successful business with an impressive home, great car and no financial worries.  Two years later, after the company failed to recoup vast sums of money owed to it, Tre found himself waiting in line at the Job Centre with his pregnant wife.

‘Pride comes before a fall…………and then after it’

Tre has had to make some soul-searching decisions in his life to identify new paths and find the motivation, determination and strength to maintain his entrepreneurial spirit. He learnt that success depends on setting goals, careful planning and constant learning.

Starting his own marketing consultancy allowed Tre to help companies through his creativity, sharp wit and the lessons he had learnt.  After many word of mouth recommendations the company began to grow and prosper and Tre was once again experiencing business success.

At the age of 27 years old, Tre was selected as a contestant on the BBC’s business reality show The Apprentice, initially causing a stir but soon becoming the favourite of many viewers, newspapers and websites who found him a source of great entertainment and worthy of genuine admiration. In his talks, he is refreshingly honest about his reasons for doing the show, the good and bad that has come from it and what he thinks of his newly found celebrity status.

Tre is an ambassador for the "Make your Mark" Enterprise Scheme, The Prince’s Trust and a source of true inspiration through a genuine and modest rapport with young people and entrepreneurs alike. He is constantly being asked to speak on the subject of enterprise, business and the media at schools, colleges and universities as well as business and fundraising events.