Going on the show

Having always watched the show, Dean decided it was finally time to apply to go on The Apprentice himself. “I signed up, and I didn’t get on the first year I applied. I was really ill and turned up to the auditions, but I just didn't have any energy. I shouldn't have gone, but I gave it a go anyway.”

This first setback didn’t stop Dean, he applied again, and walked away victorious: “I owed it to myself to try out the year after. So I did, I signed up and walked away the winner.”

Running a business requires strong self belief, and having the drive to go again. Even after getting rejected the first time round, he applied again, and always knew he could win the show. “I've always believed in myself. I've always thought, if I do get on that show, I will win it. Because I am very driven, I am very determined. I always knew I could do it.”

Having repeated this multiple times to friends and family, he proved himself right, walking away with investment and a partnership with Lord Sugar.

His business and the impact of The Apprentice

Dean started ADL Air Conditioning during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. In a time of uncertainty when people were closing their businesses, Dean saw potential in the market, and decided it was time to go it alone.

“I saw the opportunity. It was mega hot, people were working from home, and had a lot of disposable income. People were doing a lot of home renovations, so we saw that, and we capitalised on it. We made the jump, and it's just snowballed ever since.”

Having seen the uptick in home renovations, and realising people were stuck at home in the UK heat with homes that keep the heat in, it was the perfect time for an air conditioning business.

Dean has been working in the air conditioning sector since leaving school. He trained in the sector, worked his way up to a supervisor position, all before starting his own business. Discussing his career, he offered a key nugget of advice to others considering starting their own business: “You need to master your trade before you start doing it for yourself, and turning it into a business. You need to be obsessed. I became obsessed with air conditioning, and I think that's the reason we're doing so well, is because I'm so obsessed.”

Lord Sugar and The Apprentice advice

Before The Apprentice, the business was already doing well, and Dean admitted that his decision to go on the show wasn’t just for the cash prize. “I didn't go on it just for the investment. I went on it for him [Lord Sugar] … With Lord Sugar, he can put me in front of people I could never get in front of otherwise.”

Something viewers of the show want to know is how much mentorship and how hands-on Lord Sugar actually is, and Dean was happy to share his experience as a winner.

“We have a monthly meeting where we meet up, go through everything, and discuss what the next steps are. He’s always on WhatsApp pinging me, and I’m dealing with his team pretty much every day.”

It isn’t just Lord Sugar that has left an impression on Dean. Throughout the show, he learned a lot about business, and received some invaluable advice from Tim Campbell. “Tim actually gave me a very good bit of advice, and it ‘was control the controllables’. So in other words, control what you can, and control what's in front of you control. And I took that with it and just ran with it.”

Life after The Apprentice

The impact of the win extended far beyond television exposure. Dean’s air conditioning business, ADL Conditioning, which supplies and installs systems for homes, shops, gyms, and commercial premises, experienced a sharp rise in interest. The combination of national visibility and a significant heatwave during summer 2025 created even more demand. He explained that the company, which was already successful, had become very busy, and the momentum is continuing.

On a personal level, his routine has shifted, and he is getting more opportunities. He mentioned: “I'm getting stopped in the streets. I'm taking photos, which I love, and it's all fun.”

Moving forward, Dean teased a new venture, but couldn’t speak much about it. Still committed to ABL Air Conditioning, and expanding the company across the UK, Dean is ready to take on what comes next.

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