Tammy Trenta of The Apprentice 5

Tammy Trenta fought a good fight on The Apprentice 5, proving that an effective business person does not have to be cut-throat or vicious. In fact, Tammy won hearts around the world-- and on the show.

At the age of 33, Tammy Trenta is already an accomplished business woman. As vice president of a California investment firm, Tammy helps the rich and famous handle their finances. She says, "As a wealth manager, I help clients plan the transition of wealth to future generations."

Tammy is also an entreprenuer, and founded Theresa Kathryn Enterprises, Inc., which designs fashionable briefcases and laptop bags for career women. Tammy is actively involved in the company, overseeing every aspect. "My experience as a certified financial planner along with my MBA were instrumental in my professional development," she elaborates.

A self-described adrenaline junkie, Tammy enjoys skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, and skydiving. "In business, taking calculated risks is an important part of success," she says. "An adrenaline rush or two outside of business is a wonderful stress relief and very different from my approach to business."

LoveToKnow (LTK): Why did you decide to try out for The Apprentice?

Tammy Trenta (TT): Like Mr. Trump, I have been a self starter my entire life. I have worked hard and taken risks to get where I am today. I paid my way through undergraduate and graduate school, fought for my first job at a financial services firm, where I was just one of a few women, and have continuously improved myself in my profession. At the time, I was hungry for more opportunity, but with a mentor who would give me the responsibility and resources to excel, like Donald Trump.

LTK: What were the tryouts like?

TT: Tryouts begin with group interviews that encourage people to spar and debate various topics. It forces you to speak up, state your point, and be able to defend your statements on the fly. That’s probably who so many attorneys make the show.

LTK: What was the most challenging part of being on the show?

TT: When you combine lack of food and sleep, living with and working with 17 type A’s who are also very different from each other, and you put all of that under a microscope 24-7 for two months... need I say more? For me, it was physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing.

LTK: What was it like meeting Donald Trump?

TT: Donald is an interesting man. He certainly has a presence when he walks into a room, but he’s just a regular business guy with the persona of a billionaire. Time is money, and business is business, but there’s a sensitive side to him that lets you know that he enjoys the process and he wants to see us succeed.

LTK: You seem like such a nice person. How did you handle the cut-throat atmosphere?

TT: Thank you. Just because I need to make some tough business decisions doesn’t mean that I have to be mean or intimidating. I mean, look at me, I’m 5’2” and 100 lbs, who’s going to be afraid of me? I will say this, though. In business, no one will ever care about your project as much as you do, so there’s an important balance of being able to inspire and motivate with being responsible and holding people accountable. It’s not what you say, but how you say it.

LTK: How did you control yourself when Brent attacked your leadership?

TT: I was surprised when Brent attacked my leadership, because, unlike other project managers, I did make an effort to listen to his ideas and treat him with respect. I know that I was a good project manager. But I guess in a small way, I got where he was coming from. It can’t feel good to be marginalized, but I needed to make decisions that were best for the team. You can’t please everyone and if you spend your life trying, you won’t get very far.

LTK: What is your favorite memory of the show?

TT: I loved the Truffles! I loved the Rutgers Tailgate. I loved stomping grapes. All very different experiences, but I loved them all!

LTK: Were you surprised when you were fired?

TT: I thought I would make it to the end. And I had hoped that Donald Trump would have been able to see what was going on with my team. But I missed pricing, and wasn’t able to do it all. It was a true learning experience for me in terms of selecting my team members. How great would it have been to have Sean and I face off on the final task? That would have been interesting.

LTK: Is there anything you would like to add?

TT: Being on Apprentice gives you a false sense of reality. It's almost like a psychology experiment, and once you're back to real life you realize that you have a new group of friends that understand the process you just went through. From a business standpoint, the hardest thing is being under a microscope and being scrutinized. You really need to be able to address and handle the pressure in a way that keeps your team focused rather than spinning out of control.

LTK: How did it feel, going from a business success to a household name?

TT: Wow, am I a household name? That never occurred to me. I feel great. I have worked extremely hard and feel an amazing sense of accomplishment. When I look back at the financial hardships, strained relationships, and uphill battles, I think to myself, "How did I get here?" But, it was all those baby steps, it was not giving up. It’s how you handle yourself in your darkest hour. Do you throw in the towel or turn things around? I think I made a lot of the right decisions.

LTK: Do you get recognized?

TT: I do get recognized. The other day I was "skulking" into a Mexican restaurant to grab some takeout and go home... in my sweatsuit and no makeup, and I got recognized! It’s fun and I enjoy it. What’s strange is people act as if they know me. And, I guess that they do to a certain extent, but I don’t always know them!

LTK: Do you feel that the show opened up doors for you?

TT: The show does not inherently open doors. It gives you exposure, but to be successful, you need to have a clear idea of what you want and how to go about getting it.

LTK: What are your future plans?

TT: I’d love to get my business to a point where I have the flexibility and freedom to travel, and continue my speaking engagements, and see more of the world. Personally, a little bit of stability with my lifestyle would be nice, at least for a while. It’s been a crazy year, yet I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m enjoying the ride.

TT: Right around the Ellis Island task (week 9), I started to look at him through different eyes. We spent the entire day together on the boat and island and it was the first time we spent a lot of one-on-one time together.

LTK: When did you realize he had feelings for you?

TT: Right around that same time.

LTK: During the airing of Apprentice, some viewers wondered if Sean's affections toward you were merely strategy. Did you ever have that concern?

TT: I truly don’t believe that Sean was strategic in his feelings for me. If anything, it could have made him a bigger target on the show.

LTK: Has it been difficult, managing a long-distance relationship?

TT: At the moment we're both very focused on the year ahead, and we make time to see each other whenever we can. It's good that we're both successful, independent people and we allow each other space to do what we need to do, and we're confident in the relationship.

LTK: Both of you are very strong-willed, ambitious people. Will that be a plus or a hindrance?

TT: It's a plus, because we both have very busy schedules and "get" each other's life. We also really appreciate the time we do have together.

LTK: Are you two engaged?

TT: We are not engaged, despite all of the rumors. We certainly have some pretty big time commitments this year, between his new job and my laptop bag business, so hopefully we can see each other when we can.

LTK: Where do you see this relationship going?

TT: There have been a lot of changes, but once things settle down we'll fall more into a routine of seeing one another.

• Visit TammyTrenta.com for information about Tammy's public appearances and media coverage.
• Visit TheresaKathryn.com for more information about Tammy's innovative laptop bags and silk scarves.
• To learn more about The Apprentice 5, visit the NBC website. There is also information about past seasons, as well as updates on the upcoming season.

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