Do you have a fantastic business idea that you would like to see become a reality? Do you have what it takes to become an entrepreneur? Does no one ever take you seriously because you’re just too damn attractive? Well, I think we may have just the thing for you: The City's Top Model Entrepreneur.
Oh yes, ladies, this is exactly what you think it is. A Dragon’s Den style competition for women, where you will be judged on your looks as well as your business acumen! Chelsey Baker says that she created The City's Top Model Entrepreneur as "a new benchmark for women in business".
Seriously? So simply having a brain and a good business idea is no longer enough? To be really successful as a woman, you have to have model looks too? She goes on to say that, ex-Dragon Richard Farleigh "is delighted to be a partner and judge in this innovative new event". Yeah, I bet he is.
Chelsey, whose reasons for claiming to be an entrepreneur have so far eluded me despite plenty of Googling, says that she set up the competition to combine two important parts of her life. Er, not to help young women get a head start in business then? The website goes on to explain that there are, unsurprisingly, two elements to the competition.
"The finalists will participate in a catwalk show, modelling the collections of leading London designers and will be judged on their looks, catwalk and personality by a panel of top celebrities and fashion experts. The second part of the competition is where the finalists will pitch a business idea gaining valuable publicity to a panel of leading business entrepreneurs who will judge the finalists on their business acumen, professionalism and confidence."
The lists of leading designers and top celebrities are strangely absent from the site, but something tells me they won’t contain anyone I’ve heard of. If you were at the top of your game in either business or fashion, would you want to be involved with this sort of sexist nonsense?
Even if you think I’m being a bit cruel and reckon that anything which gets more young women into business can only be a good thing, take one look at the prizes on offer and see if you think it would be a competition worth entering. Private mentoring from Richard Farleigh – oh really? – business coaching, office supplies, a photoshoot for a business magazine, press coverage, a VIP membership card, make-up, hair products, a designer dress… but no funding for your business?
Interestingly, there is a page on the website that shows you the finalists faces, but tells you nothing about their business ideas. Nothing about them at all, in fact – just twelve photographs and names. I’m all for encouraging young women to aspire to be entrepreneurs and business leaders, but why reinforce gender stereotypes to do it? I’d love to see the uproar there would be if a similar competition were launched for men. But that would never happen, would it?
Good luck to all the finalists. I really hope that you get what you want out of this competition, and I hope you manage to prove to anyone willing to fund your business that being beautiful does not equal a lack of brains.