WHEN struggling Mark Wright decided to move to the UK in 2012 in search of a better life, he never expected he would one day close a deal worth £10million.
But the 33-year-old Australian-born entrepreneur’s life changed drastically in 2014 when he won the tenth series of The Apprentice.
Mark Wright won £250,000 to go into his business and partnered up with Alan Sugar
Mark’s now flying high after selling his business for £10million
This week, Mark sold his online marketing company for £10million after an initial £250,000 investment from Sir Alan Sugar.
He is now the most successful winner to ever come out of the BBC show with an impressive fortune.
In addition, he enjoys a jetset life with luxury holidays in locations such as New York and Ibiza and he even has a string of celebrity pals.
But it was not always plain sailing for Mark – he’s had to overcome adversities and a number of stumbling blocks to get to where he is today.
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Here, we look at how Mark went from being skint to now landing on Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30 list.
Early struggles
Mark was only 23 when he decided to move to the UK from Australia to pursue a better life in 2012.
At the time, he simply told his parents he was going backpacking and they believed he would return home afterwards.
This week, he said when he arrived in London, he was “flat-broke” and had to face the harsh realities of living in the capital.
He added that he couldn’t afford a place of his own and ended up having to share a house with over ten people.
About his decision to make the move, he said: “London particularly is a land of opportunity for young people to start a business.
“You can start a business here from your kitchen bench and turn over a million quid, what other place in the world can you do that?
“In Australia, the population is not big enough and the dollar’s not strong enough.”
Apprentice breakthrough
He was a candidate on The Apprentice in 2014
His had many ups and downs while on the show
In 2014, Mark chanced upon an advert looking for candidates for The Apprentice after he failed to secure a bank loan to start his business.
In his audition tape, he said: “I think the world is full of way too many wafflers and not enough doers. I walk the walk, I talk the talk, and I dance the dance.”
His time on the show was filled with ups and downs – he was part of the losing team on five occasions and lost once as a project manager.
Working as a digital marketer at the time, he forged ahead, however, and was announced as the first non-British winner of the show.
His triumph secured him a £250,000 investment and the opportunity to go into business with Alan Sugar.
Looking back on his victory this week, he said: “The Apprentice was like winning the lottery, becoming partners with Lord Sugar and creating Climb Online changed my life.”
Their business venture is a digital marketing agency that specialises in SEO, paid media, and email marketing with clients including TikTok and Emirates.
During his first year of trading with Climb Online, the company made £1million and a further £5million in six years.
Under Mark, the Climb Online made £5million in six years
The company now employs 130 people and was sold to xDNA for £10million
Touting this achievement in an interview, he said: “Aside from proving all the doubters wrong, I’ve actually been the only Apprentice winner to turnover in excess of £1m during my first year of trading with Climb Online.”
In 2017, Mark was named in the list of Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30, which he says is one of his biggest achievements.
This week, the company, which now employs 130 people was sold to xDNA for £10million.
Clearly impressed with his protege’s achievements, Lord Sugar said: “A young boy comes from Australia, skint, totally skint.
“He sees an advert on BBC to enter into The Apprentice programme. He then goes on and wins it.
“And he wins a partnership with me of £250,000. And from acorns, big oak trees have grown. And this young lad who came with no money is now going back to Australia with millions.”
New life
Mark became a British citizen in 2020
Mark seen posing with Wayne Lineker while on holiday in Ibiza
He now goes on expensive holidays including this one in Tignes, France
Mark now gets to travel on private jets, as seen on his Instagram page
In 2020, he became a UK citizen and called the country a land of opportunity and diversity.
He told the Global Banking and Finance Review: “Australia will always have a special place in my heart and I still have a desire to return and even open a Climb Online office there, but the UK has really become my home.
“I have made some amazing friends and have created a number of brilliant businesses and am very excited about what the future brings here.”
A year after winning the show, he began dating Leah Totton, who won the previous year but the pair split up due to their busy schedules.
Mark is now able to go on luxury holidays in locations like France, Rio de Janeiro, and Ibiza, where he was seen posing with Wayne Lineker.
He has also been seen in private jets and has even tried his hands at motor racing and boxing just for fun.
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On his Instagram, he has a picture with Camille Vasquez, who defended Johnny Depp in his highly publicised defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard.
Despite his huge success, Mark is unwilling to rest on his laurels – when asked if he will ever retire, he replied: “Absolutely not. Never.”
Mark with Johnny Depp’s lawyer Camille Vasquez
He has even tried tried his hands at motor racing just for fun
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