BT teams up with The Apprentice’s Amber-Rose Badrudin to launch social media guidance for retailers

As new research reveals 30% of business leaders see themselves as influencers, BT is working with Amber-Rose Badrudin, CEO at Oree Mart and star of the BBC’s The Apprentice, to help them develop the skills needed to grow their personal brands. 

BT’s research (involving 500 CEOs and founders of small to medium sized businesses in the UK) found that retail CEOs are spending, on average, more than an hour each day sharing personal content on social media to promote their businesses. 

73% of CEOs say social media channels are critical for business growth and 79% state that they have increased revenue for them. 52% bring in more customers through social media than any other channel. 

Despite this, 34% of business leaders have no training in social media and 40% feel uneasy about representing their company online. 56% said digital training skills would help their company target potential customers more effectively.

Entrepreneur and star of the latest season of The Apprentice Amber-Rose Badrudin has shared tips for capitalising on social media. 

Badrudin comments: “Leadership isn’t confined to the boardroom anymore.Today’s CEOs have an opportunity to speak directly to their customers and be an influencer among their peers, and the rewards can be well worth it. If you want a big audience, the most important thing is to be authentic, be honest, and find ways to get people invested in and energised about your business.” 

“You can’t do this half-heartedly, it takes time, effort and plenty of planning. Social media has been the key to transforming my company into a well known brand, and with help from BT, I want to show entrepreneurs how to harness it for business growth.” 

Badrudin’s advice includes being authentic, taking risks, learning from mistakes and being resilient.

The research also found digital infrastructure to be key for success, with 52% attributing increased productivity to improved broadband and 89% stating they depend on reliable mobile and broadband services. 

Caroline Southall, Director of Small and Medium Enterprise at BT, adds: “Building a public profile can be a game changer for business leaders, unlocking new business opportunities, and showing a more engaging and human side to a company. No wonder then that 85% of FTSE bosses have a personal LinkedIn profile, up from just 12% in 2023.”

“Better digital connectivity is underpinning their social media push, enabling them to use data-intensive technology like TikTok Live and Instagram while on the move. I hope Amber-Rose’s story and guidance helps those that want to boost their social presence understand the tricks of the trade.”  

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Social media will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.