An Interview With James Sun, Former “Apprentice” Finalist, Reality TV Show Host, and Pirq CEO

Zach Davis Aug 12, 2012 Tweet

You’re fired!  It’s not a saying too many entrepreneurs are faced with during their professional career.  After all, they are the boss.  They do the firing, not the other way around.

This was the fate dealt to James Sun.  On national television.  By the patented curved palm of Donald Trump.

Although Sun may have been fired from NBC’s “The Apprentice” in 2008, his days as a reality tv-star had only begun.  Later that same year, the former Apprentice finalist was asked to play the role of business guru and host to an international Apprentice-like program titled, “Sun Tzu’s Art of War.”  Sun would travel the world, meeting ambitious entrepreneurs and offer lessons on how to grow their businesses using principles from “The Art of War.”

Today, Sun is the co-founder and CEO at Pirq, a dining and retail discount mobile application and platform.  Offering discounts up to the 20-50%, the app is currently available in Seattle and Silicon Valley, competing against the likes of Poggled and to a lesser extent Groupon and LivingSocial.

In the video below, Tech Cocktail sits down with Sun to learn more about his company, what it’s like to be a reality television star, the challenges faced by Asian-American entrepreneurs, and the most vital business principle taught in Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War.”