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"A group of Apprentice candidates is a lot like a group of high schoolers."

Tim, 24, was born and raised outside of Boston in Newton, Massachusetts, and graduated cum laude from Harvard University, where he majored in government. He moved to Los Angeles after college to write music and began tutoring on the side, but his side business proved so successful that he and a partner wound up launching an academic tutoring company, The Cartim Group, when Tim was just 22. Now running the company's daily operations, Tim employs 20 tutors and projects his company's annual revenue at over $1 million. Still devoted to his main passion - writing music - Tim spends his free time composing and playing the piano, and his first album is expected to be released in early 2007. "I should be the next Apprentice," he says, "because I have always welcomed a massive challenge, and I approach everything I take on with passion and energy."

"Success" can mean different things to different people; what does it mean to you and how will you know when you've achieved it?
For me, if I'm being creative and I feel like I'm maximizing what I can do, I'll feel successful in my career. But looking at the whole picture, the most important thing is that I have a reasonable amount of free time. You can have the greatest career in the world, but if you're working 60 or 70 hours a week, who cares? You're working all the time.

Describe the toughest business situation you've had to deal with and what you did to solve the problem.
I started my business two years ago, so I don't have too many stories yet - the toughest thing for me was starting it up in the first place. When I moved to Los Angeles out of college, I came here to write music. I had no idea where to start in this massive city, or how to support myself. Tutoring seemed like a good way to do it, and I knew that if I got my own students, rather than work for a company, the ceiling on where I could go with it would be very high. That sounds good in theory, but it took a bunch of months of putting my flyer around and visiting schools before I had my first tutoring job. Finally, things got going and then started to snowball. I began hiring other tutors and now it's turned into a decent-sized company. In this case, holding out to find my own work was definitely worth it.

What lessons have you learned from past Apprentice winners or candidates?
A group of Apprentice candidates is a lot like a group of high schoolers. They're cliquey, and in an environment where everyone is fighting for their life, a group tends to turn on one outcast. So the first rule is to make sure you're not that outcast. The second thing I've noticed is that you can't win by flying under the radar. I think you have to take an aggressive approach, which might get you kicked off early, but it's also the only way to win.

Why should you be Donald Trump's next Apprentice?
I have always welcomed a massive challenge and approach everything I take on with passion and energy. That's basically what he wants... right?

What's your favorite thing about Los Angeles?
No one is really employed in this city. So it's easy to feel good about yourself.

What's your least favorite thing about Los Angeles? And you're not allowed to say "traffic."
Guys in this city are ridiculously fashionable. And I'm the least stylish guy ever. Whatever.

What will surprise viewers about this sixth season of The Apprentice?
My jaw hit the floor about 6 to 8 times during the experience by something completely unexpected happening. Let's just leave it at that.

UP CLOSE

What's your marital/parental status?
Single.

If you could be the star of any movie ever made, which movie would it be and why?
I'd be the count in the Count of Monte Cristo. Nothing beats good old-fashioned revenge. And it would be cool to be a Count.

What are your three favorite albums of all time?
"Magical Mystery Tour" by The Beatles
"The Stranger" by Billy Joel
"Big Ones" by Aerosmith

No, I'm not hip.

What are your three favorite books of all time?
Catch-22 is the best book ever, by far. The other two would have to be Exodus and The Fountainhead, when I finally finish it.

What hobbies do you enjoy, outside of trying to impress Donald Trump?
I play the piano all the time. Writing and playing music is definitely my "thing." I also obsess over my fantasy baseball and football teams, although that's a sore subject at the moment. Who thought Kevin Jones would actually continue to be good? I really was sure I was selling him high at the time. And if you can call traveling a hobby, I'm big on that. Any country I haven't been to is a pretty exciting thought to me.

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