After walking out of BBC’s The Apprentice, Aleksandra King is emerging as a strong voice in UK business media, leading Beyond the Boardroom and expanding her presence through media and marketing ventures shaped by her own leadership philosophy.
Transitioning from reality TV to entrepreneurship, King is quietly building a modern business model focused on balance, purpose and leading on her own terms.
BBC’s The Apprentice quitter to media entrepreneur: Meet Aleksandra King
Aleksandra’s career trajectory shifted during her time on The Apprentice, when she made the decision to leave the programme mid-series.
While still competing, she was restricted to brief phone calls with her three young daughters, an experience that prompted a fundamental reassessment of how she wanted to work and live.
Instead of following a route shaped by the expectations of figures such as Lord Sugar, she stepped away to build something that aligned with her ambition and her values.
“I realised early on that the life I wanted for myself, for my family, could not be negotiated for someone else’s vision,” said Aleksandra. “The pressure and isolation ingrained into C-suite level leadership showed me exactly what kind of business I didn’t want to build.”
Female podcast host and media founder building modern businesses
Today, Aleksandra Media and Aleksandra King Agency operate with many employees who are parents of young children, and flexibility is embedded into how the companies function day to day.
The result is a modern business model built around autonomy, accountability and long-term sustainability, rather than growth at all costs.
“I want people to deliver results because they are empowered, not controlled,” Aleksandra added. “Whether work happens in an office or from home will always depend on the role and the industry but trust, accountability and clarity matter in every workplace. For my own team, which is spread across the world, trust is the foundation of how we work.”
Beyond the Boardroom ranks among the best Youtube business podcasts in 2026
A more recent extension of Aleksandra’s work is Beyond the Boardroom, a long-form interview podcast that prioritises honest, unfiltered conversation.
“I don’t shy away from asking the questions that matter, “I want guests to be completely honest, to go deep into the psychology behind their decisions, their mindset and their failures. That’s what makes these conversations instructive and rare.
“I approach this show like a psychological experiment,” Aleksandra said. “I want to uncover what really drives people, what really challenges them, and what lessons they’ve had to learn. No topic is off-limits, and no guest is off-limits either.”
Guests span business leaders and high-growth founders alongside public figures and commentators. Notable interviews include Robin Deller, founder of Imagine Cruising. The founder built the business into a global travel brand with a turnover reported in excess of £200m, now owned in-part by global travel conglomerate, Emirates Group.
Other guests range from entrepreneurs, CEOs and high profile figures and cultural commentators, including ‘The Psychopath Life Coach’ Lewis Raymond Taylor, Made in Chelsea star Sam Vanderpump, former The Apprentice winner Mark Wright, actress and playboy model Brande Roderick and Andrew Jenkins from The Traitors UK, whose stories challenge conventional narratives around leadership and achievement.
What sets Beyond the Boardroom by Aleksandra King apart in the podcast interview space
Alongside her media work, Aleksandra continues to lead her marketing agency, advising on brand strategy, positioning and growth.
“We’re not afraid to take products to market. We do it boldly, we do it properly, and we do it in a way that sells while elevating how the brand is perceived.” Aleksandra shared.
Aleksandra’s approach to hosting Beyond the Boardroom can be described as analytical, intentional and quietly disruptive with a clear emphasis on the long-form over soundbites.
Podcasts to watch in 2026 as Beyond the Boardroom gains national reach
Produced with a YouTube-first approach and distributed across Spotify and Apple Podcasts, the show recorded more than 500,000 views and nearly 50,000 new subscribers in 2025 alone, placing it among the best free UK business podcast interview series of the year.
With the podcast’s growth and expanding business footprint, Aleksandra remains candid about being a work in progress:
She has described her companies as evolving rather than finished, and her leadership style as something she continues to refine in real time.
In late January 2026, she will release Marketing Wins, a book co-authored with her husband, Elliot King, offering a guide to mastering integrated marketing strategies.
How Aleksandra Media and Aleksandra King Agency Do Business Differently
As Beyond the Boardroom continues to gain recognition and Aleksandra Media together with Aleksandra King Agency expand their output, Aleksandra’s career path offers a clear alternative to traditional definitions of success and leadership.
