Hi, I’m Jack, and I work in IT. I have helped to build and grow a successful IT Consultancy business, which keeps me very busy. I also happen to have a visible difference – extensive scarring to my face and hands from a childhood accident. Growing up, I often felt the weight of society’s expectations and assumptions based on my appearance. However, I’ve worked hard to challenge these biases and prove that success isn’t determined by how you look. It’s about your skills, resilience, and ambition.
Recently, I was thrilled to see a contestant on The Apprentice with a visible difference. Representation matters in all aspects of life, including business. When we see someone with a visible difference in a high-stakes, business-driven environment like The Apprentice, it challenges outdated ideas about professionalism and leadership. Too often, people with visible differences are overlooked or underestimated in the workplace. Seeing someone do well in a competitive setting sends a powerful message: talent and capability are what matter, not appearance.
I remember early in my career, a potential client spent more time staring at my face than listening to my pitch.
There are so many stereotypes that people with visible differences face in the business world. Some assume that we lack confidence, that we can’t be taken seriously in leadership roles, or that our appearance somehow reflects our abilities. Others believe that customers or clients will be “put off” by a visible difference, which is a deeply flawed and unfair bias. I have found this to be the total opposite.
By showcasing someone with a visible difference succeeding in a competitive business environment, The Apprentice has the chance to dismantle these stereotypes and prove that success is about skill, not looks.
I hope that for someone struggling with self-esteem due to their visible differences, watching Jonny Heaver succeed is a transformative experience. It reinforces the idea that nobody has to hide or shrink themselves in order to succeed. On a broader scale, it helps to create more inclusive and accepting workplaces and industries by changing how people view visible differences. Visibility matters – it challenges perception and benefits not just those with visible differences, but everyone who is watching.
Like many people with a visible difference, I’ve faced unconscious bias and outright discrimination. I remember early in my career, a potential client spent more time staring at my face than listening to my pitch. Instead of letting it derail me, I used it as motivation to prove myself. I focused on my expertise, delivered an outstanding presentation, and ultimately won the contract.
There have been times where I’ve felt pressure to overcompensate, pushing myself to work twice as hard to prove my worth. But over time, my confidence grew, and I realized that I didn’t have to prove anything—my work spoke for itself. That’s why representation is so vital. The more people see visible differences in leadership and business, the less we’ll have to fight against these ingrained biases.
