 Each season begins with a new group of contestants vying to earn a place in one of the organizations run by the host.The contestants (who are referred to as "candidates") have come from business backgrounds in various enterprises, the backgrounds including real estate, accounting, restaurant management, management consulting, sales and marketing.During the show, the contestants live in a communal dwelling, a "penthouse suite", in New York City (save for Season 6 which took place in Los Angeles).