October 22, 2007 – 10:01 pm
Brighton-based designer Sarah Lu entered the Dragons’ Den tonight armed with a set of small canvas dolls, each with the glaring face of a Dragon, hoping to secure £35k investment in return for 25% for her mini-me, replica doll business.
I was lucky enough to get my hands on a Youdoodoll at the weekend and it is such a novel and fun product, I was sure that the Dragons would jump at the chance to back Sarah’s company.
I was right, and tonight Sarah managed to ignite a bidding war between Dragons, Deborah Meaden and James Caan. James offered Sarah the full amount of money for 40% of her business, Deborah offered the same money, but wanted a 45% stake. Continue reading ‘Dragons’ Den: Youdoodoll Gets £35,000‘ »
October 22, 2007 – 3:06 pm
Famed for their business prowess rather than their childish sense of humour, will the Dragons see the funny side of Sarah Lu’s creation the ‘Youdoodoll’, or will the small canvas dolls each customised with a photo of a Dragon’s face, fail to amuse and incur the wrath of the Dragons?
At 9pm on Monday 22 October on BBC Two’s Dragons’ Den, Youdoodoll will be seen on UK television for the very first time as Brighton-based designer Sarah Lu climbs the stairs armed with a set of small canvas dolls, each with the glaring face of a Dragon, hoping to secure £35k investment in return for 25% for her mini-me, replica doll business.
I don’t know yet whether or not the product attracts the backing of the Den, but after being sent one of the dolls to have a play with last week, I can tell you that it should.
On first examination,. the doll looks like any other, except for the fact that it lacks a face. But what makes this doll different is that in the box is an iron on transfer sheet, onto which you can print a photograph of your child, your loved one, or your favourite Hollywood hunk. Just imagine, going to bed with a mini Brad Pitt…..see the possibilities? Continue reading ‘Will Youdoodoll Succeed In Dragons Den‘ »
October 15, 2007 – 11:56 am
Dragons’ Den returns for a fifth series – and it’s bigger and better than ever before, with nine all-new episodes. There’s also a new Dragon in the Den as James Caan joins Deborah Meaden, Duncan Bannatyne, Theo Paphitis and Peter Jones.
The entrepreneurs are lined up, dry-mouthed and knock-kneed, at the bottom of the stairs that lead to their fate. Coming up tonight are professional David Beckham lookalike Andy Harmer, who wants £100,000 to set up his new celebrity doubles experience – and brings along “Will Smith” and “Johnny Depp” for support! Continue reading ‘Dragons’ Den Returns To BBC Two‘ »
October 10, 2007 – 10:58 pm
In a leafy square just a heartbeat away from London’s tourist-teeming Oxford Street lies the gleaming, glass-fronted lair of BBC Two’s newest Dragon.
Multi-millionaire James Caan is set to join Deborah Meaden, Duncan Bannatyne, Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis when the Den throws open its daunting doors for a new series.
Once again, fledgling entrepreneurs will lay bare their beloved brainwaves in the hope of winning the ultimate, glittering prize – investment in their inventions. And, once again, would-be high-fliers face the fear of falling to Earth if, one by one, the flinty-eyed Dragons deliver their crushing verdict: “I’m out.”
When he was approached to become a part of what will undoubtedly be the formidable five, the attraction was obvious.
“This is very similar to what I do in my day job,” he explains. “I am a professional investor and I have a 20-year track record of investing both in people and businesses, so the appeal was that it’s something I’m very comfortable with, something I’ve done before and something I think I’m probably quite good at,” he adds, matter-of-factly. Continue reading ‘Dragons’ Den: New Dragon James Caan‘ »
Serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist and multi-millionaire, James Caan, is to join the next series of Dragons’ Den to be screened on BBC Two this autumn.
Caan, who lives in both London and Cannes, is founder and CEO of private equity firm Hamilton Bradshaw, through which he has invested millions in both start-ups and mature businesses in sectors ranging from retail and leisure to financial services and technology.
Commenting on his signing to the Den, Caan said: “I’m thrilled to be invited to be in one of the highly coveted ‘Dragon’ positions. In business I make a point of investing in people, as I’m a great believer that it is people who create a success in business through their passion and conviction.”
Caan has been creating, building and selling businesses for over 20 years.
In 1985, he set up the Alexander Mann Group, one of the UK’s leading HR outsourcing companies, and achieved a turnover of £130million before selling it to a private equity firm in 2002. Continue reading ‘James Caan Joins Dragons’ Den‘ »
After convincing the men from BBC’s Dragons’ Den to buy into his very own Reggae Reggae sauce, Levi Roots has now taken things one step further and opened his first restaurant.
Following his appearance on the BBC reality show, Levi found himself shot into the spotlight as major supermarket chains fought to stock his product. It’s great to see a genuine success story emerge from a TV show isn’t it?
The multi-millionaire Dragons are offered the opportunity to invest in more ideas in this week’s final programme of the current series.
They include historical perfumes, a lifestyle magazine for ethnic minorities, a DIY aid for tiling, a machine for giving golfing equipment a wash and brush-up before it leaves the course and a wire-less lighting system. However, will anyone walk away with the investment they need?
Wednesday 14 March
8.00-9.00pm BBC TWO
March 12, 2007 – 11:27 pm
The multi-millionaire Dragons are offered the opportunity to invest in more ideas in this week’s final programme of the current series.
They include historical perfumes, a lifestyle magazine for ethnic minorities, a DIY aid for tiling, a machine for giving golfing equipment a wash and brush-up before it leaves the course and a wire-less lighting system. However, will anyone walk away with the investment they need?
Wednesday 14 March
8.00-9.00pm BBC TWO
February 21, 2007 – 10:17 pm
Roger Hind entered the Dragons Den tonight and I bet he didn’t expect to start a fight.
He was selling his product, the rotamate, a washing line that protects your clothes from the rain, and the birds! Roger was asking for £85,000 for a 15% share in his business. Richard Farleigh declared at an early stage that he would be prepared to offer half the money for about 15% of the business, but when Deborah Meaden offered half the money for 20% of the business Richard changed his mind and decided to ask for the same.
The other Dragons were enraged, Peter Jones and Theo Paphitas even went as far as to advise Roger not to take the deal.
But Roger was desperate for the cash, and the expertise, so he accepted the offer on the table and ended up giving away 40% of his company for £85,000.
February 21, 2007 – 10:09 pm
Denise Hutton entered the Dragons Den tonight along with 4 children from her theatre school, who proceeded to perform the school jingle.
Denise currently owns 4 Razzamataz theatre schools and has franchised out 6 other branches. Denise was asking the Dragons for £50,000 in exchange for 25% of her business.
The Dragons were impressed by Denise’s pitch but were unsure of what she needed the £50,000 for. She first claimed she could use it to lend to potential franchisees, then changed her mind and said she could use it for marketing.
This seemed to scare off Deborah Meaden, Theo Paphitis and Peter Jones, and Richard Farleigh jumped ship because he thought that Razzamataz faced too big a competitor in Stagecoach.
However Duncan Bannantyne waited until the last final moment to reveal that he had in fact invested in Stagecoach and had sold his investment on for quite a large profit. He shockingly failed to haggle with Denise and offered her the full £50,000 for 25% of the business.
Duncan closed the show by saying:
“How could I haggle? It’ll be a fantastic little business”.
