Dragons Den Investments

Edwood_Woodwood

Dr._Shoe wrote: »

I have a friend who is an extremely clever man and has dozens of patents was actually invited to go on Dragons' Den. He declined.

One has to apply to pitch, not invited.

wary

Glen_Clark wrote: »

Interesting link Thank You. I heard there was a falling out between Bannatyne & Caan, and I think that explains it.

No, I believe it resulted from DB claiming that the tax advantage afforded to JC due to his non-domicile status is unfair, putting business owners like himself at a distinct disadvantage when competing with businesses owned by non-doms. JC responded by accusing him of being a racist.

prosaver

Thrugelmir wrote: »

There's many rich people with six figure sums to invest that are searching for the next Google or Facebook. The diamonds are far and few between.

Often the best ideas are the simplest. One of the most profitable I recall. Was a husband and wife that bought up the rights to copy and manufacture remote controllers for defunct video players and TV's etc.

and now you see them in pound land

The_Earl_of_Streatham

The article's a year old but Management Today takes a dim view of the show.

It's a television show, it's purpose is to get an audience. The people who benefit most are the ones on it every week, otherwise obscure business people who become household names.

mgarl10024

I find the presentation of it irritating.

Entrepreneur: "Hi, I'd like £50,000 for a 10% share"
Evan Davies: "He would like £50,000 for a 10% share".
Dragon1: "I'll give you £25,000 for a 20% share"
Evan Davies: "Dragon1 has just offered half the money, that's £25,000, for double the equity at 20%."
Dragon2: "I'll offer £50,000 for a 40% share"
Evan Davies: "Dragon2 has offered the whole amount, but for 40%. That's four times as much".

I end up screaming at the telly - "I just chuffing heard that, Evan!" or "I can work that out for myself, Evan!".

wary

As a matter of interest, has anyone ever bought anything or used a service as a direct result of seeing it on DD?

We bought a couple of bottles of Reggae Reggae sauce when it first came out and also some tubs of Worthenshaw's healthy ice cream. Shame they no longer sell the latter at my local supermarkets as I do like it and would buy more. Our main purchase has been Truecall, and I have to say that it has been well worth the money.

bowlhead99

I use hungryhouse.co.uk on occasion (which was featured but didn't get an investment in the Den). Although more often I use their rival justeat.co.uk - partly out of shareholder loyalty, as I bought in after they IPO'd and the froth had come out of the share price. The value growth since has paid for a year's worth of home delivery meals!

I've also been to a branch of 'Wrap it Up' a few times - another one that didn't get funding. The food's fine but nothing super memorable.

And I've also successfully used Minicabit - another one that didn't get funding.

But I didn't actually use any of these because of them being on DD.

puk999

Rachel Elnaugh (from series 1 and 2) whose Red Letter Days business famously failed is now peddling Feng Shui and metaphysics it seems http://rachelelnaugh.com/

Snake oil anyone?

Glen_Clark

puk999 wrote: »

Rachel Elnaugh (from series 1 and 2) whose Red Letter Days business famously failed is now peddling Feng Shui and metaphysics it seems http://rachelelnaugh.com/

Snake oil anyone?

I read Duncan Bannatyne's book 'Anyone Can Do It' which is interesting, but about 8 years old.
Apparently Elnaugh annoyed the other Dragons by always waiting to hear what everyone else had to say before declaring herself out, so they played a few tricks on her. Bannatyne had a bit of a falling out with her too, because she had failed to pay for an item of personalized jewellry she ordered, saying it 'wasn't very good' - even though she had worn it for a photoshoot. Elnaugh eventually paid up under threat of court action.

Glen_Clark

wary wrote: »

Worthenshaw's healthy ice cream.

Is there really such a thing as 'healthy ice cream'?

The ingredients might conform to the latest fad. I understood it just omitted some things a few people might be allergic to?
But it was expensive in a very competitive market, and didn't sell in enough quantity for the supermarkets to stock it