Dragons' Den 2015 / Series 13

[Frutos]

Bets on for Right Said Fred here then...?

I think your previous comment about the last pitch of the show getting investment may well be right on the money.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I think your previous comment about the last pitch of the show getting investment may well be right on the money.

As always, Meaden grabs them by the balls and squeezes. Metaphorically at least.

 

[Frutos]

Another one playing the emotion card...is this Dragons Den or X Factor?

 

[Bozza]

Sympathy case.

 

[Frutos]

Perfect prediction Mystic Edna.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Another one playing the emotion card...is this Dragons Den or X Factor?

I like him though. He seems pretty sincere.

Good pitch. Winner.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Sympathy case.

But it is one of those gym fad things that they'll easily be able to market, so I can see why they decided to go for it.

 

[Bozza]

That was like some sort of cliched comedy over-emotional character.

(Good luck to him though)

Hang on - why have they just shown someone getting an offer in the preview for next week?

 

[Stat Brother]

I've just answered that question myself by switching BBC2 on

Glad Bannatyne's gone, the miserable old sod. Quite like Deborah Meaden, even though she rarely forks out any cash. Apart from just now, obviously

Have you seen Deborah Meaden's episode of Successville, the BBC3 comedy loosely based on those murder mystery board games.
She's unintentionally very funny because she's so serious and desperate to get it right.

 

[Willy Dangle]

I have a great idea that would do well on here.

Buy a really good item from Spain for 2mil, flog it 1yr later for 8mil . Pocket the cash.....boomshanka watch my business plummet

 

[Mo Gosfield]

This one doesn't know her numbers...fatal error.

It never ceases to amaze me how many appear on this show without a grasp of ' their numbers ' It makes you wonder if it is a put-up job like the Apprentice...i.e...forget some of the ' totally-in control ' boring types and lets have some good television with plenty of emotion or arrogance.
How can you pluck figures out of the air about a business? Its better to honest, with accurate figures and let the potential investor make their own mind up.

 

[poidy]

Hopefully that's the last I'll see of Piers Linney on my TV screen now then. Tighter than a badgers arse, zero charisma and an absolute bell end.

 

[banjo]

I like Theo's Grandad.

 

[Nibble]

How are Ham Fatter doing?

 

[Simster]

That one asking for £1m for 5% of his business was hilario. "It's an option".

Business valuation £20m, last year's turnover just £375k.

In fairness, I know the new dragon didn't like that, but I've always wondered why you'd go to dragon's den if you haven't already been to a venture capitalist. I'd have thought dragons den really was last chance saloon. And it doesn't replicate the real world either, in so far as if you have a really good idea, you might hawk it to several venture capitalists, but you wouldn't let competing investors actually KNOW what the others are offering. The show seems flawed in that sense.

 

[surrey jim]

That one asking for £1m for 5% of his business was hilario. "It's an option".

Business valuation £20m, last year's turnover just £375k.

In fairness, I know the new dragon didn't like that, but I've always wondered why you'd go to dragon's den if you haven't already been to a venture capitalist. I'd have thought dragons den really was last chance saloon. And it doesn't replicate the real world either, in so far as if you have a really good idea, you might hawk it to several venture capitalists, but you wouldn't let competing investors actually KNOW what the others are offering. The show seems flawed in that sense.

To my mind, many go on the show to increase exposure and market their product. To name a few products that appeared on there, were rejected/ the dragons chose not to invest and they have gone from success to success after

Tangle teezer
Lings cars
Blooming high planters
Reggae Sauce (actually did Peter Jones invest in this?)
and those are the ones I can think of easily.

 

[Simster]

To my mind, many go on the show to increase exposure and market their product. To name a few products that appeared on there, were rejected/ the dragons chose not to invest and they have gone from success to success after

Tangle teezer
Lings cars
Blooming high planters
Reggae Sauce (actually did Peter Jones invest in this?)
and those are the ones I can think of easily.

And that ride-on suitcase for kids

 

[Goldstone1976]

In fairness, I know the new dragon didn't like that, but I've always wondered why you'd go to dragon's den if you haven't already been to a venture capitalist. I'd have thought dragons den really was last chance saloon. And it doesn't replicate the real world either, in so far as if you have a really good idea, you might hawk it to several venture capitalists, but you wouldn't let competing investors actually KNOW what the others are offering. The show seems flawed in that sense.

The level of investment the entrepreneurs are typically looking for on DD is more suitable to that provided by Angels, rather than VCs. Most would do better approaching their local Angel Network - valuations would typically be higher too. There are a LOT of flaws in the DD format, but it does at least show the bare basics of what an entrepreneur is expected to be able to articulate in a pitch.

Many times an offer made on DD doesn't actually result in cash changing hands as the Dragon finds negative stuff out during the following due diligence process that wasn't mentioned during the pitch or was brushed aside.
[MENTION=3720]surrey jim[/MENTION] 's point about free advertising is a key advantage of DD. However, I get the feeling that many business owners on there actually need the money too.

 

[Bold Seagull]

The level of investment the entrepreneurs are typically looking for on DD is more suitable to that provided by Angels, rather than VCs. Most would do better approaching their local Angel Network - valuations would typically be higher too. There are a LOT of flaws in the DD format, but it does at least show the bare basics of what an entrepreneur is expected to be able to articulate in a pitch.

Many times an offer made on DD doesn't actually result in cash changing hands as the Dragon finds negative stuff out during the following due diligence process that wasn't mentioned during the pitch or was brushed aside.
[MENTION=3720]surrey jim[/MENTION] 's point about free advertising is a key advantage of DD. However, I get the feeling that many business owners on there actually need the money too.

I think you're right, they would get much better deals elsewhere, but it's not just advertising, whenDuncan went in on the cable ties rapstrap that could be reused with no waste, it was one phone call to a string of massive suppliers, and that product was available from every technology retailer on the internet. Represents incredible value in what would be a massively difficult sell to suppliers without that endorsement. Same for the Reggae Sauce, Levi is struggling to get anyone to look at that, bit of branding work, phone call from Peter Jones to his supermarket contacts and it is nationwide at the drop of a hat. Doesn't work for everyone, but you can see the value of giving away 30 or even 50% of your business if your turnover skyrockets.

 

[Goldstone1976]

I think you're right, they would get much better deals elsewhere, but it's not just advertising, whenDuncan went in on the cable ties rapstrap that could be reused with no waste, it was one phone call to a string of massive suppliers, and that product was available from every technology retailer on the internet. Represents incredible value in what would be a massively difficult sell to suppliers without that endorsement. Same for the Reggie Sauce, Levi is struggling to get anyone to look at that, bit of branding work, phone call from Peter Jones to his supermarket contacts and it is nationwide at the drop of a hat. Doesn't work for everyone, but you can see the value of giving away 30 or even 50% of your business if your turnover skyrockets.

Yep, those two are valid examples of where having a great, relevant contact can help enormously, and can even possibly justify a lower valuation. I'd change your "Doesn't work for everyone..." to "Doesn't work for very many....", but your basic point is bang on the money for those for whom it does work.