Dragons Den is Getting Worse

[Aspect Investments]

This program is a joke lately. None of the Dragons are brave enough to put their money down. They keep making feeble offers of half the money for a massive stake in the businesses offered. I cant belive these people are giving away their hard work for peanuts.

 

[Menon Enterprises]

i think they are looking for more a full proof plan rather than a idea that was thought of while having a dream

 

[cjd]

It was bulls1t from the start.

The dragons are doing well by it though aren't they? Only yesterday I was offered the fantastic opportunity to adverise in a magazine that one of them is launching as a vehicle for themselves.

Please don't believe that the programme has anything to do with business or investment - it's just a PR opportunity for the dragons.

 

[Lily Moon]

I was happy to see that they were investing in the Indiana Jones of perfumes, David Pybus. Pity he will recreate the last Titanic perfume chemically but it shows there is an interest for going back to old scents...

The guy has had this idea for a while though. I found this article dated April 2004 where they talk about him and the Titanic perfume http://heritage.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=23&id=402922004

This makes me wonder about the 'chance' factor of the choices at the Dragon's Den. As you all say rightly, it is all about PR.

Anyway if you want to know more about this perfume story and others perfumed 'emotions', visit my blog. The latest article is called 'Dragon's Den invest in perfumes': http://lesparfumsisabelle.spaces.live.com/

Isabelle

 

[An Oasis]

David could not sell snow to nomadic wanderers in a desert but he has an idea/concept... which could be capitalised on. However, he was unclear during the filming, as to if he was paid to do his research on company time. If he did the research on his own time I don't see any problem otherwise>>>

 

[Ambika]

That's exactly what i was thinking?! It sounded to me like the chap had been sent on these expeditions and is now biting the hand that fed him.

...But still 40% is a bit much isn't it?

TBH In my opinion, the Dragon's have very quickly become wannabe Simon Cowell's - and that's a pity.

 

[Ellieice]

I think it's PR for all those concerned.
We were recently asked to be Dragon's at a local Buisness College, it was great fun and some of the presentations were of a much higher standard than ones I've seen on TV!
Collectively, us dragons picked a winning team, who will go forward to the next stage of the competition. The final is front of the real Dragons on TV! I must say their concept (which unfortunately, I can't tell you about) was fantastic and the college are already discussing helping to fund it !

Now I'm well hooked

Ellie

 

[CarolineICE]

I think it's PR for all those concerned.
We were recently asked to be Dragon's at a local Buisness College, it was great fun and some of the presentations were of a much higher standard than ones I've seen on TV!
Collectively, us dragons picked a winning team, who will go forward to the next stage of the competition. The final is front of the real Dragons on TV! I must say their concept (which unfortunately, I can't tell you about) was fantastic and the college are already discussing helping to fund it !

Now I'm well hooked

Ellie

Yes Elllie (radio pants)

I think local colleges and businesses should pick up on this. The experience we had was amazing. I think I am right in saying we were blown away by the talent and standard of the presentations. What they need though is the expertise on forums like this to take their ideas forward without exploiting them. (which I know wouldn't happen)

Anyone here in the West Midlands?

Caroline

 

It makes good TV at the end of the day. Not exactly your first choice when you want to borrow money.

Imagine if you went into Barclays, asked for a lone and got the Dragans Den style responce.

I would guess some have !!!!

 

[BeautyScientist]

Its great telly, but I think that there must be better ways of raising cash than giving away a huge chunk of your business.

 

If someone filmed 40 minutes of a bank managers office few would watch.

Its the X factor effect, we all seem to love people been slagged off and put down.... Rightly or wrongly.

 

And as evidence I submit the big idea. Dragens den but only showing the ideas that went to stage two, not nearly as entertaining.

 

[Magsite]

I still like Dragons Den, I'd love to hear how they get on afterwards. I'm told only 2 have actually proceeded, something to do with the figures mentioned during the sales pitch being inaccurate

 

It annoys me intensely that most of the dragons presume to
"pronounce" on the viability of new ideas, when with only one exception, they have never had a new idea in their heads.

Almost all of their money was made in refining standard business models - not in pushing boundaries of anything!

You can tell from hearing them talk that they have never been involved in the process of innovation at all - and it is a tough world they know little about.

I used to enjoy listening to doug richard: at least he had walked the walk, and knew the score.

That said.

I bumped into PJ at the business start up exhibition before anyone realised who he was, or that he was there. Really nice bloke he is to talk to!
( if you dont mind craning your neck, he is about 9 ft tall) So I got talking about a couple of ideas
and he said "you have got to pitch for tycoon"

I was exhibiting so they made a 1 minute spot in the queue, just for me, and 60 secs later he said you are through to the next round!!!!

Trouble is . I have no idea how tycoon works, I never intended to enter - so what have I let myself in for?

Any ideas how it works?

 

[Exclusively You!]

Its great telly, but I think that there must be better ways of raising cash than giving away a huge chunk of your business.

I agree with the great telly part, there is a few ways you could look at why people go on Dragon's Den.

One way you could look at it is why have 100% of a business going nowhere compared to 60% of a business that with one or a few of the dragons help could be massive.

Two, most of the other ways of raising cash are extremely difficult and lets face it the majority of the people who go on DD wouldn't do it if they could generate the money easily eslewhere. That is discounting the clever ones who go on there simply for their 15 mins national advertising for their business (Just like Ling!) which is definately worth doing in my books.

Three, although the dragons do really take advantage of these people in my opinion the show does actually have a good stepping stone factor involved as we all know a lot of the people who do not get the money from the dragon's and who are completely slated sometimes come out of it a lot better than others.

Just my thoughts on it.


Regards

Craig

 

[BeautyScientist]

Yes all good points Craig, though if your motivation is free advertising I think it might be a bit of pot luck. I know one person who went on the Den and was on screen for less than 2 seconds.

 

[bwglaw]

Having read Duncan Bannatyne's autobiography in one weekend it gave me a better insight in how he operates as well as what actually happens behind the scenes on Dragon's Den.

We have to appreciate that many pitches on Dragons Den is delivered in a space of 2-3 mins with preliminary questions in another 2-3 mins. In real life, no-one will part with £100,000 based on information given in a total of 4-6 mins.

Ducan said in his autobiography that his offers are initial offers and such offers would be subject to further investigation i.e. due diligence. He also said that some of the pitches were exaggerated and the true picture was discovered upon further examination of the proposal put to them.

Jonathan

 

[Mr. Mu]

I disagree... a bit ;-) There's quite a bit to be learned about the underlying mechanics of business if you get PAST the surface slaggings. There are FAR better ways of funding a business, I'm sure - but few better ways of getting as much PR.

 

[stugster]

I stopped watching when what's his name stuck his fist through the door of that guy's model for secure locks. It was blatently a bad mock-up, and he told him this, but he still went on to punch it open - what good did that do anyone? Boring!

 

[stugster]

Also, the only real benefit of DD now is the advertising you get from it. Whatever happened to Ling!? Is she still active on these forums?

 

[Pilfo]

Anyone else come across this interesting alternative?

Fox's Lair!

According to their website, the Isle of Man is encouraging people to forget the Dragons' and go Into the Foxes' Den:

Enterprises To Compete For Access to £Millions In Funding

ISLE OF MAN, British Isles, 18 October 2006 –Companies in the Isle of Man and around the UK are invited to enter the Foxes’ Lair to compete for funding from the UK’s leading sources of investment, it was announced today. The competition, loosely based on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den, will see up to two dozen finalists vying to find funding for their businesses.

“The Dragons are famous for offering up around a £100,000 to budding entrepreneurs, but we’re upping the ante; we’re ready to introduce some serious money into some serious enterprises,” said Fox Capital Director Justin Martin. “Our focus is on expansion stage companies that are looking for up to £25 million in funding to take their businesses to the next level.”

The Fox’s Lair is open to privately-held companies of any size; profitability is not necessarily a requirement. Roy Tilleard, Director at Fox Capital explained; “Companies that have strong turnover growth and a healthy margin, but may lack the resources necessary to fully capitalise on market opportunities, are ideal candidates for the Fox’s Lair"

Pilfo

 

[Pilfo]

In actual fact, I spoke with Justin Martin (he 'phoned me) on Friday, as Fox's Lair is being held in Liverpool at the end of this month.

He was extremely interested in my product and what I had to say, and has encouraged me to apply.

What say you? Should I proceed with caution etc?

Pilfo

 

[cjd]

If this is TV it's all about them not you.

If you have what they say they want, "Companies that have strong turnover growth and a healthy margin" you'll find any number of VCs interested in you. I'd avoid it like the plague unless you do it cynically with your company's PR benefit in mind.

 

[Pilfo]

Unlike Dragon's Den, it isn't being televised.

Pilfo