Toggle sidebar

Dragons' Den "Outside the Den" BBC2

Sort by date Sort by votes
I loved the first episode of this show. What strikes me about certain of the dragons is quite simply what decent folk they are. I know there are sharks in business, but I've always suspected they mainly swam around the city and stock market. People like Theo and Duncan Bannatyne (and, naturellement, Richard Farleigh) just seem like good, honest, down to earth folk to me.

Actually I've just posted a blog article on my personal blog entitled Duncan Bannatyne's Anyone Can Do It and the "p" in business, inspired partly by someone on this forum banging on about how the main thing in business was profit. And I don't agree. I think the main thing in business is passion, and the passion leads to the profit.

What comes across most clearly when I see people like Richard Branson and the aforementioned dragons on tele, is their passion, not a hunger and greed for profit or money. Just listen to how they talk about their million quid villas, they refer to them as perks and treats; by-products. Because that's exactly what they are. It is the passion which is at the heart of their businesses and the million quid toys are really just a trinket bonus.

I get that way of thinking, entirely.
 
Upvote 0
I agree he appears nice in front of the camera but I am sure after 10 years in the football arena, Theo is not all sweetness and light:eek:

Same goes for Duncan, selling ice cream in (sunny) Scotland, must have been hard at best:eek:

I bet both are hard as nails behind closed doors:eek:

JMHO:p
 
Upvote 0
Matt1959 said:
we have a local Rymans and its a very underwhelming store with lack lustre staff which I find surprising given the owners attention to detail:)
Click to expand...

I'd agree with that 100%, hey he obviously does make money from it but our local one never seems that busy and price wise they just cant compete with viking or staples.
 
Upvote 0
Was James Canns wife's business a success, mediocre or failure???

How about, starting his wifes business with 3 x gold credit cards (10k each) good or bad??

Same format as last week, promotion of his den investments and little detail about how (from the VERY beginning) he built his millions.....:rolleyes:
 
Upvote 0
Dave.F said:
I bet both are hard as nails behind closed doors:eek:
Click to expand...

I think the best way for you to get an accurate picture would be to buy Anyone Can Do It and read it. At one point Duncan is prepared to chuck away the flotation deal, worth 20 odd million, on a point of principle, because his broker added on twelve and a half grand to his bill for "expenses" saying that this was "usual practice."

If Duncan were a hard, greedy man he may well have shrugged his shoulders and accepted that he was swimming with sharks. But he didn't. He was prepared to chuck away a fortune on a point of principle and honesty. That doesn't make him hard as nails, it makes him a decent person who's prepared to stand by his principles.

He also admits on several occasions to crying. On one, he describes weeping into his pillow at night after having witnessed the living conditions of children in Romanian orphanages, children he was trying to help with funding. Men who are "hard as nails" don't admit to crying, never mind bothering to go and actually visit children living in terrible conditions abroad and then trying to make their lives better.

It is quite obvious when you read the book that Duncan is a decent, genuine person. All human beings have faults and he doesn't try to disguise the areas where he's gone wrong, but overall, he strikes me as a very good, and honest man.

Just because you are poor and humble does not make you inherently a good person. Just because you've worked hard and are now rich does not make you an inherently bad person.
 
Upvote 0
Just watched the Deborah Meaden one on BBCi. Really heartwarming. I love the fact she met her husband whilst they both worked packing boxes in a Bingo storeroom, and they've been together 28 years or something. Although the personal assistant seemed like a lovely girl, I don't know whether I'd want anyone else choosing my clothes. Although that red satin jacket Deborah was wearing at one of the award nights was absolutely gorgeous. Lovely woman.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
I really love these programmes, but i feel that the Investments bit should be on a "DD - What happened next?"

I wish it went into more detail for the hour. Quick start on life and family, into when starting in business and jobs leading up, the struggle and the bits throughout etc.
 
Upvote 0
Thought I would remind anyone interested, Dragons Den Stories is on BBC2 tonight (Sunday) at 2100, Peter Jones is tonight's dragon I believe.
 
  • Like
Reactions: neildigital
Upvote 0
They saved the best till last (next week!)

Peters house looks amazing though! Working till 9 so ive Sky+'d it!
 
Upvote 0
I thought he came across really well. very inspiring story! Anyway, whats with these Maybachs both he and Theo have one of these cars - whats so special about them??
 
Upvote 0
The bit I always find interesting in these programmes, is that to make it really big, it seems you have to experience quite catastrophic business failure first. Peter Jones made his fortune from scratch in just 8 years after losing everything in his early thirties.
 
Upvote 0
Another Great Story, cant wait for the Duncan story next week. Looks a bit sad as i forgot about everything with his sister from the first book. Cant wait see a little of old time Clydebank too haha!
 
Upvote 0
I like the fact that he was very strict on dress code when entering the dragons den.You wouldn't go for an interview in jeans/T shirt/open neck shirt without a tie.Dress for business looks to be his way.Those valuable first 5 seconds or so makes all the difference.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
What the heck did you encourage me to watch that rubbish for?
Why cant we just have programs without the back stories and add ons. It apears you cant sing a song on TV, dance or even eat grubs, run a company or walk from A to B without having tears bought to your eyes by the memory of your dear departed mum, left leg, lousey school or some orphan you met. They should know better.

What is the point of having wads of cash and then having to deal with being driven about while pretending to read wads of paper while half a dozen idiots with cameras pretend they are not there? Dignity out the window...but ego massaged. Sad.
 
Upvote 0
Moneyman said:
What the heck did you encourage me to watch that rubbish for?
Why cant we just have programs without the back stories and add ons. It apears you cant sing a song on TV, dance or even eat grubs, run a company or walk from A to B without having tears bought to your eyes by the memory of your dear departed mum, left leg, lousey school or some orphan you met. They should know better.

What is the point of having wads of cash and then having to deal with being driven about while pretending to read wads of paper while half a dozen idiots with cameras pretend they are not there? Dignity out the window...but ego massaged. Sad.
Click to expand...

My TV has a remote control. It is great. If there is something crap on one channel I can push a button on my remote and like magic my TV switches to another channel. If I do this several times and do not find anything worth watching it also has an on/off button. I don't even have to get out of my chair. I just press the red on/off button and the TV goes off. Now how cool is that.
 
Upvote 0
Can anyone Quote this and help me out!

What does Phones International do? I never get it :( haha!! Dumb.
 
Upvote 0
This is how he started... he gets the phones from the manufacturer, he boxes them up in the correct boxes with the correct numbers and supplies them to the phone companies.

Or something like that.
 
Upvote 0
I would not have watched for more than ten minutes ,(I only actually watch tv once or twice per week when i can be bothered to turn it on). but when it is recommended and about business i try to watch. OOOh was i wrong.

Dragons den is quite good and sort of sums up what i do all day. BUT even the news cant do a story on the car industry and its traumas without digging out the lone parent with three children dying of something. I am not hard hearted, but sometimes i would rather like information in a factual form even at the expence of lovely little heart tugging bits of fluff.
 
Upvote 0
Moneyman said:
I would not have watched for more than ten minutes ,(I only actually watch tv once or twice per week when i can be bothered to turn it on). but when it is recommended and about business i try to watch. OOOh was i wrong.

Dragons den is quite good and sort of sums up what i do all day. BUT even the news cant do a story on the car industry and its traumas without digging out the lone parent with three children dying of something. I am not hard hearted, but sometimes i would rather like information in a factual form even at the expence of lovely little heart tugging bits of fluff.
Click to expand...

Have to agree after looking foreward to the Peter Jones story ,very disappointed to find a wet kipper flogging mobiles was all there was.

No wonder he wears those socks,most people have there personality in there head.:D

He made Alistair Darling look interesting.

Earl
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Articles

Top Bottom
Back