Dragon Slayers

The 10 Dragon’s Den rejects who defied the experts with their million dollar ideas

Dragon's Den returns to our screens this Sunday, but these entrepreneurs prove the Dragons aren't always right...

CAST your mind back to 2007, it was just another Dragon’s Den episode that was almost too awkward to watch.

Shaun Pulfrey, a stuttering clumsy hairdresser pitches his hairbrush business.

Shaun’s weak pitch failed to convince the Dragons but his tangle teaser business is now worth hundreds of millions

The cringeworthy pitch includes a wobbling plastic head, a snapped comb and, unsurprisingly, no offers.

Back to the present day, and you can ask any woman that best way to get rid of the post-shower matted mop: Shaun Pulfrey’s Tangle Teezer. This week, Shaun sits on a £200m sale of the business. And he isn’t the only Den reject to prove the Dragons wrong…

#1 James Nash’s Cup-a-Wine

James Nash unsuccessfully pitched his wine in a cup idea to the Dragons

You know those little cups of wine that you pick up in M&S before your train journey on a Friday evening?

Yep, those little plastic cups of heaven were rejected by the Den in 2009.

In fact, Bannatyne chimed: “People do not want to buy wine glasses like that.”

James later struck a deal with M&S who agreed there was a market for his idea

Actually, Duncan, you’re wrong. We do.

After Nash struck a deal with M&S in 2012 to launch the M&S Le Froglet for their Food on the Move section, commuting has never been the same.

#2 The Thuillier brothers’ Oppo Ice Cream

Harry and Charlie Thuillier’s luxury ice cream brand didn’t tempt any offers from the Dragons

Harry and Charlie Thuillier graced our TV screens on Dragon’s Den earlier this year, asking the Dragon’s for a £60,000 investment in their healthy luxury dairy ice cream business.

Nick Jenkins claimed: “The reward doesn’t justify the risk.”

The brothers’ Oppo ice cream is now sold in more than 1,300 stores

After a series of crowdfunding attempts, the company now has 538 investors (including none other than Andy Murray), is backed by Richard Branson and is sold in over 1,300 stores including Co-op, Waitrose, Budgens and Holland & Barrett – pretty cool huh?!

#3 Natalie Ellis’s Road Refresher Dog Bowl

When Natalie Ellis came to the Dragons for help to export her business to the American market, they weren’t interested

Car journeys with cute pups have been made so much easier since Natalie Ellis launched the no-spill dog bowl.

When Natalie realised the huge untapped US market for this, she asked the Dragon’s for £120,000 to export her business to the states.

James Caan’s response? “America is the graveyard of British business.”

Road Refresher’s annual turnover is now into the millions and even the US president has one for his pooch

In 2010, Road Refresher made its first £1m profit and even Obama has one for little Bo.

You missed a trick on that one, Mr Caan.

#4 Rachel Lowe’s Destination London Board Game

Dave
Amy Lowe’s ill-prepared speech failed to entice an offer from the Dragons

When Rachel Lowe went into the Den with her London cabbie based board game and a deal with Hamley’s already under her belt, her poor grasp on figures led to her getting booted out by the Dragons.

Rachel Elnaugh stated: “It doesn’t seem like you’ve prepared very well to come in front of us today.”

REX/Shutterstock
Rachel’s board game was Hamley’s best-seller in 2004

That didn’t stop Destination London from being Hamley’s best-selling game in 2004 (outselling Monopoly, might we add) and launching 21 different versions of the game including a deal with Disney’s Pixar.

#5 David and Sarah Glashan’s The Itsa Bag/Towel

www.theitsa.com
Although all four Dragons refused to invest in the Itsa product, it went on to win the Double Gold Award at the British Invention Show and is now sold worldwide

Husband and wife, David and Sarah Glashan asked the Dragon’s for £250,000 in return for 20% equity in The Itsa – a kind of beach bag that you unravel to lay on your beach lounger and put all of your bits in the secret pockets.

After all four dragons gave it the thumbs down, The Itsa went on to win the Double Gold Award at the British Invention Show and made £380,000 within two years. Now, worldwide sales figures rank in the hundreds of thousands.

Those Dragon’s don’t know a good thing when they see it!

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#6 Guy Jeremiah’s Aquatina Water Bottle

The Dragons thought Guy Jeremiah’s collapsable water bottle idea was preposterous

“It’s a terrible invention, it’s really made me angry…it’s ridiculous and it’s ludicrous” – the words of Duncan Bannatyne ring clear in our ears after Guy Jeremiah tried to sell 10% of his collapsible water bottle business, Aquatina, to the Dragons.

M&S, however, beg to differ.

After striking a deal with M&S, Guy’s Aquatina water bottle is now being sold worldwide

Guy signed a distribution deal with the supermarket in 2015 and Aquatina is now being sold in 15 other countries.

Now there’s reason to be angry, Duncan.

#7 Dan Cluderay and Andy Needham’s Approved Food

The Dragons didn’t buy into Dan Cluderay and Andy Needham’s idea of selling food past its best before date for cheap

Selling good food that is past its Best Before for a huge discount, why didn’t we think of this?!

But the Dragon’s didn’t want to touch it.

Richard Walker/Image North
Last year, Approved Foods made a £4m turnover

Ex market traders Dan Cluderay and Andy Needham went on to launch Approved Food as an online retailer and came as runners up in the 2015 Virgin Media Pitch to Rich competition, landing them a £100,000 marketing campaign.

That same year they made a £4m turnover and received more than 3,000 orders a week.

#8 Nikki Frith and Lindsey Oldroyd’s Granny Cool Marmalade

Nikki Frith and Linsey Oldroyd were told by the Dragons that their marmalade business would never be stocked nationally, let alone internationally

Peter Jones told Nikki Frith and Linsey Oldroyd that their quaint marmalade business ‘will only ever be regional’.

How wrong you were Mr. Jones.

Granny Cool Marmalade is now stocked internationally and is available to buy in Sainsbury’s – take that!

#9 Rob Law’s Trunki Suitcase

Rob Law’s Dragon’s Den pitch exposed some design flaws

Last but not least, we face the Trunki.

When Theo Paphitis pulled off the strap of one of Rob Law’s plastic children’s travel trunks he exclaimed, “You shouldn’t come here with problems that can be solved…it drives me mad that we waste our time with these things.”

Rob turned down a bad offer from Richard Farleigh and his business was valued at £13m in 2013

Despite Rob offering 10% of Trunki for £100,000, Richard Farleigh stated he wanted half for the same amount.

Rob (rightfully as it turns out) declined Farleigh’s offer and walked out with nothing.

Trunki was valued at £13m in 2013. Looks like you lost out on that one, Theo.

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