appearing on the bbc dragons den tv programme and …...experienced heavyweight dragons. •identify...

Slaying The Dragons

Appearing On The BBC

Dragons Den TV Programme

And Pitching For

£250,00 Investment

By Dr. Mark D. Yates

Tel: UK 0151 645 9180

E: [email protected]©2010 Dr. Mark D. Yates. [email protected] 1

Dragons Den: Should I – Or Shouldn’t I

• This is a huge business decision which I suggest requires a

lot of detailed thinking.

• A successful appearance can bring in the required

investment & bring added value to your business.

• However, if you screw up, it can have a devastating effect

on you & your business.

• In some cases it can even destroy your business.

©2010 Dr. Mark D. Yates. [email protected]

Dispelling The Myth Of The BBC’s Dragons Den

• Most people enter the Dragons Den thinking it is

a TV programme about granting aspiring business

owners a financial investment.

• To a great extent this is a myth.

• In reality the Dragons Den is a hugely successful

TV entertainment programme.

• Key word being, ‘ENTERTAINMENT.’


Dragons Den Application – The Process

• Apply online & complete a detailed application

form.

• You are informed that only those applicants

considered good enough for appearance will be

contacted.

• If your application form is poor, then you won’t

hear anything from the BBC.


What They Want From You

• They want you to provide great TV entertainment. Approx’ 90% of successful applicants fail to get investment.

• A viable business seeking investment.

• A robust business plan.

• Business already trading.

• Real reasons why you require investment from the Dragons.

• Great potential return on investment.

• Credible background.

• Passion & enthusiasm.

• 3 minute business pitch to TV camera.

• 1 minute audition plea pitch to TV camera.

• 1 to 2 minute TV entertainment audition for BBC Directors.


Murphy’s Law What Can Go Wrong, Can Go Wrong

• Forget everything the Dragons Den researcher has asked you to produce for your polished pitch & Interview.

• My expected 20 minute filmed interview, stretched to 1 hour 20 minutes.

• You have to deliver 3 different pitches live to camera & they have to be given in one continuous take.

• I was questioned/interrogated on camera for about 30 minutes.

• No props, prompts, scripts, charts, index memory cards or assistance from the TV crew is allowed. It’s sink or swim time.

• It was designed to throw you off guard & take you way out of your comfort zone.

• It’s clearly a great tactic for getting rid of applicants who won’t provide great positive & negative TV entertainment.

• I would imagine a lot of applicants fail themselves & walk away.


Suggested Pre-appearance Strategy Action Plan

• Plan your attack against the Dragons.

• Train for an unfair fight, i.e. You alone against 5 experienced heavyweight Dragons.

• Identify which Dragons you really want to invest in you.

• Conduct in-depth research into these Dragons to identify what turns them on to invest in aspiring entrepreneurs.

• Condense & compile a 1 page profile assessment on each Dragon.

• Study previous episodes of the Dragons Den.

• Plan your pitch.

• Anticipate any left field questions.

© Mark D. Yates. [email protected]

All Or Nothing

The rules of the Dragons Den are simple.

• You must secure the total amount of investment you have pitched for, (in my case £250,000) or you fail and receive nothing.


Know Your Enemies• Appearance on the Dragon’s Den is a one shot deal. You

have to beat thousands of other applicants to appear.

• If successful you have to give it your best shot. I treated it like one of my extremely high risk missions.

• This means I had to really get to know my enemies the Dragons.

• I researched, read & then wrote 6 x 1,500 word SEO articles about the Dragons & their TV show.


Dragons Den

My 3 Minute Business

Presentation Pitch To

The BBC Dragons

©2010 Dr. Mark D. Yates. [email protected] 10

Investment Overview

Hi my name is Dr. Mark D. Yates. I’m the MD of

www.asecurityonestopshop.com.

I. I’m looking for £250,000 in Investment to increase sales, marketing, advertising, foreign translation, staff & to improve our web site.

II. 20% equity on offer.

III. 3 to 5 year Investor exit planned.

IV. I’ve Invested 12 months unpaid & £84,000 of my own money to prove this business viability.


The Business Model & How The Business Works

• We Are An Online Brokerage: Selling 56,000 security products from 55 Blue Chip manufacturers & distributors. We don’t buy, hold or ship any products.

• Payments: We are always paid up front.

• Revenue Generation: 20% average mark up.

• Customers: Business, home & vehicle owners & parents.

• Sales: Over 1,000 sales of approx’ £150k during a test & evaluation phase. Nat’ Health, B&Q, Military, Police, Shell etc, in 10 Countries.


The Business www.asecurityonestopshop.com (ASOSS)


Solving a Business Problem:

• Servicing an immature online market in a growth sector.

USP :

• UK’s largest e-tailer of 56,000 security products.

• Cheapest prices with a price beater promise.

Why Invest In It:

• Proven recession proof, & growth industry sector.

• No start up capital required.

• No feasibility capital required.

• Business is already trading.

• Technophobe friendly Investment.

Background & History:• 20 plus years, 43 countries, British American Security Expert.

Apprentice

Soldier - Special Forces Instructor

Professional Bodyguard

Counter Terrorist Operative –al Qaeda Trial

Spook Intelligence Operations

Security Trainer

CEO USA Corporation 5 ½ years

Doctorate & 3 other University Degrees - Security Management

Business Consultant-Interim Man’-Director

Company 1: £3.2M increase turnover year 1.

Company 2: 237 per cent turnover increase year 1.


Projected Revenue


Base Case Trading Net Profit

Year 1: 0%

Year 2: 6%

Year 3: 9.1%

Year 4: 16%

Year 5: 20%

• Year 1: £1.6 M

• Year 2: £2.9M

• Year 3: £3.6M

• Year 4: £5.4M

• Year 5: £8.1M

5 year Investment = A return of approx’ 5 times initial investment

Summary

• £250,000 required

• 20% equity on offer

• 3 to 5 year exit planned

©2010 Dr. Mark D. Yates. [email protected] Tel: UK 0151 647 715316

mailto:[email protected]

Slaying The BBC Dragons

• My primary plan was to try & entice Peter Jones

and/or Deborah Meaden to invest.

• Theo Paphitis, Duncan Bannatyne & James Caan

are all self confessed technophobes, so they

where unlikely investors.

• My main objective was to learn & have fun.


Dragon’s Den Time Frame

• From sending in my original application form to appearing on the show was approximately 20 weeks.

• Would I recommend it to others?

• As a business experience which takes you out of your comfort zone, YES.

• From gaining an investment perspective, I’m not so sure. There are other options.


My Dragons Den Advice• Download the application form, read & digest it.

• Think long & hard about should you, or shouldn’t you apply.

I planned my strategy around the following 13 stages.Stage 1: Formulate a ‘Plan of Attack’, but never disclose it until after the show.

Stage 2: Ensure all your business documentation is in great order & ready to be sent off.

Stage 3: Write out a compelling application form to entice a call from the researchers.

Stage 4: Deliver a dynamic Tel’ Interview to bait the researcher.

Stage 5: Present all your documentation immediately when asked.

Stage 6: Practice your pitch on conservative business associates.

Stage 7: Be smartly dressed & well mannered.

Stage 8: Confirm your entertainment factor on your TV camera Interview.

Stage 9: Deliver a memorable WOW factor to your researcher, as he or she has to recommend only one or two participants from hundreds.

Stage 10: Practice & torture test your pitch to business associates. Have them throw you verbal problems & learn how to overcome them.

Stage 11: Believe in yourself & your business , & visualise it’s success.

Stage 12: Set out to Slay the Dragons with an impeccable pitch.

Stage13: Enjoy the entire process, whether successful or not.


Mark D. Yates Business Philosophy

There are just 2 primary strategies

for business success.

1: Never reveal everything you know. i.e. Yes I appeared & pitched to the 5 Dragons.

2: ......(Check out my web site to find out how I got on.)

www.drmarkdyates.com


appearing on the bbc dragons den tv programme and …...experienced heavyweight dragons. •identify...

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