I was invited to apply for Dragons’ Den back in March 2021 and I was quite surprised to get the initial phone call. I assumed if I had applied, I simply wouldn’t make it as thousands didn’t. But to have them call me out of the blue! I figured I’d give it a shot.
I filled in the application form, crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.
A few weeks later I was offered an audition. We were still well within the height of the Pandemic and therefore it was a Zoom audition. The audition included a pitch and then follow up questions - a bit like you see on the show. In the weeks that followed I prepared as well as I could and when the day of the audition came I really was looking forward to it.
The researcher that I spoke with, over zoom, was very kind and reassuring, which put me at ease and I felt like it went well. About an hour of pitching and questions and I was done. That was it.
I felt it had gone well, but I was well aware of the standard that applies for the Den, and there were probably dozens like me hoping to get through to the next stage. So in the weeks that followed I tried my best not to think about it.
I then had a phone call to say that pending due diligence checks, I would be going to the Den! I was excited but this was tempered somewhat by knowing I now had to get through the due diligence stage. I knew this would be extensive but the company was in pretty good shape so I didn’t panic too much.
Again, I tried to take it step by step and just answer any question they had as best I could. From the start, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t lie, or bend the truth on any projections, numbers, or anything that they asked. It always gets found out in the Den, so I was open and honest from day one.
I was very relieved and excited to get an email giving me a filming day for the Den! In the run up to the day I practised the pitch until I was bored of it. I probably practised 100 times, in front of anyone that would listen including the kids and the dogs… so when the day came I wasn’t that nervous about forgetting the details.
You can read about my pitch day here
