Deborah Battles for 51% of Product Designers Business | Dragons’ Den

[@francisgallozzi2595]

I was shocked to hear Asli telling Deborah, "I don't really know you..." Researching the background of her potential investors should be a part of her due diligence.

[@russcoight1586]

Back then it wasn't much of an issue about that, but if you were pitching today, you'd wanna hope to know their backgrounds.

[@JMM111]

@@russcoight1586 What are you on about? Unprepared entrepreneurs have been asking the Dragons what they could bring to the table since the time of Simon Woodroffe, Rachel Elnaugh, Doug Richard, and Richard Farleigh!!

[@Ziggykitty666]

@@JMM111 right and it definitely was always an issue except for maybe Rachel, Jenny, or pierce who even had dragons mock their portfolio

[@TaelurAlexis]

@@russcoight1586 it’s literally a typical business practice to research the people you want to invest your business. Get real lol

[@Jerharris90]

I mean, I can understand if you just met them on the street or in a social meeting or something.. but you are 100% right.

[@julien1]

A very basic error from a designer. 49% plus IP rights - 490k on every million - direct access for any other idea. No worries about meetings and business and marketing - Yes please Debra. She misunderstood the idea of control, she would still have had control of her creativity.

[@Fiskie666]

That's what Deborah said. She said at one point 'your design, my experience in business'. I think it was very clear. So she would have been something like a creative director / lead designer and Deborah does the business side.

[@sakraihan2872]

deborah would kick her out soon

[@teddym2808]

Imagine, she would have had 49% of something that profited a few hundred K rather than 100% of something that profited 10K in 3 years. She was just so unintelligent it was painful to watch,

[@annettesjoy]

Totally

[@coldblank1]

The company was valued at -22k before it dissolved

[@jakehay3074]

"So we take a regular picnic bag.. and we fit a flow signal"

[@BenKellyMusic92]

Its red in colour.

[@irishjay9485]

It mimics the traffic coming towards you

[@cannonball9478]

😂 if you know you know 😂

[@MindSetReset]

will Suzie still be putting on her make up😃💄

[@ThePrimeMinisterOfTheBlock]

She's the bravest woman I know ❤️

[@MrDavfit]

she wasn't prepared for a million dollar business with Debra ..ego is rarely the way to go

[@usayeed727]

Very French lol

[@kerimsmajilagic9961]

I absolutely don’t like her attitude

[@cannonball9478]

I would have given Deborah 51% to near guarantee my family is financially looked after.

[@troo_story]

Good point.

[@W3LLcoOL]

Well she had the last laugh, shes now a multi-billionaire having picnics in space with elon musk.

[@thealien_ali3382]

@@W3LLcoOL I farted

[@pd4916]

49% of lots is better than 10% of little.

[@danohare8819]

49% of £1,000,000 in the next 5 years is better than 100% of 10k

[@ImWreck]

49% of a company that can make millions or a controlling share of nothing? I know what I would choose

[@JuliuszCovers]

Not nothing! 10,000 pounds over 3 years!

[@KingOfGamesss]

Time is money...if you spend too much Time on one project that is too high in maintenance and support to build it slowly...sure it might eventually make millions but if you had spent your Time with a better project you could've made Billions instead....so you actually LOST money...Deborah wanted to kick the project into high gear to make it worth-while

[@mp6732]

A small slice of something big is always better than a big slice of something small.

[@green_firefly]

That didn't age well. Company was dissolved on 26 March 2019 according to records.

[@TomCro73]

It lasted that long?? I wonder who was the sugar daddy.

[@green_firefly]

@@TomCro73 The years before that were not impressive either. Just, the company was still presented as 'active' in the records. But, that was about it.

[@G0rd0nHealth]

Thanks for going and looking this up. That's literally the only reason I check the comments on these things.

[@brownbuter]

dissolved doesn't mean the business failed, she could have sold it to a large company for a large profit and that's why her company no longer exist

[@gibran6190]

Peter was kinda ruthless here lol

[@agr7879]

He’s far to nice and jolly in the current episodes

[@susanwaugh3885]

That’s when he didn’t know her properly. Now he wouldn’t dare talk to her that way

[@bobbydukes5407]

@@susanwaugh3885 Why, is she some billionaire now? Intimidating and powerful? Just wondering.. Peter would be scared?

[@bobbydukes5407]

Peter was ruthless? He just declared himself out. I didn’t see much else.

[@shahabuddinmiah3518]

@@bobbydukes5407 he was more than ruthless. His behaviors seemed barbaric

[@RudraKrishna]

This lady has no business sense, and Deborah's bid not only made total sense, but was also exceedingly generous.

[@ruben7937]

Yes, it was a very good offer actually. It would almost guaranteed to give the creator better returns. Compared to her 1woman small dreams. At worst, she should have given a counter of giving Deborah 51%, but with some protectionclauses for the future when things goes of the ground. And protectionclause about "forcing" Deborah to lift it up (not burry the patent, while working on other products for other companies).

[@cam691988]

You remind me of 99.9% of investors on aim

[@fahim_al_mahmud]

Mindset likes this helps people get fired from their own company. She wouldn’ve been fired next day by deborah since she owns the Majority share. So at the end of the day debrah has a company with new product, she has nothing. Really wise decision 🤣

[@ruben7937]

@@fahim_al_mahmud you are unwise. The inventor still has 49%, so she would have profited even if she got fired!. But important that there are important clauses in the contract, like the 51% shareowner cant just sell the patent cheaply, or copy and sell in another company instead. And clause about restrcitions of whom/how the 51% shareowner can sell her shars, if she decides to sell shares. For protection against hostile takeovers who just want to burry a company.

[@fahim_al_mahmud]

LOL, you guys clearly have no idea what control means :p She can kick anybody out, she can sell anyones share, she can do whatever she wants, that's what control means unless the founder has some secret clause to protect that. But the founder knew it, that's why rejected. Deborah wasn’t after the company, she needed the product and she could do wherever she wants with the company, that's what control means, that's why the founder rejected

[@stevesalt8003]

I'm a musician who writes very complicated guitar pieces. The other guitarist in the band struggles with composing though has a phenomenal talent to learn and play the guitar. So I write the music, when we gig I let him step forward and play it whilst I remain at the back. He gets all the credit and the cheers. The reason I don't mind is the songs are my babies and I love them so much I will do anything to allow them grow. Sometimes you need to let others control what you created to watch them shine at there full potential.

[@erepsekahs]

I see.

[@jamesjohno1180]

Well done btw if you are getting out of something what you want out of it then you are doing great, I love that you can step back and let your creation shine

[@erepsekahs]

like sending your kids off to university to become Marxists?

[@TheManInBlueFlames]

@@erepsekahs Good point!

[@pippipster6767]

Exactly. That’s why the dream ticket for products is actually licensing. Let everybody else get on with it and watch the dosh roll in. This woman is a great designer. Fantastic product. A dangerously poor businesswoman, who will probably remain exactly that, poor, with not a lot happening with her products. Unless she eventually sees the light and gets somebody who knows what they’re doing re £ on board. Mad to turn down Deborah’s offer.

[@mostbrutalvideos4612]

Imagine going on dragons den and asking for money for investment and you turn round and say to a dragon " I don't really know you are you in with the retail sector"

[@horizon3064]

Did you have a stroke or..?

[@sambobenjamin1660]

@@horizon3064 I had a stroke reading this haha

[@thiswasposted120]

@@sambobenjamin1660 it made sense when i first read it and then i read it again

[@91vanced14]

Imagine not researching the background of each dragon before going on this show 🙈🤣🤣

[@jietroraximoff2805]

8:30 "Are you involved in the retail sector?" If this was a more recent episode, I'd feel insulted by that question if I was Deborah.😆

[@teddym2808]

Normally I would rip any shark or dragon a new one for being greedy.. BUT.. because of her figures and lack of business acumen, Deborah's offer was actually fair.. It's very rare to see a 50%+ offer on the Den being fair. But this was, and it would have made it a very successful product. Oh well.

[@Anna.T.]

55 quid for that?! You’d have to go for a picnic almost on a weekly basis to make it worth it

[@RossHbn]

And this was years ago probably like 65 70 in today's money! Mad.

[@overman2306]

£55 in London isn't much.

[@TheManInBlueFlames]

This was a decade ago.

[@davidmg1925]

If its well made and is going to lasts I dont think 55 pounds is unreasonable £55 is a tank of diesel now £55 is a trolley of shopping

[@irishjay9485]

@@davidmg1925 55 for a trolley of shopping? I cant remember the last time i spent less than 100

[@mostbrutalvideos4612]

If that was me and Debra was willing to make it a successful product for millions I would sit on sidelines and let her do her thing

[@fahim_al_mahmud]

You would've sit on street instead coz debrah would've fired you next day with her majority power 🥴

[@mostbrutalvideos4612]

@@fahim_al_mahmud not before she buys me out pmsl

[@fahim_al_mahmud]

@@mostbrutalvideos4612 the person with majority share determines the buyout value, you will be offered to walk out with 49$ for your 49% share. You can probably buy a big mac from macdonalds with it :p This is like classic kick founder out move from investors/investor board. It's sad that people are thinking they'd make millions whereas they'll walk out with literally nothing.

[@ironinventor9528]

@@fahim_al_mahmud surely that depends on how the company is structured and if protections were built in for her as the founder.smth like deborah wouldnt have proportional voting powers to her shares just 1 vote per person on the board she could give 1% to someone else and still maintain control. Obviously this would have to be done b4 deb signed on the dotted lije and parted with cash egc

[@fahim_al_mahmud]

@@ironinventor9528 agreed.

[@AD-bm8mq]

The little headshakes and smirks the Fetus makes tickle my soul

[@IAmTheJayster]

£10000 profit in 3 years? If you cannot even generate a low end part time wage then your business is none existent

[@TaxingIsThieving]

5:10 Why is she surprised that £10000 isn't enough when the £55 is too expensive

[@IAmTheJayster]

@@DerekWong967 i would hope it did, but then there is no room for an investor, from a dragons point of view they would earn more in bank interest than if they invested in her based on the projections she gave

[@Figgy20000]

That's after she takes a salary. Do you understand what profit is?

[@IAmTheJayster]

@@Figgy20000 assume all you want but from everything we have been told, there is not enough info to definitively say that.

[@Technicallyimright]

Learn the difference between gross and net profit….

[@seagulls566]

That was a brilliant episode good to see peter not taking any crap.... he's more softer now.

[@Dr--Prepper]

She should have started to cry - Peter would have invested

[@TaxingIsThieving]

I doubt it

[@burny1]

I go for picnics all the time with my kids but I can't help but wonder where I'm meant to put the contents of the bag if the blanket isnt on the floor yet?

[@GoblinGamesLtd]

Exactly this.

[@andrewl2744]

Exactly. It’s a useless product and far less convenient than just taking a bag and separate mat. Surprised the dragons all seemed to like it (or at least not hate it)

[@bilalha123]

Get your kids to hold them

[@CrewGonWild]

It's called the ground if it's outside 😉

[@mary_syl]

@@CrewGonWild that's nonsense. You don't want to put food containers or glasses on dirty or rocky ground, or worse sandy beach. 🙄 the product is completely flawed.

[@HXCVII]

She should have countered and asked to get back her equity after a certain number of years

[@Jamie-2004]

Was thinking the same exact thing...

[@AwesomeMetalBands]

She doesn't need her equity back she would have made millions in any case if it was successful.

[@Jamie-2004]

@@AwesomeMetalBands it'd only be like 1 or 2 percent so she can redeem more control... It wouldn't even be for the money

[@ThePrimeMinisterOfTheBlock]

If she'd had that sort of business sense, Deb wouldn't be insisting on 51% to begin with

[@Jamie-2004]

@@ThePrimeMinisterOfTheBlock Deborah wanted control so she could ensure it would actually work because if she took a lower equity percentage, the other girl would still have the control and Deborah would fear she wouldn't get her money back... By Deborah having control, she can lead the decisions in order to ensure success...

[@franciscolaurean8550]

Don't know man 49% of a million dollar company would be better than 100% of what her projections were. Hope she made it on her own tho

[@valharget7317]

That's not a business it's a side hustle

[@billsmith8825]

Not even that. LOL it's just a waste of time.

[@fsu3941]

@@billsmith8825 she kept 100% of nothing rather than 49% of something big

[@pippipster6767]

That’s what they said about Tesla when it first opened 🤣

[@mp6732]

And still dhe had the offer of a dragon to do the tough work for her. Damn

[@remchaill9898]

"Inspired by my dislike of picnics..." o_o

[@mferguson6927]

Deborah's offer would have made her millions and she could have used that millions to create a new brand with her new visions off the success of that... No business sense at all in this woman.

[@tonyt5218]

Ahh sure, we never shoulda give them the vote really 😂

[@gazza2933]

@@tonyt5218 You're a brave man.

[@pippipster6767]

Yes v painful to watch. Full on idiocy.

[@sanjanewmoonlife]

I want to buy this perfect picnic bag,oonly it's expensive 55£. 20£ is good price for selling.

[@HDReMaster]

she had the opportunity to learn from a seasoned retail investor and she turned it down for vanity and ego

[@edwindsouza8816]

Perfect for Jenny when she goes 'out'....

[@RockyDave]

Good one.

[@arc.muhammaddunoma7734]

I'm here to learn English but that's generous of Deborah

[@roni2977]

It's not a business if you plan to make 10k in three years... 10K is child play for the dragons! If she gave Deborah the 51% she would have made more than 10k in one year, and would still be able to create a brand and carry on designing... she doesnt have the drive needed for the market, you might as well let someone else on the driving seat then..

[@peterd788]

Generally speaking if your business has an aspiration to be able to earn minimum wage for one person in three years you should throw in the towel and practice your burger flipping skills.

[@berylmoigepoolmistress]

Very true

[@TheManInBlueFlames]

That doesn't mean it still could have grown into something much bigger.

[@roni2977]

@@TheManInBlueFlames in the worst scenario.. however I would say it had a much better chance of making substantially more than 10k in 3 years with a professional marketing strategy and a few contacts.. 10k In 3 years is not even minimum wage..

[@NixViche]

I mean she was telling them a brand not just the bag. Now her brand is worth millions lol

[@AwesomeMetalBands]

Duncan ballantyne is such a nice guy.

[@williamdavies2375]

In this clip he just wanted to wind up Peter and show himself to be a nice guy

[@wildnfree101]

He told her to carry on that is not nice

[@Gaeton_Dugas]

Happy July 2021 guys

[@Japan_C1]

you disgust me

[@sarahconner9433]

Yes thank you!!

[@Sir_Henry_Bossocks]

Brunch time

[@ShinjiTomi]

if she doesn't care for profit and only to make her products into the market, why the heck wouldn't she accept the 51%? she is clearly creative and driven but she is absolutely lost and it's on her face and she still can't see it

[@punjab9100]

better than giving some ludicrous valuation. The dragons will always have a problem either you're over or under ambitious. Cant win.

[@Blind-Boy-Grunt]

This woman is now recognised as one of the top accessory designers in Europe

[@Ed-Struggles]

Her name is Asli Bohane

[@Mradriansorensen]

No she's not 😅 🤣

[@Mradriansorensen]

@R. K. I think that's what we're looking for, yes :)

[@fourlamb1]

Cite your source please. Thanks.

[@bobbydukes5407]

*asked for evidence/source* crickets chirping.......

[@lukebignell7846]

Peter Jones being Horrible to her for no reason. She is nice and she doesn’t deserve that disrespect

[@Iburn247]

This is business not personal

[@Jamie_Ayling]

Peter Jones is a horrible man

[@lukebignell7846]

@@Iburn247 it was very personal. You don’t like the business, but no need to be so condescending and disrespectful to the business owner.

[@Iburn247]

@@lukebignell7846 how was he disrespectful? The woman walked into a room of investors, asked for 50k for only a fraction of her company that she plans to make 10k profit on within 3 years. She should have known better

[@Iburn247]

@@lukebignell7846 by that math they would need to own 100% of the company and then possibly within 10 years they would have their INITIAL investment back. I would have loaned her the money at 40% equity and once the money was repaid thru royalties I would reduce to 20%. Even then it's a pity purchase

[@Sir_Blinkford]

The bag is fully washable .... unlike Debra's hair

[@mzansigotdrip1480]

Violation 😂😭

[@Ryanjoned163]

Ouch Tim

[@adamandeve3592]

Genuine lol :)

[@htetnaingoo5087]

Nailed it hahaha

[@762mm7]

Ruthless 😅

[@CrImSoN1708]

Damn Peter has been less harsh to people that didn't know their figures as opposed to this woman who had modest figures. Stern look on his face says "I need a poo and I'm taking it out on you"

[@catman2484]

That 10k profit in year 3 wasn't taking into account Brian's figures...

[@global-reset]

I think this woman is an alien LOOK AT HER EYES

[@demydemy565]

Do you feel better about yourself now?

[@BenjaminGoose]

Criticising someone else's appearance is usually a sign of one's insecurity in their own appearance.

[@global-reset]

@@demydemy565 much better thanks

[@m3rup3rv3rt]

The captions called her Asleep, Ashley, Actually and Astley respectively.

[@BenjaminGoose]

What do you mean respectively? I think you are using that word wrong.

[@АдамБреннан]

@@BenjaminGoose Respectively => in that order

[@mrsurprise2294]

Astley makes sense cause that 51% never gonna give you up!

[@nathanpiper1346]

woman was on cloud cuckoo land, obviously a premium brand for that price, would have went somewhere with Deborah maybe, not a chance otherwise. 51% of a non existent business for 50k is a deal in anyone's eyes

[@mauharley]

Rubbish. For starters, what are Deborah's credentials in that industry? And secondly, I'm sure she'd sleep better at night knowing she still had control over her own business. Deborah could potentially fire her.

[@nathanpiper1346]

@@mauharley yeh makes sense.... well the last bit anyway lol, that would be a pr nightmare though, 100% of nothing is well nothing, 49% of something is well something

[@IAmTheJayster]

@@mauharley if she only has collectively £10000 profit over 3 years (not even a part time wage) valuing the business at £100000 is incredibly generous. Her business is worthless

[@anicma]

The last I read on this comment section was she's now heading a million dollar business.

[@IAmTheJayster]

@@anicma i read that but that doesn't mean this product was a success, this may have flopped and she had a win later

[@Billy_Boozer]

The comments today are poor quality. No original thought

[@eoinmcdonagh3929]

The irony of this comment

[@mulwelimushiana8388]

Including the one you just made

[@DarkCreed]

In my day....

[@Sir_Blinkford]

the basement dwellers are too worried about freedom day coming

[@boonchinlee9685]

You are demanding the creativeness that we cant provide. For that reason im out

[@MBULTRAHD]

I hate picnics, so I created a picnic bag. And I also called it "Empty Me", because of the emptiness I feel inside when I go on picnics.

[@NuttyJun]

51% was NOT a good offer. Well done to her for rejecting and standing her ground. “If i get involved, this product WILL BE a success, simple as that”. That tells you right there - that the product itself is a worthy enough product. It’s not rubbish. It’s just a matter of giving it a platform to be seen. If that was me - it’d of bet on myself too - rather than give away 51% to some drago- i mean leech. This show should be called “Leech’s Lair” 51% is daylight robbery. “Good deal” my ass. I always respect those Entrepreneurs with the big balls - the big pair of nuts - who walk away from those blasphemous “offers” AKA robberies.

[@shanecorry]

Definitely wasn't a good offer but the business wasn't successful on its own so.. It lost £42,000 in 4 years before ceasing trade in 2009. (Though for some reason they didn't close the company out until 10 years later, in 2019, maybe due to outstanding debts and lost another £4,700 in that period.)

[@benjones9905]

How is it a bad offer when she’s receiving 50k? That’s more money than she would have made profit in 3 years

[@johns1187]

I bet you're a person on marketplace who cant sell a bag of used soil due to the 100x above should be asking price.

[@NuttyJun]

@@benjones9905 You have the business skills of a toaster - you would seriously get taken advantage of and eaten alive in the business world..... If the Dragons are Sharks, you would be a Plankton bro. You would be Spongebob's Grandma.

[@brunomarques7713]

Business is about execution more often than ideas. The big brands don't succeed on just letting their products be seen. You try putting any product at all in a busy retailer and they will fail without a promotional/engagement strategy. This lady had no idea how to do that, and no ambition to do that.

[@happyfeet4506]

A brilliant idea ruined by the inventor with no buisness sence. Deborah was the right one to move this onto another level

[@briangerard2145]

Wouldnt really call it a brilliant idea

[@EnJayMelbourne]

Trying to get a 51% controlling share of someone's business is far too much to ask for. I would never do that deal. At the very, very least you'd want a buyback deal in place where she could regain the controlling shares of her business.

[@Chi_Vid3]

Not very environmentally friendly I'm out

[@ibrahimrwaished1113]

She fumbled it, she should have bitten down on that offer from Deborah.

[@redrobiin]

I tihnk she under valued her own product, in her projection. and Deborah saw an upportunity to make big bucks from a simple and unique idea for a picknick bag. If the lady wants to make money fast, then she would risk it with deborah, at any cost.

[@tome2648]

Peter had a bad day like?

[@dazediss6629]

Yeah he seemed very annoyed throughout the entire pitch. Must have been some absolute mong in the den before this girl. Maybe Paul & Barry trying to sell that water fountain thing.

[@elastronaute1198]

Company was dissolved via compulsory strike-off in early 2019.

[@rabd9881]

Empty Me Ltd was dissolved in March 2019, with a net worth of -£22,701 as of 2017

[@BirthOfAnEmceeTV]

Would you like 100% of £10k every 3 years or would you like 49% of what will highly likely be a multi-million pound business? Jeez, if I was her child I'd respond to her refusal to buy me something with "Well, you should've gone with Deborah then" 😳

[@macdanielsfan1721]

Debra: “51% is a good offer” hahahahaha. Asli Bohane Director at CHRISTIAN LIAIGRE.

[@jackreacher3499]

LIAIGRE is a furniture company. Asli joined the company in 2014, she didn't create it. It also implies that her product tanked.

[@TaxingIsThieving]

@@jackreacher3499 But she must have had some business potential

[@HaggardPillockHD]

@@TaxingIsThieving no, being a director is not the same as a business owner.

[@AwesomeMetalBands]

Obviously the entrepreneur completely clueless, Deborah Meaden needs 51% control to make the business viable since she's putting in a lot of time and energy. Could be a multi-million pound business. Deborah Meaden controlling equity would drive the business to be successful.

[@volcanicash8097]

Thank the Lord for DD ✊

[@DaveWeb-g2]

lovely bag

[@richardmoores]

Aw you shouldn’t call Deborah that

[@BritishGuy1979]

@@richardmoores 😂

[@davidbrown5628]

Deborah is almost completely different now ❤

[@KMysterio]

She should’ve accepted… 49% of a pie is better than 100% of a crumb!

[@Jamie_Ayling]

LOL she was selling bags not pies

[@richardmoores]

@@Jamie_Ayling do you know what an analogy is?

[@TaxingIsThieving]

Her bug eyes widened but she was business clueless 👁️👁️

[@Jamie_Ayling]

@@richardmoores Yes, it's a collection of literary works

[@richardmoores]

@@Jamie_Ayling are you thinking of ‘anthology?’

[@Historelic]

I really hate it when the top comment is a spoiler

[@fpshooterful]

HOPE she enjoyed her 10k profit in 3 years.

[@knuckalar]

She’s the director of a company worth over a million now

[@collincovid6950]

Would love to know the name, and Dragon's Den is not as professional as made out to be.

[@fourlamb1]

Could you link that please.

[@knuckalar]

It’s called ‘liaigre’

[@fourlamb1]

@@knuckalar Thanks. I'll have a little look. Did she create it?

[@alexpugh3721]

She resigned in 2019

[@lmc3307]

She sounds exactly like Elena from peep show lol

[@FlameFlickers]

Ahhh, Elena from Peep Show. I instantly fell in love with her when I saw her!

[@Alec_Reaper]

@@FlameFlickers Calm down Jeremy

[@FlameFlickers]

@@Alec_Reaper How can I be calm at a time like this?? I went all the way to Hastings just to buy her spelt bread..

[@AwesomeMetalBands]

First rule of Dragon's Den do your research... Unbelievable she didn't know who Deborah Meaden was.

[@ThePrimeMinisterOfTheBlock]

Really shows her up, she has no idea what she's doing

[@AwesomeMetalBands]

@@ThePrimeMinisterOfTheBlock Brilliant reply.

[@jakecooper5855]

This was the first season though, it was much more unknown at the time

[@ThePrimeMinisterOfTheBlock]

@@jakecooper5855 early season, but not the first. Look for episodes with Doug Richards and Simon Woodruff for some really early, old school Dragons Den

[@jakecooper5855]

@@ThePrimeMinisterOfTheBlock True that, it must be the second season. Those guys both left at the end of the first season.

[@litigioussociety4249]

I think she should have taken the offer. Deborah would have tried to at least make back the 50K; instead, the business probably never got that far. I also can't find any info on the product since it aired, so it seems like the business failed.

[@mrgerman9652]

i would rather go down than giving some investor 51% of my company

[@cedric7751]

Definitely, Deborah would have reduced the production costs and priced the product better to sell thousands of it per month. 55quids for that was too much but i can easily see it sell for 25-30. In the end, that product never made it and the designer seems to have disappeared.

[@Hi-kq1vi]

@@mrgerman9652 Exactly, you have given control of your company over to somebody else-you don't agree on something then tough, as at most you only own 49%.

[@litigioussociety4249]

@@mrgerman9652 But her business failed in the end. With Deborah she would have at least made some money. What she really needed was a licensing agreement, but the dragons unlike the sharks don't make that offer much.

[@lionmenmusic6144]

yup it closed in 2009

[@P5YCHO1192]

Empty Me Ltd is dissolved now with a net worth of -£15,000. Lovely.

[@iamlegend68]

Makes no sense. 50k for 25% and in 3 years make a profit of 10k ? So an investor would get 2.5k back after 3 years having put in 50k… She should have bitten Deborahs arm off for such a great offer. Entrepreneur was delusional and had no business sense.

[@pippipster6767]

💯 Painful to watch.

[@matthewbell4273]

In my opinion, they could have at least considered a two-tier share class structure which could have given Deborah 51% of voting rights, and thus control (apart from activities requiring a special resolution), but less than 51% equity (share of profits), assuming that that approach may have sweetened the deal for the designer (though perhaps it would not have). Also, provided that the existing company has no claim to any future products/designs, and provided that no non-compete agreement were put in place between the designer and the company, the designer would presumably still have been free to pursue other products/designs with her own time & money, outside of the existing company and under her own full control.

[@pippipster6767]

Blah blah blah… She should’ve just said yes to Deborah. Job done.

[@htomerif]

Keep in mind all of this was back the day when the GBP was worth twice the USD, not basically the same amount.

[@glenjensen4777]

Free range egg & maple bacon sandwich from M&S... I'd make an offer on that!

[@RockyDave]

How much for my Tesco noodles?

[@glenjensen4777]

@@RockyDave I'm out.

[@nathandrake6531]

lunch sorted

[@terranceparsons5185]

Peter Jones "Is that to pay for a nice life?" How dare he ask that question. What is he expecting "no I'm going to live on the canal tow path under a bridge in a paper bag eating dog turds and insects".

[@AwesomeMetalBands]

Peter Jones is absolutely right she should have more ambition. Why would you invest £50,000 just to make £10,000 completely nonsensical

[@AwesomeMetalBands]

@Mark Ryan completely agree why would Peter Jones want to waste his time and effort for £10,000 when he's a millionaire

[@terranceparsons5185]

@Mark Ryan thank you for your feedback

[@mohammedyakub3760]

The numbers don't add up. She sold 16k worth of product so how can she have sold 650 bags at £55?

[@Jasper-Holland]

Maybe she ment 16k profits

[@mohammedyakub3760]

@@Jasper-Holland or maybe she sold some at wholesale 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@misc_chi]

you could also use it as a sleeping bag

[@getin3949]

Looks a bit thin for that. When was the last time you slept on the hard ground??? It isn't all that comfortable and that's a really thin blanket. You can use a cooler for your tray BTW.

[@Japan_C1]

I wouldn't put a slate on Peter's roof for a tenner

[@ASO-ze6sj]

Hey DD Binge watchers! How's it going?

[@JohnnyTurnerMusic]

Good! How are you 🤟

[@hurdur6828]

great

[@chickenrun2095]

WAZAAAPPP KIDDOS 👏

[@ASO-ze6sj]

@@JohnnyTurnerMusic I'm also doing fine Johnny. Just stuck in an intense loop of Dragon's Den videos and I'm unable to get out of it LOL!

[@ASO-ze6sj]

@@chickenrun2095 Heyyy! What's up What's up!!

[@LTSmash414]

It's so weird that the comments think if she took the offer, she'd have a piece of a million dollar business. This product would not be worth that much no matter who was at the helm.

[@persephone6896]

Her eyes look like they do eye rolls all the time

[@johntgw]

These older episodes show how much 'nicer' the dragons are now. I am unsure exactly when it happened, but the dragons clearly had some media training for how to come across on camera and it was edited differently - especially with Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden.

[@43francis81]

Im happy she walked away, found they were bullying her :-((

[@johnmchugh4655]

Why should she give up most of her business that she has built up from scratch? Deborah may catapult sales and profits, but 40-45% would have been fairer.

[@tinderella2386]

Built up What from scratch?? A ‘business’ that turned over 16k in two years? She had literally nothing.

[@InnosWei]

She chose 100% out of 10k over 49% out of probably hundreds of thousands or even millions

[@johnmchugh4655]

@@tinderella2386 still her creation, regardless of how well she's done

[@matthewbell4273]

In my opinion Deborah looks younger nowadays than in these older clips when she was in fact younger. That is because of her softer hairstyle nowadays. She is clearly an elegant lady and the harder look of this hairstyle does not suit her.

[@ianlister7333]

the worse thing about this, is that she knew nothing about business, yet someone gave her some vague notions, and that meant she thought she did.

[@chanchito4401]

Don't know what I'm having for lunch Update: fishfinger sandwich but in a bun/roll

[@strokenumber3]

You can see Duncan contemplating unleashing the dogs on her.

[@UTubeTulip]

Deborah must have smoked something funky before this, £50k for a sleeping bag with a tray in it!

[@thejuiceweasel]

Man, at some point in the early seasons some of the producers must've told the Dragons to chill out in front of the cameras, god they really had a terrible attitude back then.

[@jamiebrown6194]

Made for much better TV though!

[@awunggawunggshi1137]

She is way too honest!... She should have left some up her sleeves. Her profit expectation is almost nothing.

[@MrHampat]

Empty Me Ltd was dissolved in 2019.

[@KageTsuki220]

I think that was probably another business since the nature of business was "Sound recording and music publishing activities."

[@NUFC_1]

Who's looking forward to freedom day?

[@agr7879]

Not me. I’m frightened to death with cases soaring

[@DarkCreed]

What day?

[@NellSmith]

Who isn't waiting for a pack of liars in Whitehall to 'give back' the freedom we should never have given up? You never LOST your freedom... just don't let them try to steal it again!

[@Billy_Boozer]

I sell tin foil hats if anyone is interested

[@sarahconner9433]

Covid is real...a real bioweapon.... Be Clean wear a mask... However freedom shall never be given up.... Vaccine choice

[@nickjerrat]

I see people giving the designer grief here, but would you really give up 51% of your company to someone you didn't know much about (she clearly didn't research Deborah). I certainly wouldn't give up control of my business to an investor.

[@123Dunebuggy]

Deborah dodged a bullet there, she likes the 1 product, yet everything else is a red flag.

[@beijingbond]

Jenny: I'm inside out !

[@08aoc]

Why did they change the title of the video it was like Deborah asks for 51% of bag company lol

[@AD-bm8mq]

Her eyes remind me of the lads at 3 am halfway through the 2nd bag

[@erepsekahs]

The Dragons are such sweeties.

[@anicma]

This was an episode that displayed the honesty of an entrepreneur and the dishonesty of the den in equal measure.

[@johns1187]

Subjective opinion.

[@collincovid6950]

Lack of vision from the Dragon's, lack of vision once again, have become comfortable taking the pay of the production company for sitting around