Duncan Can't Wait to Meet Their Business Advocate! | Dragons’ Den

Martin and Suzie Cowley seek £100,000 in return for 30% of Cowley's Fine Foods but will the entrepreneurs' image be a sticking point?
An international sensation, Dragon's Den features entrepreneurs pitching for investment in the Den from our Dragons, five venture capitalists willing to invest their own money in exchange for equity.
#DragonsDen #CowleyFineFoods #Image

[@mattdone8162]

James has a way of being assertive and honest while still sounding totally polite and respectful. The others completely lack that ability.

[@aikaeeltaylor1250]

I'm sorry but look how they dressed

[@ThePrimeMinisterOfTheBlock]

James is all class, i love listening to him talk

[@STE.B]

Charmingly Honest.

[@MsMaryPatricia]

I would take the other Dragons any day of the week because at least you know what they are thinking. James comes across as very charming but he is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He is the type to screw you over but you won't see it coming. Always pay extra attention to people who seem charismatic and cool, no matter the circumstances.

[@Fif0l]

@R2 D2 I'd say it was necessary, because they didn't seem to get the problem. They are typical punks, with the attitude of "I don't care what people think of me, I don't want to appeal to people who don't accept my look". This may be fine for them, but it's not fine for the investor if they are unwilling to even acknowledge that their personal look may hurt the business potential. EDIT: before anyone accuses me of anything, punk is not an insult here, it's the name of the subculture.

[@MusicCatElliott]

James is a real gentleman of the old school. Honest yet compassionate enough not to be hurtful with his words. Charming.

[@raoulthompson]

Yes I aspire to be like him, assertive but not aggressive and polite where possible, seems like a perfect way to conduct yourself.

[@dimitriousdrake]

@@raoulthompson just don't try and buy any kids

[@user-db6pt7vr3l]

He's great with goats too.

[@user-fi8lf8bs7p]

Yeah, he's a real prince offering to buy a baby for $1500 to give to his brother.

[@Gonken88]

Lol, you must love politicians.

[@royfr8136]

"Advocate" = some guy they met in the pub.

[@farhadali8402]

😂😂😂

[@tonimarris6259]

I know the advocate and both Martin and Suzie for over 20 years, they have known John for just as many years probably more and they have since done so much business they have expanded their kitchen and now have two kitchens and a bigger range of products.

[@richhogg8074]

did they meet in the pub though?

[@Woody991]

@@tonimarris6259 Can you ask him why he wore a shirt with armpit stains then please. I get they wanted to be themselves and stay in their genuine style, but why does it have to be all stained and minging? Couldn’t he get a new shirt in the same style?

[@Mark-su4er]

Ilmfao

[@b-dogs1038]

Theo: ‘You don’t look clean, you don’t look clinical’ other dragons: I’m glad HE exposed the elephant in the room

[@chinmayravindrashah]

Literally clapped and sighed like “Thank you!”

[@tonymartinis2956]

putting their worse foot forward,

[@bannjaxx]

yeah, distinct lack of enthusiasm when offered some snacks, lol

[@robertwoodliff2536]

@@bannjaxx......not even a display stand.

[@michaelkyle2150]

Yeah to be fair that did hit the nail on the head

[@Crispynuggets28]

The huge yellow stain in the armpit would put me off even thinking about eating that food.

[@jimmybaldwin737]

🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

[@Mark-su4er]

I thought it was my eyesight...my god uhhhrŕ

[@javierbilbao73]

@@Mark-su4er same here. Didn't he see himself in the mirror before standing in front of the cameras?

[@alicehusband4077]

@@javierbilbao73 they had driven from Wales to be on time and kept in a stuffy room for two hours. Yes Martin should have thought ahead and packed a spare shirt, but he didn’t. At least those of us who know them know just how clean are careful they are, how delicious and well made their products are and how much better their marketing is and how he has some fantastic posher outfits he should have worn.

[@tomrodwell9911]

@@alicehusband4077 cringe, he's a grown ass man, he really thought it was acceptable to present in the same shirt he's been chilling in for days ?

[@Jarblyy]

It’s frustrating because even with the crazy hair they still could’ve shown up looking clean and put together. There is a middle ground.

[@dazem8]

yes, all their image did was distract from the product like deborah said!

[@CHICANO1975]

@Jon Collins Part of being in business is actually looking investable. They didn't. And, even on business basics, even their advocate looked a little lost in the weeds. It's like James said, they had time to study and come up with a good business plan, they didn't and that's why they were summarily turned down.

[@ChrJahnsen]

@Jon Collins And this is why you will never be successful in the business world: the fact that you think potential investors will not notice if you walk in dressed like a clown.

[@thesovietunicorn3127]

You’re exactly right

[@michelleg6222]

@Jon Collins because how you dress says alot about you. They don't look professional and are distracting. They are selling food, but look dirty and unclean.

[@OpEditorial]

Aging punk rockers: we don't care what other people think Accomplished multimillionaires: well maybe you should...

[@team3383]

You don't give a monkey's. LOL. maybe that's the reason Punk Rockers are extinct ... No offense. You dress as you like, but you have to accept that in business there are certain things that you must respect IF you are trying to get other people's money to invest in you! O'wise do as you like.

[@ChrJahnsen]

Haha, very well put. Two clowns wondering why those evil evil fascists judge them by their pink hair and ridiculous clothes.

[@VincentRE79]

@@ChrJahnsen Spot on, probably called them worse than fascists for refusing to look beyond their haircuts.

[@VincentRE79]

@@team3383 They just came on to get publicity for their "Brand".

[@mizofan]

Accomplished greedy, rude, arrogant egotists are hardly perfect models.

[@wmk500]

Wasn’t all bad - the two went on to form the group Aqua and landed a number 1 song with ‘Barbie Girl’

[@macnolds4145]

Haha. I see what you did there.

[@lexichan7150]

come on barbie lets go party

[@johnnyace2287]

😀😀😀

[@donniepatt9514]

@@lexichan7150 ah ah ah yeah

[@banzanbuddhist1451]

lol

[@peacefulfighter2468]

Theo's reaction when they walked up the stairs was priceless

[@Governor2310]

Oh for fucks sake not another pair of idiots

[@ebonimom6964]

He was looking like "please kill me"

[@NathanL11]

"I'm out" 😂

[@tinderella2386]

Peters reaction and face when they offered them samples was even better lol

[@gibran6190]

@@tinderella2386 Yeah, thought they were going to be poisoned.

[@Vladishit_Putler]

the advocate was the most confused person in the room

[@Iburn247]

Haha😂😂😂

[@Colby_0-3_IRL_and_title_fights]

He came up there and saw to that they hadn't taken his advice of wearing washed and ironed clothes for just this one day

[@oliprj8676]

Don't think he was real. Probably one of their mates that they told to wear a suit and remember some figures

[@dannyflint5746]

@@Colby_0-3_IRL_and_title_fights 😅

[@clovecluster31]

Why I do I feel the financial advisor was just making up stuff as he goes while answering Duncan’s question 😅😂

[@gibran6190]

He was

[@peterclarke7240]

"Financial advisor" That's a fancy way of saying "Dave from the pub" 😂

[@revzmartin1517]

"You don't look clean" 💀

[@stephenhosking7384]

That was the turning point. Everyone would be put off by their appearance, but still try to think about the business, until Theo pointed out that in food, you've got to look CLEAN. You might even get away with whacky, but unclean is a no-no. It's primal.

[@rubberplantsandwich]

the dragons have a point - the guy's shirt is stained. Never buy food from a guy with a stained shirt...

[@benbooth2783]

@dread true Your shirt does not get that stained from a few hours of sweat. It's old sweat from days of wear. He must have stank, the fact that they choose to come that way shows naivety, arrogance, with a unhealthy serving of passive aggressiveness.

[@benbooth2783]

@dread true It is passive aggressive, they knew they wouldn't like and did it anyway. In a way they were issuing a challenge "Do you dare criticise me about the way I look?". Or, they were just muppets, but I don't believe that they didn't know it would alienate the Dragons.

[@satoshimaebara7190]

@dread true Calm down there, Hitler.

[@kihomughato2294]

If the person selling it looks dirty then the food is obviously dirty, that's the first impression we all get for that reason "I'm out"

[@alicehusband4077]

A stain does not mean it is not washed and clean. He is wearing what he wears at an event, a re- enactment shirt and maybe should have considered a new one ironing it so it looks less authentic for the Dragons. Their products are delicious and well-made passing all regs on health and safety etc...I think they should have brought their display/ shop set-up as that is fantastic.

[@Frez121212]

his armpits are YELLOOOOWWWWW from SWEAT... Thats disgusting! I wouldn't eat their samples even

[@smokeybirdman]

Exactly what I was thinking 😂

[@alicehusband4077]

No his shirt has old stains on.

[@alicehusband4077]

KZbin Security Squad thank you it is his shirt that is stained. They are both very clean and he probably should have decided to get a new shirt rather than go for the authentic re-enactment one. Their products are great and the ingredients too. My brother even sells some in his shop when not at same event as they are popular. Take a look online at Cowleys fine foods.

[@alicehusband4077]

@john john yes because stains are different from dirt. Luckily those of us who know them know how clean they are and their care and love for good quality products. It is easy online to make spurious comments, but meet them in person and you would see this differently. Luckily their products are delicious and made well, they have improved their packaging and marketing and are good enough to still be surviving this pandemic, despite most sales being offline beforehand. They should have prepared better and should have chosen some of their better, fancier outfits. On this day there was delays when they arrived and they were sat waiting for a couple of hours in a stuffy room, after driving from Wales.

[@bexica5676]

@@alicehusband4077 are Martin or Susan? Cause you seem to be trying to do some sort of damage control PR by copy/pasting the same reply. You’re making them look worse by trying to justify their outfit choices and blaming it on the show keeping them in a “stuffy room”.

[@petespencer5260]

I think the entire business plan was to bring John along in a suit.

[@HAn-ie2zp]

The producers obviously let them be on the show as a joke.

[@tullamorejameson480]

@dread true I believe his name is Thyme Parsley

[@tangomike15]

Just like the mechanic advice line guy.

[@oliprj8676]

Just like the bloke that wanted to put lights on road signs 🤣

[@rita8684]

Flow traffic signals!!lol

[@jjlovesjam]

I see this couple every year at a wilderness festival selling their food. Their jerkey is lovely, and they're amazing to talk to! Both extremely friendly!!

[@MrLongbow1415]

And that says it all. Idiots.

[@scroogemcduck1462]

@@MrLongbow1415 No it doesn't. If someone running a business involving food products doesn't understand the importance of image, they are never going to be marketable to mainstream. They look trashy and unkempt, which might not be the case at all, but that's the first impression they give off. By looking the way they do, they express not understanding or not caring about living up to the same standards everyone else conforms to. Nothing against how they live their lives, just not fit for investment

[@paulcarmi8130]

@@scroogemcduck1462 you really gonna sit here and claim people with bright pink hair don't have mental problems? You sir, are far too accepting.

[@yebo-gogo]

All good, but u still wouldn't touch their food!

[@jjlovesjam]

@@yebo-gogo I definitely would. Was very nice!

[@errol-ih4jy]

when you think about it, HE WAS A ENGLISHMAN, IN A SCOTTISH KILT, WITH A PUNK HAIRSTYLE, SELLING BEEF JURKEY, I DONT SEE THE PROBLEM.

[@stevedendera]

Maybe the marks under his armpits and that he looks generally unclean. He's selling food, doesn't bode well.

[@illford6921]

There's just something about his trim

[@alanhill5756]

I would not invest and for obvious reasons. If you don't know what those reasons are, well give them your money.

[@stephenfox8685]

Well, that says a lot about you. No offence.

[@ebonimom6964]

@@alanhill5756 It's a joke....

[@VanlifewithAlan]

I can't believe anyone would turn up looking like that.

[@riverboy6112]

They probably wanted to look original but it went horribly wrong

[@grimli16]

They look perfectly like the people who sell random stuff at medieval fairs or medievalinspired stands at festivals Thing is i believe none of the Dragons go play knight in a muddy field.

[@OlviMasta77]

Sure... then again.. It's now 15 years later.. and Loreal hair dye offers a line of neon hair dye.. every other instagram influencer has purple/pink/torquious hair..

[@VanlifewithAlan]

@@OlviMasta77 Unfortunately I have not been following hair trends so thanks for the update!

[@wilspu5590]

@@OlviMasta77 🙈

[@socialdistancingpolice6403]

Rory is a humble Seaweed hunter🙏 #TeamRory

[@frusciantesplectrum7980]

Thanks for that Rory…

[@katherineminor3402]

Rory could have sold this because he has the best job in the world

[@FeechLaMannas]

This has been an invaluable learning experience…coming from a humble seaweed hunter - xoxo Rory

[@kallekillen2285]

No seaweed, no product, no profit

[@RailwayModellerOz]

I heard Rory fitted a Flow Signal to his new boat....

[@Casey-Jones]

Duncan : I'm oat.

[@donniepatt9514]

Noice

[@aliftree9298]

🤣

[@johnnash2815]

The guy went on to become the world darts champion.

[@kevincross6119]

Lol

[@thestarshavefallen]

I heard he went on to develop a vaccine for COVID-182

[@davidwhite7407]

Haha

[@ethank5681]

Stephen V what about covid 69

[@TheAxeliono]

....is this for real

[@Drew__Films]

"Entrepreneurs walk in" "Theo puts his head back in agony"

[@liddybug8311]

He probably smelled them before he saw them. These two look like they haven't showered in a decade

[@SageTheRage]

Did he really open just *ONE* packet and make the dragons reach in and get just *ONE* piece of jerky?!?! 🙄

[@Bor-Time]

Yes he did.

[@kimdaisies2660]

Yep 🤦🏽‍♀️

[@11123fsd]

It's like when you open a pack of crisps in class

[@kimdaisies2660]

@@11123fsd 🤣🤣

[@Crispynuggets28]

Trying to save money.

[@naveedmohammed9268]

Duncan " so your turnover is 18k a year, you could get more cleaning toilets couldn't you? " LOL

[@SiLoMixMaster]

There's no way Bannatyne pays 18k a year for toilet cleaners lol

[@supertramp6011]

Could get more cleaning shirts.....ohh wait!🤣🤣

[@jonskitch8082]

No satisfaction 🤮

[@robbiehicks7960]

"you don't look clean" 😭😭

[@JeremiahEcks777]

At least James was polite at the end. Gentleman! 👍

[@andipandi5641]

that is the standard demeanour of the con-artist.. Duncan by contrast - is what you see is what you get..

[@Finderskeepers.]

They were trying to rob the dragons. A 100k for 1/3 , they dont even turnover 1/3 of that, but want to be paid for testing more than there profits -lol. Would you be polite to a thief ? This is a producer set up.

[@andipandi5641]

@Fizz Used Splash testimony of an entrepreneur who was screwed over by him and was left traumatised by her dealings with him.. not long before James and Duncan fell out.. only other evidence is that i have learned to trust people who forthrightly say what they think - and to become suspicious of those who put more emphasis on being quite so nice..

[@frankzappaspussy7362]

@Fizz Used Splash i usually hugely disapprove of the Daily Mail but if you google "Dragons' Den winner reveals £80k promise was in fact 'a loan' - of which only £26,500 ever emerged" - this gives you one account of the story .. there are others..

[@tmfromdenmark9158]

James is the nicest guy in the Dent.

[@JL-gf3yc]

The reaction when they came up🤣🤣🤣🤣, you wouldn’t do that nowadays 🤣🤣

[@jamielee9350]

All these years later , and everyone still missed the biggest problem... They have one kitchen, he prepares all his meat products in there and she prepares all her vegetarian products in the same room. 🤣🤣🤣

[@catman4471]

The mere fact that he could not understand that image is not what he's comfortable with, but what impression it gives others, was enough to to decalre yourself out.

[@mranonymous7183]

Not just that, he said his image didn't matter when it comes to sales to companies, "It's my product, not my clothing". But then he said the image would be a bonus for selling at events. Talking out of both sides of his mouth.

[@Clairski3]

Despite the barrage of criticism that was thrown at them, this couple stayed really calm and respectful.

[@eval_is_evil]

...if thats an accomplishment these days then I dont know what to say.

[@AHappyFlower]

That’s because they’re lovely people. Bought some delicious products from them only yesterday.

[@joseph1845]

@@eval_is_evil Clueless

[@seasonedbeefs]

What? The dice didn't even roll

[@BobbyTMF]

⁠@@eval_is_evilno. but being in business still trading 14 years after this pitch. That’s a massive accomplishment. Better than 80% of the business’s the dragons invest in.

[@iamlegend68]

You just know the production team chose this couple knowing full well it was going to spark this sort of reaction from the Dragons

[@Ziggykitty666]

At least someone is helping these ppl get in front of some real honesty that in the long run could help their business

[@travisscavoni369]

And to think that almost 14 years after this episode aired these two are still in business.

[@Shaycare]

And its still really small business

[@joseluizpereirafilho7222]

@@Shaycare Better small than broke

[@MsNoPixel]

@@joseluizpereirafilho7222 small can also lead to broke tho… small doesn’t mean profiting.

[@Limitedonathios]

@@MsNoPixel Uber still isn’t profitable. Big doesn’t mean profitable either

[@lukealadeen7836]

@@Limitedonathios yea but the founders of uber are millionaires and these two aren't

[@joshkleine21]

I feel for them. They seemed like really nice people, just lacked the business acumen and part of that is understanding that dressing up and looking good is very important. But as I said, seemed like really nice people. Even the way he thanked them for their time at the end after that grilling was really nice and polite. I hope they’ve done really well for themselves since 😊

[@stoneheart_raven]

Nice people but they dress like that for, in a sense, a job interview. not smart.

[@sorrenblitz805]

Honestly I'd feel better hiring them than another ape in a suit. I'd rather see how people operate at their most comfortable, rather than some fake image of high class they're trying to sweet talk me with.

[@stianberg5645]

did you see the guy's armpit?!

[@bencarlisle7878]

Common sense goes a long way

[@Thelostgoldhunters]

Disagree.

[@kmf3613]

James' put downs hit different but Theo's 'you're not clean' was too much 😭😭😂😂😂

[@SMartypAntsPants]

I advocate that they dump the advocate, then soak that shirt, in a bucket, with some proper washing powder.

[@thephantom4661]

The Dragons were reluctant to take the samples, hygeine being forefront on their minds.

[@MsMaryPatricia]

I wouldn't have taken them.

[@dannyflint5746]

The guy had yellow stains under his armpits i would habe told him to do 1

[@faridabaouiurbano5823]

James is so confident he doesn’t shy away from being polite and wishing them well at the end. He doesn’t get nervous. Nothing to prove

[@BenjaminGoose]

A real wolf in sheep's clothing.

[@InYourHeadChangedMan]

And you're a goose in a mans clothing🤔​@@BenjaminGoose

[@dan.3500]

That advocate was definatly found raking the bins outside.

[@kellingtonlink956]

They remained quite composed, and polite, despite their unbusinesslike attire. Well done them, to an extent. Thanks for the video.

[@Thelostgoldhunters]

Bollocks

[@JamesHendersonVideo]

"year one is going to be better than break even" hahahahahahahahahahhaha

[@Ryanjoned163]

🤣

[@mash0wnt]

"What's the advocate doing here" lmfao

[@tobymacdonald5893]

The way he said it so so confidently too lmaoo

[@S_Europe]

Start vid. Pause vid. Read comments.

[@havva_p]

LOL

[@tarawalsh-arpaia3928]

The ONLY way.

[@TheJohnCooperShow]

Start vid. Read comments whilst listening and part watching

[@adamrandles4055]

If this was on today, not a single dragon would mention the way they look lol how things have changed 🤣

[@thiccosaurus4033]

when did this episode air?

[@MrSqurk]

@jonny benzene Are you talking about Regi Regi Sauce? One of the most well known things to come from this show.

[@MrSqurk]

@jonny benzene your victim complex is rather crazy. Willing to bet you also rail against this attitude in other people.

[@philharry7213]

It wasn’t the style of dress or hair it was the dirty unironed top with stained armpits that was the issue and would be an issue today.

[@urfavoritehumanbean879]

Excited for the new Burial?

[@moboy4779]

The yellow sweat stains under the blokes armpits clearly inspired my confidence :-)

[@joxidearmageddonator882]

9:36 peter's already started slagging them off before they've even left the room 🤣🤣

[@WillWivSkills]

john definitely did not pluck those numbers out of thin air

[@getin3949]

No, he DID pluck them out of thin air.

[@HaggardPillockHD]

@@getin3949 no, he did snot pick those figures from his nose hair

[@Timeismyrelative]

@@Jay-he2mo Nice job, you use reddit!

[@Flakka-]

@@Timeismyrelative what's a reddit and where do I buy one? has it been on dragons den before?

[@ebonimom6964]

@@getin3949 are you serious?

[@danielmcnally2462]

Fair enough that they dressed how they might usually, but Martin's 'shirt' is literally dirty. Did they not take a look at themselves before coming on?

[@Horizon344]

They just insulted them for 10 minutes, & they stood there saying thank you repeatedly to them whilst they did it & walked off!

[@annas.8902]

James is attractive. Sue me. The way he handles himself, speaks to others, and he gives hella daddy vibes.

[@mickeywila]

haha love it. He's suave.

[@jimmyog]

LuStar it’s not that deep

[@annas.8902]

@LuStar I would, definitely.

[@annas.8902]

@Suspicious Ned Aw, feeling invalidated somehow? I had a very loving father and I'll always be grateful for that ❤️

[@harrymartin684]

Funny you say daddy vibes because one of the reasons he isn't on Dragons Den anymore is because he was caught offering to buy a baby off an impoverished family in Pakistan

[@chinmayravindrashah]

The way the dragons were holding their sample as those guys served: horrifyingly hilarious 🤣

[@aarizmushtaq4301]

😂😂

[@highwaytohelles4561]

"in return for 100.000 pounds we're willing to give away 30 % of my hair." Touker: "I'm in!!!"

[@philharry7213]

Food production is all about hygiene, and they didn’t look like either personal hygiene or hygiene preparing food was high on their agenda.

[@biscuit4259]

That’s an absurd prejudice, do you want them coming into the den with a hair net?

[@izouji2153]

@@biscuit4259 they look like clean people to you?

[@user-wickedflower]

@@biscuit4259 you call prejudice, i call an observation. Food prep is number 1 when selling food. If you want a serious investor turn up looking serious yourselves. They both looked unclean

[@JohnDoeplaceuknown]

@@biscuit4259 dude, the guy had armpit stains on his baggy shirt.

[@arthurmorgan8529]

Also probably vote labour

[@liamhayes1537]

Holy crap i had no idea martin went on DD, He's one of the nicest people ive ever met, his wife is lovely too and hes still trading his fine foods to this day and is always expanding his ranges. I without fail buy from him every time i see him at Tewkesbury. They're doing really well in Re-enactment circles.

[@thefonzkiss]

RIP

[@anushmohan7527]

They say, "Never judge a book by its cover" but we all do. It's natural and automatic. That's exactly what happened to these guys. Perfectly decent, good-natured, honest folks who put people off because of their appearance. But would definitely draw attention and business at festivals, fairs, exhibitions etc. Hope Martin wears black shirt next time.

[@cliffjacobs3952]

If we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, then why bother with a jacket design in the first place? Some old clichés ought to be discarded for good.

[@joedwyer3297]

@@cliffjacobs3952 because someone can look bad and be good and vice versa. Its very very simple. Your idea of discarding tried and tested wisdom without understanding it just makes you look ignorant

[@YuToobVideos]

They couldn't even be bothered to open a few bags for sampling. Everyone had to reach into the same bag like a group of 12yr olds sharing a bag of candy. As far as their appearance they had that "I don't conform to society's standards, but I need your money that you got by conforming to society's standards" attitude!😂😂

[@HopelessSinner]

I thought that was terrible! I've seen some episodes of this where the Dragons have been presented with a tray of food, or a gift box etc., but these guys couldn't even give them a bag of jerky *each* !!

[@mattwriggt4503]

revolting pal

[@dddddd211]

So well said!

[@serbiansauvage]

Why is his armpit green? It looks as if he sweats pickle juice.

[@tonimarris6259]

I bet you cheered when that young girl Sophie Lancaster died from her injuries trying to save her boyfriend being beaten to a pulp just because they dressed in alternative clothing.

[@samsherrington7423]

@@tonimarris6259 I'm pretty sure he was only being humorous, chill it chick. 😅

[@kyratuk2637]

@@tonimarris6259 just another junkie off the street

[@Asquid1987]

@@tonimarris6259 odd thing to say. I didn't know alternative clothing required dirty pits, I'd best get on that

[@Right_Said_Brett]

In his defense, it's probably the deodorant he chose to use on the day. I've had the same thing happen to myself with certain deodorants; freshly showered that day, put on a deodorant and a clean white shirt and then by the end of the day, I've had yellow stains underneath my armpits on my shirt, despite smelling fine and being clean.

[@russnunn2456]

at least get a shower and use deodorant and iron ur top for the potentially most important meeting of your life 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@johnnyace2287]

Sho...wer?

[@russnunn2456]

Soap 🧼 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️ idk

[@jakeevans9746]

Wear clean clothes. Not a fan of their hair too

[@russnunn2456]

No one wants to buy any type of food off a person with pit stains and generally looks like he needs a shower

[@legionofAlexander]

James and Duncan are my favorite dragons/sharks. Richard is pretty good also, I just love how he looks like an 18 year old but it so knowledgeable.

[@oliprj8676]

It is said 'don't judge a book by it's cover'. But in this instance I think the Dragons did. All out as soon as these guys walked in

[@Thepopcornator]

They weren't judging the guy as a person. They were questioning his business acumen if he's going to show up to a pitch to major investors dressed like that. As they pointed out, he didn't even look clean - not the type of image I'd want associated with my food brand.

[@iz723]

Every customer judges a product by its cover

[@quandaledingle113]

That's life. People are judgemental, even when they try not to be. You shouldn't make a business decision while ignoring human nature just to feel good.

[@jevdawg]

Rightfully so, who would go in business with a bunch of clowns

[@carlhartwell7978]

Phrases like _don't judge a book by it's cover_ are good because they allow for a _certain_ amount of discretion. But there has to be balance, there has to be wisdom. We have preconceived ideas for reasons other than irrational bias, often that bias is rational. If you're asking for £100,000 and you can't even make an attempt to look like you didn't just throw on the clothes you wore to some music festival yesterday, then you're not taking it seriously enough for that serious kind of money. Not to mention it's a food business, good grief.

[@sejembalm]

The problem with people displaying themselves out as freak-shows in order to annoy the squares may find themselves self-sabotaged because the squares control the jobs.

[@danhudson4614]

They didn't know the numbers, the pitch was quite flat. He had a big green stain under his arm while handing out food. The real issue with the image is it showed no real intent in pushing the product to the next level. He could have made an effort with a suit don't think the hair mattered as much. There's dressing differently to enhance a product and there's not caring.

[@sejembalm]

@@danhudson4614 Yes, I also got a strong "yeah, whatever" vibe on the lazy pitch. In my experience, that is far worse than presenting a freak-show appearance.

[@BattleBladeWarrior]

lol, freak shows? :D Damn! Is that just because they have colored hair? If so, its funny how we're ok with people dying their hair, as long as its "normal colors", but if its bright or stands out somehow thats offensive. Its still just a color.

[@danhudson4614]

@@BattleBladeWarrior I don't think it was meant as offensive

[@dazem8]

@@danhudson4614 agree! their look distracted completely from the product as deborah said.

[@dawnhazell-jones4448]

Absolutely stunning food and I give Mr and Mrs Cowley a massive pat on the back for all the work they have done for the homeless and also feeding the NHS and masking them up during this Pandemic...I wish there were more people in the world like them in fact instead of the stereotypical judgemental assholes that seem to be overpopulating the world...not to mention the internet..

[@M00skin]

Dawn Hazell-Jones finally someone understands

[@M00skin]

The cowleys are brilliant people I know them from the re-enactment world and they are lovely and there jerky and fruit lethers are outstanding

[@joeshmoe7485]

@@M00skin would it have killed him to put on a clean shirt? What if that one detail alone could have landed them an investment? It's important to present well to make a good impression. This should be a case study in what NOT to do when pitching to investors.

[@joseph1845]

Masking up does not make you virtuous, it makes you a conformist sheep.

[@francissolomon3537]

The dragon's reaction to their hair lmao

[@francissolomon3537]

dread true lmao true

[@jandoel]

I can only imagine what his production facility looks like when he choose to go on national television with a massive pit stain.

[@MrWindermere123]

That was painful to watch, but Martin Cowley was a true gentleman to keep his cool and leave with dignity. The business advocate seemed to add nothing to the pitch - I hope he isn't their accountant.

[@rhodrijohn7411]

"he's got a dirty shirt, I wouldn't eat his stuff" but you'll happily tuck into a burger van 😂

[@kixruger6920]

I feel like the rooster guy definitely smokes roll your own cigs and yells at the tv while he’s making jerky

[@graceochieng8900]

LOL Theo being pissed off in the first 10 seconds 🤣

[@Senhor_Abreu]

If he had a punk Celtic product it will fit perfectly. Isn't so much about the image itself but about the coherence of the image.

[@scootsmcgoots]

In their defense, they took that beating very well and stayed respectful.

[@petergedd9330]

Humbleness

[@levimcgee2659]

I must say, this pitch was pretty hysterical. They don’t look professional/serious about their business, and John, their “advocate” did them no favors. They should’ve made an effort to look professional( and not like hungover pirates), and found a better person to represent them besides John. 😂

[@liddybug8311]

They could have at least showered,worn deodorant and worn clean clothes but apparently that would be something they consider not them. They look absolutely disgusting.

[@coldven0m]

Hungover pirates, nailed it haha

[@PeaceCannon]

The way she called John, i half expected s Labrador to bolt up the stairs.

[@Mogamishu]

Another joke business that never had a chance of getting an offer, that the BBC producers only invited on for laughs, because they make for good TV.

[@scottarmstrong8968]

Yeah, similar to x-factor. Joke acts are the best part 😅

[@greghanson8768]

Indeed, because this is a reality TV show, not a business documentary. If you think this is how business deals are actually negotiated in the real world then you are coming to this programme with woefully misguided expectations.

[@ThePrimeMinisterOfTheBlock]

@@greghanson8768 you think there are people out there who think that this show is representative of business negotiations?

[@MsMaryPatricia]

The important part is that they were invited, not forced. If grown men and women want to go on tv and make fools of themselves in return for free advertising, that's their prerogative.

[@lemsip207]

At the time they were selling at the farmers market which is where I met them so they had a viable business even then. They don't sell there anymore as they are too busy selling at festivals and food fairs in the summer and the farmers market organisers only wanted stall holders who could be there all throughout the year either every week or on alternative weeks.

[@bonechip01]

Johnny Rotten-Meat

[@ifwecouldvote]

😅

[@lukehanson1109]

“You don’t look clean you don’t look clinical” hahahahaha

[@jackcooper3307]

dread true would you have invested?

[@justanotherhappyhumanist8832]

dread true Yeah, but a festival and food are two totally different things. The point is that people are very particular about their food, and most people don’t want to associate their food with images of poor hygiene. Even doing so on a subconscious level can turn someone off a product. That’s the dragon’s point.

[@pauldenino6350]

savage lol

[@justanotherhappyhumanist8832]

dread true Sure you did, lol...we both know you read it, but don’t know how to respond, and lack the integrity to admit when you’re wrong. Anyway, nice to see that you’re still throwing a tantrum because I proved you wrong in the other thread. I see you’re also still responding with the same rude comments, too. Also, funny how you’re still ignoring my other comments (in which I exposed your lies, debunked your claims, and called you out for this tantrum you keep throwing) under the other thread where we were discussing things. Instead of either refuting my points or admitting that you’re wrong, you have spent our entire discussion throwing a tantrum because you’re angry that someone proved you wrong. It’s pretty sad. You really are demonstrating a clear lack of intellectual integrity here. Anyway, luckily for you, I think I just accidentally deleted my above comment, but you know what? I’m just going to copy and paste everything in my other two comments to you (from the other thread) and post them here, since my above comment essentially reiterated certain points I made in those comments...and also so everyone is able to see how illogical and dishonest your arguments are, and have some context for the rude comments and tantrum you keep posting. 😊

[@justanotherhappyhumanist8832]

dread true dread true Wearing business attire has nothing to do with not being happy at work - it’s just about knowing how to dress appropriately for different occasions. In the same way, I’m not going to slouch in a business meeting, or swear or speak casually like I would with my friends, because I know that wouldn’t give a professional impression. And it’s not just where I work - pretty much every single workplace is the same way...ESPECIALLY if you’re working with food. And you keep bringing up this Lollapalooza guy in every single thread where you’ve commented, every time someone points all this out to you, but I’ve already explained to you under another comment that they are two totally different things. For starters, Perry Farrell (the guy who started Lollapalooza) may have a “rocker” look, but he still looks much more put together than the people in this video. Secondly, when Farrell started Lollapalooza, he was already a famous rockstar, as the lead singer for Jane’s Addiction, so he was already rich because of that band, and already famous for having that style. Contrary to your claim, Lollapalooza isn’t what made him rich - Jane’s Addiction did. Still, even if we ignore those two facts which already totally discount your entire argument, the music and food industries are two totally separate industries, so naturally they’re not going to require the same type of presentation, attitude, etc. from people looking to succeed in each industry. Your argument is therefore a logical fallacy known as a “false equivalency fallacy” - you are comparing two totally disparate things and pretending that they’re the same thing. We have strict hygiene laws involving food production for a reason - it’s a matter of health and safety. For those same health reasons, we’ve evolved to feel revulsion when our food is in anyway linked to poor hygiene. At a music festival, you expect to see people who are a bit dirty - it’s that kind of environment. However, the food industry is the total opposite - you only want to associate clean, presentable people with your food. Furthermore, this is a business meeting - they are asking for a very large sum of money, and yet, the dragons made more or a conscious effort getting ready than they did. Do you think that the dragons wear suits when they’re lounging around with friends at home? Of course they don’t. They wear them at work because it makes them look professional and is appropriate for the industry they work in. The people presenting the business in this video did not look appropriate for either the food industry, or business...and they thus showed that they lacked knowledge of both aspects of their business. Their attire helped demonstrate that their “business” isn’t a real, professional food business - it’s something they want to do when they’re at home, lounging around in their casual attire, and looking like they’ve just come back home after spending a few days at a festival. There are practical reasons why we associate certain looks with certain ideas. We associate pristine, practical clothing and cleanliness with food, because that helps indicate to us that our food is safer to eat. We associate stereotypical business attire with good business acumen because it indicates professionalism - it demonstrates that the person in front of us is willing to go that extra mile to help our business. It demonstrates that when that person is working, they are going to put the company’s needs ahead of any personal desires and inclinations that may harm the company, or turn off clients.

[@woody41165]

He would have been better off with a deodorant product and he could have done a live demo to prove how effective or ineffective it was.

[@lemsip207]

How can you smell him from behind a screen?

[@FuburLuck]

@@lemsip207 The yellow pit stains are a HUGE indicator.

[@woody41165]

@@lemsip207 I have a very good imagination.

[@MrsJKPilsworth]

How would you be after four hours in a hot Green Room and then being told you are going on, not yet, now, not yet ...

[@FuburLuck]

@@MrsJKPilsworth If my deodorant weren't working well enough I would have dark stains on my shirt, not yellow. Yellow doesn't happen in a few hours. That shirt had yellow pit stains when he put it on in the morning.

[@ahmedalshami589]

When I saw their lawyer struggling to answer the questions , I thought the lawyer is going to call another lawyer to help him

[@joedwyer3297]

Hes not a lawyer

[@RydalS]

0:47 When theo eyes finally focus he can't believe what he sees. 😂

[@badrequest5596]

he set up an appointment with an ophthalmologist after this one

[@msstarlight4770]

So, basically, they brought one of those food dehydrators & thought they'd start a business with it. 😄😄😄👍👍

[@tomissmitten]

yup, it's amateur hour for sure. Only a month ago they were asking on their facebook page for advice about their website and how to market/sell their products. I honestly don't know how they are still in business

[@msstarlight4770]

@@tomissmitten Yes, I agree, & I don't think marketing will help their products/business, because there's nothing new or innovative about what they're selling.

[@mindymantle]

Those things take bloody forever, they probably gave the Dragons fruit leather from 1998

[@SteveLiddle]

@@tomissmitten If you had most of your direct selling events cancelled due to the covid "pandemic" and people were not spending much, would you not want to look at ways that the business could be improved

[@MrsJKPilsworth]

@Miss Mitten and @Miss Starlight, bear in mind this pitch was years before supermarkets et al started selling jerky. Martin and Suzie have an original product which they continue to refine. I don’t see much vegan jerkey around. They have it. They have a full vegan kitchen.

[@informationyes]

The look on peters face is priceless

[@Colby_0-3_IRL_and_title_fights]

"You don't look clean" -Theo Psthyedjitd

[@chanchito4401]

Theo Poseidon

[@justanotherhappyhumanist8832]

dread true It wasn’t nice, but most people don’t wear what they feel most comfortable in to work - there’s a time and a place. Do you think everyone who wears suits or other workplace attire does so because that’s their favourite style? No. Most of us do it because we know it presents the image required of us to do our jobs right. When we get home, and we’re with our friends, then we can put piercings back in, and wear our favourite styles. The fact that they came in looking like that shows that they don’t understand business, and that’s worrying for an investor.

[@Abedeuss]

@dread true He literally has yellow armpit stains.

[@justanotherhappyhumanist8832]

dread true Wearing business attire has nothing to do with not being happy at work - it’s just about knowing how to dress appropriately for different occasions. In the same way, I’m not going to slouch in a business meeting, or swear or speak casually like I would with my friends, because I know that wouldn’t give a professional impression. And it’s not just where I work - pretty much every single workplace is the same way...ESPECIALLY if you’re working with food. And you keep bringing up this Lollapalooza guy in every single thread where you’ve commented, every time someone points all this out to you, but I’ve already explained to you under another comment that they are two totally different things. For starters, Perry Farrell (the guy who started Lollapalooza) may have a “rocker” look, but he still looks much more put together than the people in this video. Secondly, when Farrell started Lollapalooza, he was already a famous rockstar, as the lead singer for Jane’s Addiction, so he was already rich because of that band, and already famous for having that style. Contrary to your claim, Lollapalooza isn’t what made him rich - Jane’s Addiction did. Still, even if we ignore those two facts which already totally discount your entire argument, the music and food industries are two totally separate industries, so naturally they’re not going to require the same type of presentation, attitude, etc. from people looking to succeed in each industry. Your argument is therefore a logical fallacy known as a “false equivalency fallacy” - you are comparing two totally disparate things and pretending that they’re the same thing. We have strict hygiene laws involving food production for a reason - it’s a matter of health and safety. For those same health reasons, we’ve evolved to feel revulsion when our food is in anyway linked to poor hygiene. At a music festival, you expect to see people who are a bit dirty - it’s that kind of environment. However, the food industry is the total opposite - you only want to associate clean, presentable people with your food. Furthermore, this is a business meeting - they are asking for a very large sum of money, and yet, the dragons made more or a conscious effort getting ready than they did. Do you think that the dragons wear suits when they’re lounging around with friends at home? Of course they don’t. They wear them at work because it makes them look professional and is appropriate for the industry they work in. The people presenting the business in this video did not look appropriate for either the food industry, or business...and they thus showed that they lacked knowledge of both aspects of their business. Their attire helped demonstrate that their “business” isn’t a real, professional food business - it’s something they want to do when they’re at home, lounging around in their casual attire, and looking like they’ve just come back home after spending a few days at a festival. There are practical reasons why we associate certain looks with certain ideas. We associate pristine, practical clothing and cleanliness with food, because that helps indicate to us that our food is safer to eat. We associate stereotypical business attire with good business acumen because it indicates professionalism - it demonstrates that the person in front of us is willing to go that extra mile to help our business. It demonstrates that when that person is working, they are going to put the company’s needs ahead of any personal desires and inclinations that may harm the company, or turn off clients.

[@justanotherhappyhumanist8832]

dread true Oh, and I’m sure you said it for this exact reason (the same reason you said you were sorry that I’m unhappy at my work, even though I indicated no such thing), but saying “god bless” to a humanist/atheist is patronising and rude. Just because your arguments have been picked apart and shown to be the logical fallacies that they are, there’s no need to be passive-aggressive. Perhaps it’s that very lack of maturity and inability to process opposing arguments without getting angry that has led to you not understanding when to put others’ needs before your own. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@Harry-jz1dn]

"Business advocate" lol... that's the first time in his life that guy's wearing a suit... or brushed his hair. Couldn't even shave properly.

[@sinkvenice4438]

I’m only one minute in and I can already say for certain that I absolutely do not want to eat food that’s been made by someone with armpit stains like that.

[@NUFC_1]

agreed

[@Paul-Gray]

I felt sick while watching this

[@MrBradfordchild]

Now I have to go and look. Thanks.

[@lukealadeen7836]

😂😂😂

[@ChrJahnsen]

When the third guy walked in, I fell off my chair laughing. The Three Stooges was finally complete. 🤣😂🤣😂

[@jont60]

Those yellow stain sweat marks under his armpits though. Image and hygiene do count with food products

[@00Kuja00]

@Him Yellow stains from sweat do no not appear right away. It must been an unwashed shirt.

[@00Kuja00]

@Him To be fair I did not see it until I took a second look after reading the comments. But there is sadly yellow stains under his armpits.

[@thestarshavefallen]

@Him yeah I'm sure my Samsung S20 Ultra isn't calibrated 🤣

[@blindfreddy9157]

@Him even I could see them.

[@Abedeuss]

@Him You can see them on a tiny-ass 480p youtube video, imagine seeing them up close and personal as you walk up to the "chef" or "owner" or whatever his role in the business is.

[@Connorthecob]

01:13 love the dedicated focus on his hair

[@oliprj8676]

Oh come on. He's got like that so people will look. People dress outrageously for attention

[@dannyflint5746]

The cowleys decided to head to dragons den straight from the sesh, at least John slept for an hour and got changed, if only he could remember the numbers they discussed when they were all high on coke earlier

[@JL-gf3yc]

2:29 brilliant🤣, nobody would say that in the den today🤣

[@116tunes]

Theo's reaction when they first walk in says it all.

[@HardcoreClassicEra]

looks like this guy uses his jerky as soap looking at those arm pit stains wtf

[@NUFC_1]

LMFAO

[@Right_Said_Brett]

Oh no! I didn't even notice the great big yellow stains underneath his armpits. I kinda feel bad for the guy. I'm sure he's a nice fella and I would never judge him as a human being for the way he presents himself but he does need to understand that his look would absolutely put people off in business. Is it fair? Not really, but life isn't fair and if he wants to succeed in business, then he has to play the game.

[@costelo_6297]

@@Right_Said_Brett Why wouldn't you judge anybody for the way they present themselves? Look is a direct reflection of some parts of the personality. And therefore what's not fair about judging him poorly for his poor look? In life there are consequences for every anction, consequences for every inaction and random events, it's not like it isn't fair, it's actually above and beyond the concept of fairness. People can be unfair, that's a different matter altogether.

[@Right_Said_Brett]

@@costelo_6297 I actually fully agree! I think that you misinterpreted my comment. I posted another comment below this video, directed to a friend of the couple in the video who was bemoaning the people for criticising their look, where I said the same basic thing as yourself. I'll repost it for you here... It is human nature to have an initial preconception of somebody's personality based upon the way that they look, within 3 seconds of meeting them (that's just basic psychology). So, effectively it is human nature to judge a book by its cover. For all of your protesting, even you do it, guaranteed. Every human being does. In this couple's case, a lot of people may assume that they're into punk music and have an anti-authoritarian attitude, for example (not that there's anything wrong with those two traits. I'm just using it as an example of the stereotype for the look which they are rocking). Of course, a wise person will amend that initial appraisal and then truly judge the person on how the behave, the things they say and their character, not the way they look. The problem is that in business, you only get one chance to make a first impression and therefore, a person's look does absolutely matter within that sphere. It's not fair, but the world of business is cutthroat and hardly a fair environment. It pays to play the game and a part of that game is presenting yourself in a professional attire and as a serious businessperson. It does no good to bemoan that. You're arguing against human nature and something which you cannot possibly change (to have preconceived notions of people's personalities, based upon initial appearances). You may as well argue against the sun rising in the morning, for all the good it will do.

[@donjoe2661]

First I thought, could it be a new fabricated style like buying brand new ripped jeans from a store.

[@richardroberts6817]

Duncan: “Quickly breakdown what you’re gonna do with the 100,000 pound.” Igor The Rooster Man: “ 99,999.50 pound on more heroin and .50 pound on more shirts from 15th century Goodwill of course.”

[@CK-uj5zb]

This is brilliant. The dragons are normally all over the freebies - but look at their faces when they are getting the food handed out by a guy with a huge green sweat stain on his top and looks like he hasn't seen a shower in months!

[@erin5592]

Not to mention he only opened one bag and they all had to reach inside it 😭

[@defundhollywood3259]

0:08 Theo's face when they walk in 😂😂😂😭😭😭👻

[@ReviloJHQ]

That sweat patch though.... they also make horse meat 🤢

[@cem61144]

Poor John

[@JagoffCitizen]

Lol I just found their My Brittle Pony dried horse meat on their "vintage" website.

[@purplefrog3754]

Horse meat is lush.

[@W_Europe]

Do they do rat meat also

[@TehDawg]

And what? It’s meat. You eat pigs and cows Lmfao

[@Mattal0calypse]

Is that someone's weave hanging from his belt buckle?

[@gregstar77]

Love how the samples are distributed 😮😅 wanna sweet mate, wanna sweet? You wanna sweet? Sweet? Sweet?

[@colibrireader]

The camera zooming into the pink mohawk 1:13 helped fuel the mockery. It went downhill from there on. Notice Peter's reaction soon after

[@HopelessSinner]

The point of the show is to stand in front of the Dragons for X amount of minutes and *impress* them enough that they want to invest in you and your product. It's not just about _the_ _pitch_ , it's the whole package, just like a job interview, and these guys clearly didn't 'dress to impress'...🤷🏻‍♀️

[@strati5phere]

If you are interviewing for a formal job, it's appropriate for formal attire. Clearly they should have dressed formally at least in formal kitchen gear and non styled combed back hair.

[@FuburLuck]

@@strati5phere Or at least a clean shirt that doesn't have pit stains so old that they've yellowed from aging.

[@TaroutCommodore]

The hair wasn't the issue, it's the clothes, and they couldn't back it up with numbers. I feel bad they got judged like that, but they knew it would happen and weren't clear enough to look past it.

[@NecroMorrius]

Thank you very listening.

[@IRISHBUTCHER]

Spudman is a good example of the middle ground where you can rock a pink mohhawk, just dont turn up dressed like they did