Since our Dragons’ Den episode aired, I’ve had a steady stream of messages from grocery brands asking if it was worth it, and whether they should apply. So I thought I’d share my experience: what worked, what didn’t, and what I’d do differently if I could rewind time.
The wins
The biggest win? Using the Dragons’ Den buzz to strengthen retailer and wholesaler relationships. The prospect of TV exposure – though we couldn’t be specific about what it was ahead of airing – gave us leverage to secure promotions and visibility at a time when consumers were most engaged.
What also worked well was extending the moment by using clips across organic social and paid media. This kept the momentum going and helped drive additional brand awareness.
And finally, the experience gave our team and early customers something to rally behind. It created a moment of shared excitement, which was brilliant for morale and community engagement.
The challenges
On the flip side, there were a few things that didn’t go as well. Media coverage beyond the show itself was fleeting. The press moves on quickly, and unless your episode features a particularly dramatic moment, journalists aren’t likely to revisit it.
Stock forecasting was another challenge. When you have a long, less agile supply chain, predicting demand accurately is tough. Thankfully, we followed founder of Bold Bean Co Amelia Christie-Miller’s advice and didn’t overinvest – something I’d recommend to any brand already in retail with some visibility.
The biggest frustration was the final edit. We wanted our segment to focus on our brand story, my journey as a founder, and the problem we’re solving. Instead, the producers built the narrative around a disagreement between Trinny Woodall and Touker Suleyman, meaning the bulk of our airtime was spent discussing financials rather than the real heart of the business.
We went into full project management mode a few months before filming: overhauling our website, refining messaging, and preparing for every scenario. Perhaps this was overkill. However, we didn’t know what the final edit would be. I was filmed for over an hour, which was distilled into a few minutes on the show.
No amount of preparation can fully prepare you for the emotional intensity of the experience. It’s exhausting as a founder and for the team, and it’s taken a while to get going again in the aftermath. Here are the top tips I’d recommend if you do decide to go for it.
Key tips for founders:
- Plan your TV moment. PerfectTed’s co-founder, Marisa Poster, shared with me that they mapped out key soundbites they wanted to stage in the Den to try and shape the edit. I thought this was genius, but only got the advice after our episode was filmed.
- Know who you’re really pitching to. I obviously wanted an offer from the Dragons – it makes your episode more likely to air, too – but I was clear the key person I was pitching to was the audience at home. How would I appeal to them to give Seep a try? What would make me relatable?
- Would you do this anyway? Consider whether the things you’re investing – time, money, and energy – in getting ready for the Den make sense for your business beyond the TV moment.
- Be clear on what success looks like. What accounts, partnerships, and media opportunities do you want to land off the back of this? Ensure you have the bandwidth to chase them immediately after airing.
- BBC rules are strict pre-airing, but relaxed after. Once it’s out, you have more freedom – make the most of it.
- Manage the stress. The lead-up and aftermath are intense. Find ways to offload pressure and recharge the batteries.
- Double down on social. Brands like Hair Syrup showed how powerful a well-executed social strategy can be post-Dragons’ Den. In hindsight, we could have done even more.
In summary, six weeks on, it was 100% worth doing. After the initial spike in sales, we’re still up 15%-40%, depending on the channel. It’s given us credibility and amazing powerhouse Dragons to support us, has strengthened retailer relationships, and provided a unique marketing moment. But it was also one of the most stressful things I’ve ever done, so there is a price to pay as a founder.
The key takeaway is to prepare for the moment mentally, not just as a business.
Laura Harnett is the founder of Seep
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