A former Dragons’ Den participant revealed his luxury camping business earned £500,000 just over two weeks after the episode aired.
The Secret Garden Glamping company, owned by Derry Green, appeared on the BBC show in January 2024.
Green received investment offers from four ‘Dragons’ – namely Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Sara Davies and Touker Souleyman.
Each put forward the full £100,000 asking price in exchange for a 5% stake in the business.
He ultimately accepted Deborah’s offer and has now opened up about the ‘immediate’ impact after the show.
Green told Business Cloud: ‘Dragons’ Den was a huge moment in our journey and it’s been incredible to see how much the business has grown since the episode aired.
Derry Green – owner of The Secret Garden Glamping company – appeared on Dragons’ Den in January 2024
Green received investment offers from four Dragons – and ultimately accepted the offer from Deborah Meaden
‘Our episode aired on January 16 and by February 1 we had generated an additional £500,000 in bookings,’ he said.
‘The exposure introduced The Secret Garden Glamping to a national audience overnight and website traffic, enquiries and bookings all surged.’
He added: ‘‘What’s been particularly powerful is that the impact wasn’t short term.
‘Demand has remained consistently strong in the two years since the show aired and it helped accelerate the growth of the brand significantly.’
Meanwhile, the business owner also shared advice for future hopefuls entering the Den.
He said: ‘The Dragons see hundreds of pitches, so they can quickly tell when something is over-rehearsed.
‘Be clear about what problem your business solves, why you’re different and what you’re asking for.
‘It also helps to have a tight pitch that explains the opportunity in simple terms.
‘Investors respect founders who understand the risks as well as the potential.’
The Secret Garden glamping company began as a lockdown project, but went on to become a viral sensation with a two-year waiting list.
It comes as two entrepreneurs who appeared on Dragons’ Den raked in an eye-watering £11million just one year after bagging a £75k investment on the BBC show.
Practicing UK veterinarian Dr Guy Sandelowsky and co-founder Shiv Sivakumar appeared on the programme in February last year to ask for £75k for 1 per cent of their business pet health brand Omni.
The pair impressed Steven Bartlett and Deborah Meaden and managed to get their hands on the money they asked for, but had to give up two and a half per cent of their company.
Since taking part in the BBC show, the business partners – who founded Omni six year sago – have gone from strength to strength.
According to Metro, Omni has gone on to add 100,000 new customers since their stint on the programme and made £8.4 million in sales.
The Secret Garden glamping company began as a lockdown project, but went on to become a viral sensation with a two-year waiting list
Prior to that, in 2024, they made £2.7 million, meanwhile in £1.2 million in 2023.
Omni has become a popular brand within the industry and now boasts an impressive 28.3k followers on Instagram.
The brand offer supplements for problems such as irritated skin, bladder care and joints and mobility.
Dry food, wet food, treats, dental sticks and calming diffusers are also available to buy.
Last year the contestants revealed to the Daily Mail their top tips to help others get their businesses on the show.
The entrepreneurs launched Omni after witnessing numerous cases of preventable, nutrition-related illnesses in pets, particularly during the pet boom throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with Dr Guy estimating that he saw 30 instances daily.
The business, which makes sustainable pet food and supplements and is currently working to produce an Ozempic-style medication for overweight dogs, has witnessed remarkable growth since its launch in 2021, achieving £2.7 million in sales in 2024.
Perhaps the biggest highlight for Dr Guy and Shiv, though, who have watched Dragon’s Den throughout their childhood and into adult life, is securing investments from Deborah and Steven, who, as pet owners, saw a promising future for Omni.
However, it wasn’t easy for the founders to win their way through the Dragon’s Den application process, and it took them three attempts to successfully land a chance to pitch to the Dragons’.
Dr Guy and Shiv learned a trick or two throughout the process and have given their top tips for business owners looking to get their big break on the BBC show.
‘This was our third time applying,’ Guy said, adding, ‘We were not expecting to get on this year because it’s a show that Shiv and I have watched as kids and all our lives, so it’s a bit surreal, we never actually thought we would get this chance.’
‘We wanted to go in the Den because we felt that if we were able to secure Dragons’, the experience that they would bring to the business would be super valuable.’
Dragons’ Den airs on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer.
