A pair of entrepreneurs who broke records on Dragons’ Den, have revealed what it was really like behind the scenes once the cameras stopped rolling.

The panel of the BBC show is made up of Steven Barlett, Sara Davies, Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, and Touker Suleyman.

And in the most recent episode, Dr Guy Sandelowsky and Shiv Sivakumar took to the floor in an attempt to win investment for their pet food company, Omni Pet.

After a nail-biting pitch, which included quite the grilling from Peter Jones, the founders agreed to a joint investment from Deborah and Steven in return for a 2.5% equity stake, valuing the business at £3m.

The duo impressively broke the record for the highest valuation for a pet business on Dragon’s Den.

Their business sells a range of sustainable dog food made for pets with sensitivities and allergies, as well as treats and supplements for things like anxiety, gut health, and irritated skin.

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A pair of entrepreneurs who broke records on Dragons’ Den have revealed what it was really like behind the scenes, once the cameras stopped rolling

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The panel of the BBC show is made up of Steven Barlett, Sara Davies, Peter Jones (above), Deborah Meaden, and Touker Suleyman

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Despite revealing they had ‘such a tough time’ and found the process very ‘intense,’ Dr Guy and Shiv also lifted the lid on a heartwarming moment which happened behind the scenes.

Dr Guy told The Sun: ‘We had a really nice moment after the den. We went back into, sort of like the dressing room, and then they [Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett] came to sort of see us.

‘We had this very lovely human moment where we would just hug, and they would just sort of talk to us, not as dragons or as investors, but really just as people, and just really checking on us to see how we’re doing with the pressure of the den.’

He continued: ‘They knew that we could get a bit of a grilling as well, and just sort of, like, calm our nerves down about that and everything, which is super nice. They didn’t have to do that.’

Their business, which 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 last year.

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’. 

They told Femail: ‘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.’

‘As a founder, if you’re really mission driven, which we are, there’s no greater gift than having the opportunity to speak to the nation about what you are doing. It was like a dream for us to have that opportunity.’

‘In terms of the process, it’s a lot of forms and interviews, and you have to record a pitch as if you were on the Den to show the team what it would be like.’

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And in the most recent episode, Dr Guy Sandelowsky and Shiv Sivakumar took to the floor in an attempt to win investment for their pet food companu, Omni Pet

+10
View gallery

After a nail-biting pitch, that included quite the grilling from Peter Jones, the founders agreed to a joint investment from Deborah and Steven in return for a 2.5% equity stake

+10
View gallery

Their business sells a range of sustainable dog food made for pets with sensitivities and allergies, as well as treats and supplements for things like anxiety, gut health, and irritated skin

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Shiv added: ‘There were so many intermediate stages as well. They go through so much detail with you before you go to pitch because they want to verify every claim you make, which went on for weeks.’

‘Even then, we were like [because] they’re asking so many questions, it might not work out.

‘The levels of due diligence were particularly high I think this year as well, they were under pressure to check everything and every claim on the website.’

Guy also encourages potential Dragons’ Den candidates to ‘know your numbers’, adding, ‘Peter Jones grilled us on our numbers, even in the tiny details, so I think it’s important.

‘Unfortunately, I’ve seen people on the Den with some amazing businesses and founders, but when they start talking about their margins and revenues… they freeze, and that’s when you see the Dragons switch off.’

His second tip was to bring team members onto the show if applicable, saying: ‘If you’re a team, come in together. You can support each other. I wouldn’t have wanted to do that experience without Shiv.

Shiv added: ‘Be really organised with your data… give the producers every little confidence that you are a business they can put on the show and give them comfort that you will impress.

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Dr Guy said: ‘We had such a really nice moment after the den. We went back into, sort of like the dressing room, and then they [ Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett ] came to sort of see us’

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Elsewhere on Dragon’s Den, fans were left open-mouthed when a businessman snubbed two investors in a ‘strange’ showdown

‘Being prompt, responsive, and available has helped us in the initial steps of getting onto the show’.

Elsewhere on Dragon’s Den, fans were left open-mouthed when a businessman snubbed two investors in a ‘strange’ showdown. 

Will Little featured on the popular BBC show and pitched his family-run enterprise, Little’s Coffee, to the Dragons.

He asked for £80,000 in return for a 2% equity stake, and wanted help with branding too.

Will described how his parents had started the business 35 years ago and were inspired by ‘coffee roasters they’d encountered on their travels around California’.

Little’s Coffee quickly caught the attention of the Dragons and he received offers from Deborah, Sara, Peter and Steven.

A founder of several businesses, Steven offered £80,000 for a 7.5% stake saying ‘I think I’m the perfect Dragon for this business, I can’t say it in any other away’.

Deborah requested 4%, Sara 5% and Peter 4%, for all of the money.

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Will Little featured on the popular BBC show and pitched his family-run enterprise, Little’s Coffee, to the Dragons

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A founder of several businesses, Steven offered £80,000 for a 7.5% stake

Dragons’ Den star shocks viewers with ‘strange’ £80,000 offer

However, Steven’s offer shocked Touker who gasped and said, ‘greedy’ to which Steven responded, ‘You’ve got to know what you’re worth at the end of the day, this is part of the den, isn’t it?’

Deborah chimed in: ‘You’ve got to know what the business is worth.’

Steven replied with, ‘You’ve got to know what you’re worth,’ to which Deborah said, ‘I know what I’m worth’.

Will admitted: ‘It’s a lot, it’s more than I would be comfortable giving away so I’ve got some tough decisions to make.’

Peter then pitched the possibility of a deal with Deborah, splitting 4% for all of the money.

However, Steven chimed in: ‘There’s a reason they teamed up, I let you guys speak, please let me finish what I’m saying.’

He then went on to explain the ‘unique skills’ he could bring to Little’s Coffee and said, ‘There’s never been, in the Den’s history, a product that’s more well suited to me than this and that’s why they teamed up.’

Steven then smiled and said, ‘sneaky people’.

Will eventually bargained a 5% deal with Steven for £80,000.

Dragons’ Den airs on BBC One and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.