Posts Tagged ‘Niall O’Farrell’
Well Done Kate Carmody!
Wow, that was really something else tonight, Kate Carmody of Béal Organic Cheese Ltd turning down the offer from Bobby Kerr and Niall O’Farrell, then the two lads pleading with her to take their money and Kates eventual relenting. It was a magic moment in this second series. I want to commend Niall and Bobby. They are not going to get a big return on their money here. We are in an awful recession and the fact that the two lads wanted to part with cash and time to help Kate Carmody, I think reflects so well on their generosity, as much as on their business acumen. I know you might think they are ending up with a significant slice of equity but they will earn every cent they get from this project. Clearly they were both enthralled by Kate’s determination and when she turned them down they politely asked if she was certain, giving her every chance to think through her situation.
She got a job offer but not an investment
One of the better presentations seen in the Den for a while was Ciara Crossan’s pitch for www.weddingdates.ie. As you saw Niall wanted to employ her, but despite her very competent presentation and her excellent handing of the questions she didn’t get an investment. I know Ciara, she is a great grafter and a real professional, but I am very aware of the dominance of www.weddingsonline.ie in this sector. Peter Bryans runs a brilliant business but Ciara’s angle on the dates is a good one. However because there is already a major player in this area, I passed on it as an investment.
Always be careful about what you sign up to
I loved Thorston and Delia the South Africans, living in Cobh, with their Pixie Cubes. A great idea but BEWARE! The couple fell fowl by getting involved with a development company that got them to sign away their profits in return for their assistance. Please NEVER EVER sign away your profits to anyone.
Not every woman falls instantly in love with Seán
What a come down for Seán Gallagher. He’s so used to all the women loving him. Elizabeth Daly was having none of it. If you don’t like me tough was her feeling and she clearly didn’t like Seán. He will have to come to terms with the realisation that not every woman on the planet believes he is God’s gift to them.
Dream comes true with help from Den – Recovering from a brief, blank, nervous moment, designer Karen Morgan went on to slay one dragon with her pitch
Sunday March 28 2010, Sunday Independent
For just one scary moment, that felt an age, I went blank in the Dragons’ Den. But I recovered and eventually got an investment from Niall O’Farrell. My business is Karen Morgan Ceramics and I create pieces that are as unique as they are beautiful.
My journey to the den started at the Limerick School of Art and Design on finishing my Leaving Cert.
It was no surprise to my parents, who I’d like to thank for giving me the freedom to make my own choices and follow my passion.
It was in my second year in college when my tutor, Kieran Whitelaw, taught me to make my first coil pot, when my love of working with clay began and the course of my creative career was given direction.
I then trained under Gus Mableson while I attended the Crafts Council of Ireland’s Pottery Skills course in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny.
Gus has always been a great source of knowledge and encouragement to his students
And now, long after I have finished my studies he still has time and sound advice to share.
Starting a business is all hard work but I did take time out to teach pottery to tourists on a cruise ship sailing between Australia and New Zealand.
On returning to Ireland, I focused all my energies on my design work and ideas really started to flow and take off.
In 2006, my Pestle and Mortar design won first prize in the Habitat House and Home Student Designer of the Year. My concept was to combine sculptural forms with everyday function to create work which was beautiful and ergonomic.
Collaborating with local artists to establish Earthworks in Thomastown, a co-operative studio and gallery, was an affordable starting point for my business.
With help from the Kilkenny County Enterprise Board its doors opened in August 2007.
After working incredibly hard for the past three years in Earthworks, things were going well. I had a good range of products that sold as fast as I could make them.
I wanted to bring things further but needed funding for expansion and equipment. I also needed to work on my marketing and branding to compete in a larger competitive market.
I felt I had the products and ideas but none of the contacts or marketing experience. When a good friend suggested I apply to go on to the Dragons’ Den I initially thought, “no way!” I’m quite a shy person and couldn’t imagine doing something so scary.
People who know me can’t believe I went on the show and to be honest I still can’t believe it either, it was totally surreal. But it seemed such a golden opportunity that would bring me so much closer to my dreams of being a leading name for Irish craft and design.
When you see a chance to manifest your dreams you just do it even if it is nerve wrecking. I took a risk putting myself out there but thankfully it paid off.
It was a really good experience entering the den, and the feedback was really positive. The dragons loved my work and although it was tough and some dragons felt the giftware market was flooded, they were all very nice and respected my choice to keep my business handmade in Ireland.
Although four dragons opted out, I was delighted when Niall O’Farrell made the offer and saw the potential in my designs.
My gut feelings about Niall were right.
He is a down to earth guy and honest.
We are on the same wavelength in terms of where we see the business going and he respects the fact that I am the creative drive and name behind the company.
It is great to have Niall’s practical experience in business and marketing.
We are working on branding and packaging at the moment and I have already increased my order numbers.
I am working on a new commercial range and plan to attend some of the larger trade fairs in the UK this year. I am proud of myself for what I have achieved by going on Dragons’ Den.
It’s been such a positive move to have Niall on board and I am very excited about the future. I am not sure RTE fully appreciates what it is doing here.
Dragons’ Den is not just an entertainment show. For me I know it offered a life changing opportunity.
And for a young ceramics designer trying to establish herself in these difficult times to be given the opportunity to tell my story in Ireland’s largest selling newspaper is just the type of lifeline a start-up business can only dream of.
But I am not dreaming. I am on my way to achieving my dream and all I can say is Dragons’ Den will prove to be the difference between struggling and thriving.
karenmorganceramics.com info@karenmorganceramics. Telephone: 086-1663691
Anthony Walker
I loved Anthony Walker the New Yorker who was a great talker, but valuing plastic bags at €1m was a shocker. His idea was so good everyone will copy it but the Dragons didn’t think it was investable.
Brian Boru Sauce
It was like the battle of Clontarf all over again. Bobby Kerr did not like the Dane’s sauce.
Another Golf Idea
What is it about golf, that it keeps throwing up so many ideas? The one thing we learned from this item is that there is loads of sex going on in golf clubs – that is according to Sarah Newman.
20 For Out
I am always a bit disappointed when some presentations from the Den only get a short airing TV in the end. Joe and his daughter were lovely people and presented so well. Yes, I know they didn’t get an investment but I thought their item deserved more airtime.
537,700 Viewers
Thanks for watching the show. 537,700 watched last week. The numbers are going up every week, so thank you for all the support and again I promise I will try to answer all your queries.
Next blog, as usual, on Monday morning. Bye.
What Actually Happened in the Den
Model Fainted in the middle of my Dragons’ Den Pitch
By Noelle O’Connor Creator, TanOrganic
From today’s Sunday Independent.
This is what actually happened when I was in the Den making my successful pitch for TanOrganic, a 100% natural, organic and anti-aging fake sun tan. I hold the record for having been before the Dragons for almost two and half hours. The truth is the beautiful model demonstrating how wonderful this tan looks on your body fainted.
It was January and there were heavy snows in Rathfarnham where the show is recorded. Poor Jessica was in her bikini freezing as we hung around waiting to go into the Den. Then she went into its searing heat under the TV lights. She stood as the bronzed goddess that she is. Whereas I could move around as I answered questions from the Dragons, poor Jessica had to be still and statuesque.
There was all the banter and Sean Gallagher joking he wanted to try applying the tan to her himself. But about an hour into the questions Jessica keeled over. I kid you not. Obviously the recording had to stop and time had to be allowed for her to recover. The Producers then decided that Sarah Newman would say thank you to Jessica and excuse her from the remainder of the pitch.
Over two hours of grilling from the Dragons is tough but TanOrganic is a world beater. I hope that doesn’t come across as arrogant but I have created a fake tan that will appeal to women because it has zero chemicals and it will certainly appeal to their men because there is no awful smell.
Fake tan is probably the greatest contraceptive on the market. That burnt biscuit smell is horrible. But women never stop to think why do fake tans have that smell for about three hours after it has been applied? Here’s the shocking news. The smell is the chemicals reacting with your skin. Putting chemicals on your skin to change its colour is not good for you. Admittedly it is better than damaging your skin on an UV sun bed. Irish women are the biggest users of fake tan per capita in the world. So putting all those chemicals on your body is aging and damaging your skin.
It has taken me years to come up with the solution, a natural fake tan. Yes I know that’s a classic oxymoron but that is what I have created, a natural fake tan. Here’s the secret. The breakthrough was an organic extract of sugar beet that naturally tans your skin over a period of seven hours.
But that breakthrough alone wasn’t enough. It took another couple of years and a fortune of money to get the world’s leading cosmetic research lab’ based in the US to develop my formula. My two businesses, a chain of salons called Ealu and my cosmetic distribution business Skinlogic were flying in the boom so I just kept spending money looking for the breakthrough.
But as soon as we got the 100% natural, organic tan working we realised we had to add a natural colouring agent so women could see it going on as they applied it. Eventually Caramel was the breakthrough.
The next big hurdle was the packaging. Women keep the same container of fake tan in their bathrooms often for over a year. All fake tans up to now come in plastic containers but a 100% natural, organic tan lotion would be contaminated if it was in plastic for more than fourteen weeks. It now had to be in an in-earth container such as a glass bottle. It also had to have a 100% natural cork stopper with a natural wooden top.
When I eventually showed the prototype to industry experts they loved the glass bottle and cork stopper because it stood out spectacularly from the competitors. But as soon as I did that “Paris” was calling. One of the Cosmetic majors was interested in buying my formula outright. The Celtic Tiger was roaring and foolishly I thought I didn’t need their money. But I also wanted to do it for myself. Women will understand what I mean. I am not saying I am a Coco Chanel or an Yves St. Laurent but they must have had to make the same decision as I did early in their careers.
Then the economy crashed. All my salons are still open and trading surprisingly well but nothing like they were during the boom. But worse I couldn’t raise finance anywhere to launch the product. I am not the showbiz type but I had no choice but to try Dragons’ Den. Watching the programme last year I was intrigued by one of the Dragons, Gavin Duffy. He seemed to be always on the lookout for mass market products. I planned to get him on board. But I never, ever planned to give away 45% of TanOrganic. However on Thursday night, Gavin Duffy clearly wanted TanOrganic as well. So when he made the offer I said yes.
All I can say is, since that day in the Den I have since been convinced it has been one of my best business decisions ever. I thought I was thinking big but I have met my match in Gavin. Also he has great contacts in the Cosmetics Industry so doors at the highest level have been opened for me. After that the product sells itself.
The product is going to have a major launch in May when it will go on sale in all pharmacies nationwide. But straight away it is available in all salons as a spray on. You can get all the information about it on TanOrganic.com. We will also be sampling it at the Spring Ideal Homes Expo in the RDS in mid April. So ladies, it is here at last, a world first, a 100% natural, organic sunless tan lotion and it was developed in Ireland. So I know we all think our little country is going down the toilet but I still believe Ireland can take on the world.
Runaway Brides
I loved Rosemary Meleady and Zara Stassin of Runaway Brides, but I lost interest when I realised my money was paying for a round the world trip for two competition winners to promote their company. Niall did not like the idea of Weddings going out of Ireland and may have been a bit critical of the womens’ idea, but he did speak with passion.
Vantastival
Brendan Taffe is from Ardee, a favourite town of mine and his festival is going to take place in Dunany Estate. That is the home of the Workman family, and they are really lovely people. If I could have in anyway justified an investment here, I would have given Brendan the money. But he did say he hoped we would get our money back in five to seven years and to an investor in these times that is just not investable. Let me explain. If it is going to take five to seven years you would want large multiples of a return. With some deals you are in and out in 24 months and you earn a modest profit, but if you are involved over a longer period of time, you need sizeable returns for tying up capital for a longer time.
By the way Brendan was very entertaining in the Den, so it is a pity he only got a few seconds on the show tonight and I wish his festival every success.
Another Golf Idea
Seamus Chawke got very little encouragement from the Dragons. Sarah is lady captain at the K Club so I thought she might go for it, but not this time.
Whelan’s Corned Beef
Brian Whelan was a real meat expert and knew what he was talking about. However I know from previous investments, long before I ever did Dragons’ Den that bringing a food product successfully market is a very long haul.
I ask you which would you go for? A Corned beef product in development or a Vegan Burger as promoted by County Clare woman Dee, who through sheer grit and determination had already gotten her product into a major multiple. That’s the challenge of the Den. You can’t invest in everything, so you hold out in the hope that a really good one is about to come along. When it does you grab it with both hands, and as we saw tonight, you don’t even let your vbf Niall O’Farrell get some of the action. I am talking about the incredible TanOrganic.