Posts Tagged ‘RTE’
Programme 7 Investing in HidBin
Sorry at a party!
Apologies I am coming on late with the blog tonight. I am here in Lawlors’ Hotel in Naas at an after show party with Mark O’Loughlin of Hidbin, his lovely wife Ann and their family and friends. Then on my blackberry I started to get loads of emails, “where’s your blog?”
Apologies
First of all sincere apologies to Maureen and Mary of Feel Good Foods and my reaction when I tasted their energy snack. I didn’t help their chances of success by being so negative straight away. I thought it was going to be sweet and threw one into my mouth, whole It was bitter and chunky and I reacted accordingly – Sorry!
Sean & Niall have a row.
“My Project Tracker” really caught Sean’s interest but Niall didn’t like it. In fact they had stiff words in the break after the recording of this one. But they soon made up.
Peter Craig’s Surfbreaks.ie will do well but is not scaleable enough for me. Rhinehardt McLoughlin I loved but not enough to part with my money.
The Jenni’ & Claire Show
Then we had the wonderful women, Jennifer and Claire. When it is edited down to ten minutes from the hour they were there in the Den it comes across differently. I did everything to get them to give me some information about the great event they had in mind for 2011 but they wouldn’t budge. Never, ever mention something like that at an investment meeting unless you are willing to divulge even a little hard information. I exited but I am sure both Jenn’ and Claire will have a big success with their show.
I loved Sinn’s Promoter
Michael McDonald was one of the most like-able presenters we have ever had in the Den. Personally I loved his style but it takes deeper pockets than mine to crack the drinks industry.
Go to www.hidbin.ie
Then we had HidBin. I loved it. The prototype was a bit rough but so too was Takker in the Den and look at its huge success since. This will be huge. Rather than talk about it here just check out the video if the updated, improved product on www.hidbin.ie
The Hidbin will be at the Spring Ideal Homes Show in the RDS the weekend of the 16th – 18th.Check it out there. Also on the stand will be Herbie Porsche and Toilet PipeCover and Noelle O’Connor and TanOrganic.
My next blog is Monday 9am.
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
Kevin Hester – Lovely Man – Thanks Shinawil
Here on the blog you can see Kevin’s Sunday Independent article. In it he thanked Shinawil, the production company that makes Dragons’ Den. He said they were all lovely people and it is true. That reminds me to wish them all well. It is just weeks away from the launch of Fame on April the 11th on RTE 1, as the search for the two leads for the musical starts. The show will run in the new Grand Canal Theatre which opens later this week. God bless Harry Crosbie. Our city would be a lot poorer entertainment wise if it wasn’t for Harry and his Live Nation partners.
Great Ratings for Dragons’ Den
Great Ratings for Dragons’ Den - The audience has grown from week 1
RTE tells us that almost half a million were watching Dragons’ Den to the very end, 11:15pm last Thursday night. I am always asked why is it on so late? I don’t know but it doesn’t affect the ratings.
Today’s blog, Monday the 8th of March consists of three items…
Bock The Robber, another blogger, has a go at me
Other Bloggers are keeping an eye on me!
Blogging is new to me, but I have learned that there are some serious bloggers out there and they have been very encouraging and helpful.
Bock the Robber
One Blogger, Bock, had a go at me for spelling Herbie Porsche’s name incorrectly. I responded and duly apologised explaining that on Thursday nights, as the show is on, I just type up quickly and zap it up at 11:15pm without spell checking. Anyway, there were follow up comments and some questions asked about the show and I replied to those also. Below is my reply.
“Wow, I am pleasantly surprised by the supportive comments and Bock I can see straight away that you’re tough but fair. I should be writing my blog now, which goes live in the morning, but before I do that let me reply to the various comments if that is OK?
I hope this isn’t too long a reply but there are a number of issues raised by Mel Drew, Mark, Cap’n P and Sandra.
Damn you Bock I am now so conscious of my spelling that I am being extra slow and careful! But hang it, I am just going to let my fingers follow my mouth and if there are typos I am sorry.
HOW THE IRISH DRAGONS’ DEN CAME ABOUT
To all who commented I would say that doing Dragons’ Den is both equally brilliant and a nightmare. The production company, Shinawil, acquired the rights back in 2006, but RTE hummed and hawed and it didn’t get the go ahead. But then TV3 did the Apprentice after RTE passed on it. When it got huge ratings RTE panicked and suddenly wanted to do Dragons’ Den.
By that stage I didn’t want to do it. The economy was clearly beginning to crumble and I thought the timing was awful. But I genuinely believe my ego got the better of me. I was already a huge fan of the BBC show, and I was flattered to be asked, so eventually I said yes. By the time we got to doing it, beginning filming in November 2008, the economy had crashed. By the time we went on air in February ‘09 it was no longer a recession but a great depression we were in.
I will never forget after Christmas ‘08, going into filming on the 6th of January ‘09, and the headlines that morning saying that both Waterford Crystal and DELL were closing down. It felt like the end of the world.
AM I AN EGOMANIAC OR A GAMBLER?
Genuinely it took a certain type of egomaniac or gambler to go into the Den that day and make a €50,000 investment in a thing called Takker as I did. But Takker has turned out to be a huge success and I am sure will pay me back twenty fold.
Anyway I was convinced that there would only be one series of Dragons’ Den, so I went for broke. To all our shock the ratings were great and viewership was huge. Dragons’ Den runs in 18 countries, but the Irish version in its first season achieved the highest market-share of viewers of all 18 shows running currently.
This time around RTE was very, very keen to do a second series and so the madness continues. What worries me about it is that I, like anyone else, could go under in this recession. I am only worth a fraction of what I thought I was worth it 2007. Actually I do know I will come through, but in what shape? Who knows. But if one of the five Dragons had a business that got into trouble, can you imagine how they would be pasted by the press!
All I am saying is that I am proud that, during an awful time in our economy, whatever money I had left I used it to back soild business people, who had the balls and self belief to come into that Den and give it a shot.
SHOULD BUSINESS BE MORE HONEST ? YES
Mel Drew, I agree with you 100%. In all of my years consulting with businesses or people who got into a scrape, I am convinced that had they just ‘fessed up’ quickly, it wouldn’t have been half as bad. It is not that they are deliberately hiding things. It is the hierarchical nature of large corporations that is the problem. People are scared to report the bad news up the line.
THANKS MARK
Mark thank you for your kind comment but you over estimate me. I know nothing about Google Alerts. I just thought that as I am supposed to be a “media guru” (I hate the term), and I know nothing about social media, I should do a twice weekly blog for this series, and learn as I go along. If I wasn’t doing it I would never have spotted the pedantic Bock’s comments, and it would have passed me by. But of course I did invest in henparty.ie , and its founder, Kate Hyde, is an SEO genius who generously gives Deborah who works with us a steer.
The thing is Mark I don’t need to promote my day job, the media consultancy. We are the market leaders and even in this recession we are still out the door with work. But many of our clients are now engaging in viral marketing, so again I feel the best way for an old fart like me to learn about it is to do it. Anyway thanks for saying I am a decent guy.
CONGRATS SANDRA of PRINT DELICIOUS
Before I answer Cap’n P’s great question about copying a show like Dragons’ Den, let me just say how heartened I was by Sandra’s comments. She is right. All five Dragons loved her print delicious idea and she was one of the best presenters I have seen in the Den. Unfortunately it didn’t get an investment because it wasn’t scalable.
In investment we have a rule, “If it is not scalable, it is not saleable”. By scalable we mean could we set up a print delicious in the UK, could we franchise it in France and so on. But that has already been done so Sandra has the Irish Franchise. But I wish her well. It will be a great success, I am sure.
SHOULD WE COPY FOREIGN PROGRAMMES?
Is it evidence of a lack of creativity in Irish broadcasting that we do a copy of Dragons’Den or The Apprentice? First of all I believe very little is actually original. Everything has been tried in some shape or form before.
But Irish TV would be mad not to do Irish versions of successful proven shows abroad. Of course it is risky and can go wrong. Who remembers Eamon Dunphy doing The Weakest Link? That was…. well that was…, embarrassing. But on the other hand The Apprentice on TV 3 was super and easily as good, from a production standards point of view, as the BBC/Alan Sugar version. I do the interviews in the penultimate show of the Irish Apprentice, and I would have to say that the standard of candidate was much lower this year that in the first series, so it became more like Big Brother in series 2 than the Apprentice. But even so, it still got massive ratings.