Small idea becomes a big hit

Dragon's Den is a television programme where entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to secure investment finance from business experts - the 'Dragons'.

But the Dragons lost out on profits with 47-year old Shaun Pulfrey, a south London hairdresser who appeared on the show and who found himself face to face with the fearsome five.

"A friend of mine told me to take the Tangle Teezer to the Dragons' Den, but I said I was too busy," explains Shaun. "I was working toward launching at Salon International and I was also Assistant Technical Director at Richard Ward, so I didn't have a spare moment.

"One day, he kept on bugging me. He told me that this series was full so it wouldn't be until next year anyway. So I copied my strap-line, plonked it down on the entry form and said that I was after half a million quid. They got back to me the next day and before I knew it I was at Wood Lane doing a screen test."

But the Dragons rejected the idea, and Shaun was told by the Dragons that his invention was not a worthy business but Boots disagreed and agreed to stock the product.

The product now popular in Japan, and the success of the British-made oval brushes Tangle Teezer which sells for £9.99, has left Shaun's part-time staff rushed off their feet.

He said that despite coming away empty-handed, his appearance on Dragons' Den did help him. "The whole experience has been instrumental in my success because of the exposure it gave me and my product," he added. "But the actual success of the product has been driven by its ability to do what it says on the pack."

More than 15 years ago Shaun came up with the idea for the Tangle Teezer, but it was only in 2004 that he began developing prototypes.

So what idea do you have that you haven’t pursued and taken any action over? Have you been wasting valuable time in getting your idea off the ground? Join us and we will reveal the secrets of making it big.

Taking place at all UCKGs, Mondays at 7.30pm (also at 7am, 10am, 3pm.)

Released on Friday 22nd August 2008