Our Dragons' Den Story
Dock & Bay was featured on Dragons' Den in 2017 (also known as Shark Tank in the US/Australia).
After a nail-biting 90 minute pitch and three generous offers from Tej Lalvani, Touker Suleyman and Deborah Meaden, Andy & Benno were thrilled to accept Deborah's investment offer. Check out our 5 minutes of fame below (ignore the creased shirts, sorry mum!)...
You can watch it here.
Coming out of The Den with Deborah as our Dragon and new investor was one of our proudest moments! Since then, we've been working hard with her to take the brand from strength to strength and here's what she has to say about us *gulp*...
THE STORY AS TOLD BY DEBORAH
"When Andy and Benno unveiled their towels I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to be interested in their business. But these are not
JUST towels, they are disruptive towels! Doing what towels have done for years only faster, lighter, more compact. The best kind of business..take a product everyone knows and uses and make it better. I could also see the business was in exactly the right hands. Not only do they know their stuff but they are their product so their authenticity shines through. I was very pleased when they accepted my offer... can’t wait to change the face of towels forever!"
THE STORY AS TOLD BY ANDY
Going into Dragons’ Den has to go down as the most surreal moment of my life. However prepared Benno and I were, we couldn’t prepare ourselves for walking into a room of successful entrepreneurs worth a combined total close to £300m. I’m still happy if I find £10 in my trousers.
When the producers told us we were ‘up next’, our mouths dried quicker than even our towels ever could. After a few initial hiccups, an hour and a half in the Den and being grilled on every part of the business, we walked out with the result we wanted and have worked hard to achieve. As well as a few grey hairs.
THE STORY AS TOLD BY BENNO
After being put through the wringer by the Dragons, we came out the other end with our pride intact and a new friend as well (Deborah!). To receive 3 offers from highly respectable business people who work with highly successful global brands is just awesome and vindicates the years of work and the risks taken to bring our beach & travel towel concept to life.
Back to Sydney, back to the beach, back to work!