A plucky performance on BBC2’s Dragon’s Den saw a Mid Wales entrepreneur and her hawk Monty get their claws into £50,000 – and the help of the wealthiest expert on the panel.
Layla Bennett’s Hawksdrift Falconry business took off after she won Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the very first Business Awards last September.
But now the 26-year-old is soaring high after appearing on the high profile television programme on Monday. Before it had ended, Layla had received 10 enquiries about her business. By Tuesday lunchtime, that figure had reached 40 calls, emails and texts.
During a clear and confident performance, Layla asked the dragons for £50,000 for a 25 per cent stake in the company. She explained what the business entailed and told the dragons she had a turnover of £72,500 last year with a gross profit of £49,700. She expected turnover for this year to be £125,000.
Dragons Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis went forward to touch and hold Monty before Layla was asked how much her business was currently valued at – she told them £100,000 including the smallholding she owns.
Dragon James Caan asked her what she would do with the money, and Layla said £21,000 would be used to build aviaries. She also wants to make a part-time employee full-time so she has more time for administration. The remainder of the cash would be for marketing and advertising.
Peter Jones said: “I think it’s fantastic, you are making it work already, but I think you need to do something a little bit bigger and so I will not be investing.”
Deborah admitted she was smitten with Monty but she did not think Layla had made a compelling business case so she would not be investing either.
Theo said it looked as though Layla had made the business work out of nothing and said he was struggling to make a business proposal, but something was telling him it would be good to be a part of it. He offered Layla £25,000 but for 20 per cent of the business.
Duncan Bannatyne then stepped in and made her the full offer of £50,000 for 25 per cent of the company. “I don’t think anyone should try and drive a hard bargain with you because I think what you are offering is very good value,” he said.
After the programme aired, Layla told the Journal she had had phone calls from Duncan, and he will be flying down in his helicopter and landing in her field soon.
“The phone has not stopped ringing. We have had over 40 enquiries since Monday and I had about ten before Dragon’s Den ended,” she said.
“I did not think I was going to get the investment, but Duncan was my favourite dragon anyway because I have read about how he began from nothing which echoes with my own story, and so I think he understands.”