Dragons' Den

Deborah Meaden's Story

Series revealing the lives of the Dragons' Den dragons. How did they make their millions? And what are they really like? Deborah Meaden is next up in this five-part series profiling each of the current dragons. Having made her fortune in the leisure industry, Deborah's back at Butlins, the home of her first venture into entrepreneurialism: a bingo concession. We find out from her husband Paul what he thinks of being married to a dragon; discover what it's like being the only female dragon in an otherwise testosterone-fuelled den; and hear from a former employee about how tough she was to work for. The answer? Very. We also catch up with some of Deborah's Den investments and discover how the businesses are developing with a dragon on board. One of Deborah's most memorable investments, Sarah Lu and her You Doo Doll, has developed into a full range of products including a You Doo Dog. Deborah's killer heels don't get in the way as she climbs aboard an HGV truck with another den investment, JPM Logistics, as they ferry topiary elephants around London; and we're with recycling company ProWaste in the first few weeks and months of dealing with a dragon outside the Den.