Get ready to slay the dragon! Once again, in preparation for its 15th season on CBC-TV, the Dragons’ Den will be holding auditions for its dynamic show, which has been a launching pad for thousands of successful, rags-to-riches stories for entrepreneurs all across Canada. Auditions for the Dragons’ Den will be held in Niagara Falls at the Scotiabank Convention Centre, March 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The CBC will also be hosting auditions in Hamilton, London, Waterloo, Oshawa, Ottawa and Toronto among other areas in Ontario. Auditions are on a “first come, first serve basis,” noted Senior Producer of the Dragons’ Den, Molly Middleton, who recalls about 40 entrepreneurs auditioning from Niagara last year. “We don’t turn anyone away,” she said. From what Middleton recalls, there are a few people from Niagara who appeared on the show, including owner of Love and Nudes Lingerie tailoring lingerie products to women of different cultures and colour from Niagara.
Two other local area fitness gurus: one demonstrated the simplicity of the Davinci Stick, which is used for stabilization and balance exercises, and another featured a unique twist on doing yoga. As a veteran producer, Middleton admits: “I’m not going to lie. It’s fun, tiring and awesome” with a gruelling schedule that takes her all across Canada. Talking to Village Media from Vancouver, Middleton said when they are hosting auditions in larger cities and get hundreds of people showing up, they will have more than one producer accepting pitches simultaneously. However, in most cases participants are pitching one minute, “elevator pitches,” to two producers who will also follow-up with questions.
Tips for pitching are on the website, but generally Middleton said the producers tell entrepreneurs to pitch them as if they were standing in front of the actual Dragons. When asked if they prepare the entrepreneurs in any way, she said: “We’re not business coaches, but we help with the visual presentation for the show. There’s no power point presentations on television.” For example, a clothing designer would be asked to model their line of clothes, or if the business is large, then a scaled model or some visual representation of it would have to be made for the taping of the show in the Toronto studios. Currently, the TV show, which captures about “a half a million viewers”, each week, is so popular that pitching is commonplace, and participants know what to expect.
She believes it’s less intimidating now. “It’s not so scary now. Compared to years ago, people are far better prepared than they used to be, which makes our jobs a lot easier,” she said. Innovation is the main theme of the show. Entrepreneurs and business owners need to demonstrate a product or service that doesn’t have to be a new invention, but can be used or function in a different way. “Does it solve a problem, or why is it better than other similar products out there?” she asks maintaining this is what businesses should focus on. Participants auditioning should also be “excited,” about their new endeavour. “I tell them put yourself in our shoes, if you haven’t invested everything in it, why should I?”
The key to the show’s success? Middleton replied: “Fresh!” “It’s the fresh crop of entrepreneurs every year that make a difference.” She sees the show as a microcosm of the business landscape across Canada, and the producers do look for diversity.
“Not to discredit anyone, but if you were the largest granola success story last year, we may not choose you again.” While touring across Canada, Middleton may experience similar product presentations, so for that reason, the producers wait until all the auditions are complete before deciding who will be on the show. Taping at the CBC begins after Easter in April, so those who auditioned are informed if they’ve made the show about two weeks prior.
Season 15 of the Dragons’ Den will actually air in the fall. Landing a spot on the show is great exposure for businesses and potential investors, even if the Dragons’ Den stars decline to invest or mentor their business. “We have no way of knowing the magic recipe for the Dragons,” she said adding: “Sometimes, it could be that they just like the person.” When asked if the producers change the show’s dragons in order to make the program interesting, she said when the celebrities change it’s mainly because they have their own projects and interests to pursue.
Some of them have spin-off shows, like Kevin O’Leary, who left in 2017 and is now featured on the Shark Tank show, the U.S. version of the Dragons’ Den. Like O’Leary, current dragon, Vincent Guzzo known for his Porchetta products, also expressed interest to a Canadian magazine about running for the head of the Conservative Party of Canada. When asked to confirm the rumour, Middleton said she’s aware of it, but it’s still a rumour as far as she’s concerned. Currently, she’s really pleased about their current line-up of dragons, because it’s a “50-50 split” between men and women.
This year’s star moguls include, Jim Treliving the Boston Pizza magnate, who’s been with the dragons since it first fiery appearance; Arlene Dickinson, Michele Romanow, the youngest dragon; Guzzo, Manjit Minhas and Lane Merrifield. “It’s the third year for this group to be together and sometimes it’s takes a year for them to find their voice and develop their stride.” She believes they represent “a pillar of every business across Canada.” Dragons’ Den has also devoted special features to reflect current events and business trends in Canada, and when marijuana was legalized the CBC featured an “Up In Smoke” show that focused solely on marijuana entrepreneurs.
Dragons’ Den has also had theme-based shows on the Canadian Dream and Heroes featuring emergency responders, such as paramedics, police, and fire fighters. Another feature focused on entrepreneurs who’ve launched their businesses and reached the $500,000 profit margin, but have hit a wall and are having difficulty expanding to the next level.
“We always find new and interesting ideas,” she said about this Canadian show, which is the second longest running from many versions around the globe, the first being in the United Kingdom. “The proof is in the format,” she said.
Middleton wants to encourage people to audition. Interested persons can go on-line at the [email protected] to get more information about auditions.
For those who are contemplating an audition, Middleton’s advice is to stop procrastinating or keep the dragons waiting for another year. “You have nothing to lose by auditioning.” Coining the Nike brand moniker she said: “Just Do It.”
