Episode 2: Eamon Tracey

It was a great experience. It was also a frightening one when you are waiting to be called but the help of the pitch mentor was great, it calmed me down!

Q: Who was the toughest Dragon?
A: Niall. He seemed to ask the most awkward questions! He asked about my competition on the market, so I had to tell them that there is one out there but I assured them that it is a cheap flimsy import!

Q: Were you nervous?
A: Yes, extremely. I think the Dragons noticed how nervous I was. I have watched the programme a lot so I was nervous that they were going to be really tough on me. But in the end they actually weren't as bad as I had feared.

Q: How did you prepare?
A: I wrote out my pitch and changed it over and over before I got to the Den. I spent some time with the pitch coach before going into the Den who helped me with the structure of my pitch. Before getting to the Den I worked out all of my costings and my three year forecast so if they asked me any hard financial questions I wanted to as prepared as possible.

Q: Who was most interested in your idea?
A: They all appeared interested but Sarah jumped in first and offered me half of the money I wanted. Then Bobby jumped in and matched it. The other Dragons liked it but said they couldn't better the offer.

Q: Has entering the den changed your perception of business in any way?
A: Yes, it has given me a better outlook for my product, and I now see myself being busy next year, which is fantastic in recessionary times. I have two people on board that are going to work hard for me.

Q: What does this mean to you personally?
A: It means everything to me. I have funding to promote the product, something I was always short of. I knew the product would sell if people knew it was available. So I am looking forward to a busy year ahead.