I turned down the measly Dragons’ Den offer – now I’m turning over 50x MORE

A WOMAN who turned down a measly sum for hit TV show Dragon’s Den now earns 50 times more.

Peony Li appeared on BBC One’s Dragons’ Den tonight after pitching her healthcare company We Are Jude to the business moguls.

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We Are Jude provides bladder care education, products and treatments and increases awareness of bladder health.

The core product Li presented to the Dragons is a clinically tested bladder strength supplement that claims to improve women’s incontinence problems.

Special guest Dragon Emma Grede – the self-made millionaire and co-founder of Skims and Good American alongside the Kardashians – was impressed and made an offer.

She offered £100,000 in return for three percent of the sales, but decided Peony was standing firm and turned it down.

Grede fell short of what We Are Jude had already secured from previous investors.

Despite turning down the money, Li’s company now rakes in £5 million a year, with her products quickly selling out at Boots and QVC.

Li said it felt completely surreal to step into Dragons’ Den because she never imagined she would be part of such an iconic show.

She said: “It was nerve-wracking, not just because I put years of work into creating Jude, but because it’s not just a business – it’s part of me, it’s about my story, so it was a big deal to put myself out there.

“It meant so much that the Dragons recognized the importance of what I was building and were able to see Jude’s potential impact.

“I was of course very flattered that such great business people believed my vision and were willing to invest in my company.

“But I’m so passionate about what I do and Jude’s future that I knew I had to stand my ground if I didn’t get exactly what I was looking for.

‘It wasn’t just about me – I felt strongly that a lower bid would reduce the input of my early investors, who had so much faith in my vision that they gambled on the company when it was just an idea.

She believes her experience represents “a common challenge for women in business”: the need to avoid the temptation to settle for less.

And especially when you negotiate with business giants and authority figures.

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Despite turning down financial help from the business giants, Li said she learned a lot from the experience.

Li said, “The Dragons’ advice was invaluable, but I had to take what they said into account while staying true to my strategy.

“I was convinced that it was crucial to introduce Jude products into retail spaces, even if it was earlier than usual for similar companies.

“Being seen in these retail spaces, especially next to established brands like Tena pads, was not only a milestone for us, it symbolized a progressive shift in the incontinence industry.”

It [We Are Jude] is not just a company – it’s a part of me, it’s about my story, so putting myself out there was a big deal

Peony Li

The product pitch on a high-profile reality TV show sheds light on an issue that affects many but is often not talked about.

Now, eight months after her appearance on the show, We Are Jude’s growth has quadrupled and marketing costs have halved as the company continues to grow.

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