Ever wanted to impress a dragon with your business savvy? Now’s your chance. Dragons’ Den, the premiere platform to showcase Canadian innovation and small businesses (and heading into its 18th season, to boot) is holding auditions this weekend in Vancouver! We chatted with senior producer Molly Middleton to find out more. —Noa Nichol
Hi Molly! Tell us a bit about what you’ve been up to lately, with respect to Dragons’ Den.
It’s hard to believe, but we’re prepping for Season 18 of the show. We are just starting to prepare for the shoot in May, auditioning innovative and awesome businesses from across the country. Given the show has literally become part of the Canadian entrepreneurial landscape, we continue to try to showcase the best and brightest and be a real reflection of the amazing diversity of businesses and stories that this country has to offer. We are THRILLED to be able to see people in-person again, in select cities of course.
We hear that DD is looking for a fresh crop of Den-worthy businesses for the new season; when and where will you be hosting in-person auditions in Canada?
We wish we could go back to our big cross-Canada tour, but this year we’re hitting Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Toronto, and will continue doing virtual auditions for anyone and everyone who can’t make it to one of those locations! (Details on our audition page here … but if you miss it, still apply and we’ll audition you on Zoom!) And for Vancouver specifically, we will be auditioning February 25 and 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at CBC Vancouver, 700 Hamilton Street.
How do the auditions work? Who can audition and how? Any pro tips (or, perhaps, your top three tips) when it comes to prepping for and pulling off a positive DD audition?
What actually happens in an audition? Basically, it’s an elevator pitch. In a BRIEF intro, we just want to know what you’re looking for ($$ / %), what your product/concept/idea is, and why it’s great. Then it’s a dialogue—producers ask questions, just like the Dragons—and we go from there. It’s an open casting call, where entrepreneurs can make their pitch to producers from the show who are travelling to see people in-person. If you have to miss the in-person dates, don’t fret, you can apply online and we can book virtual pitch appointments over Zoom. Anyone trying to get on the show must apply online, but they can always do that in-person at auditions as well. No age or regional restrictions, apply online through the simple application form on our website.
Tips for success?
Passion! Energy! Innovation! Passion: You need to prove you are the best person to run your business or bring that product or innovation to market. Entrepreneurship is no joke; it’s hard, lonely work, so we need to see or feel that passion you have to prove you can do it. This means tell the story, give us your “why”. If you can’t sell the producers auditioning you, how are you going to sell the dragons you hope will invest? Energy: It doesn’t mean having to jump or sing or shout or anything—but you can’t forget we are first and foremost a Television show … about business. It needs to be interesting. You need to captivate the audience and relate to your 88-year-old aunt or your 8-year-old nephew.. and that takes a certain kind of energy! Innovation: Remember, not every product or business is an “invention” but there’s probably a problem your business is solving. What is the OPPORTUNITY here for the investor? It’s usually easy to find out why an investment can help YOU, but what’s the opportunity for the Dragon? What’s the real innovation here that sets you apart from the competition? That’s key.
What are some of the best/most memorable auditions (successful or not) that you’ve witnessed?
It’s truly incredible after 18 seasons there never ceases to be incredible innovative things that come our way! Every year I think “will we find enough new businesses?” And every year I’m amazed. We see a lot in the health and wellness space now, and great waves in the food and drink industry—probably the most competitive category for getting on to the show. I’m thrilled to be able to see these things in-person again…to taste, touch and feel the products you truly need to sample to fully appreciate. If I had to pick a recent pitch, I would say Lobster Made Easy in the food space from last season is a great example of why the show is so important and relevant. There are so few platforms for entrepreneurs from EVERY part of Canada to be showcased nationally on prime time. Lobster Made Easy is a very cool business from the small town of Mahone Bay. This incredibly humble, lovely entrepreneur has figured out a way to process, package, sell and ship pre-cooked lobster that can be done in a microwave. He blew us away in his audition by innovating in a space that you didn’t realize had room for innovation, and he blew the Dragons away when he made it in the Den.
What can we, as viewers, look forward to on upcoming seasons of DD? What are YOU, as a producer, looking forward to most, auditions wise and for the new season?
I think this year could be a crucial season for us. With rising interest rates, inflation, and the general economic state, home-grown businesses are more important than ever, and getting capital to grow your business could be harder than ever—so getting an investment from a Dragon could make or break the future of a business. For auditions, I’m just pumped to see what’s out there and I hope those hard working innovators and entrepreneurs remember we’re here, it’s worth taking a shot to get your business out there for Canadians to see, and potentially earn some game-changing investment.
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