Olly of Ollypop, based at Tintagel on the north Cornish coast, appeared on Dragon’s Den after the programme contacted him and asked him to apply for the show. With his surf training towel tucked under his arm he headed for the bright lights to pitch his “world’s first” product.
What Olly was after was £50,000 for a 20% share in his company. He didn’t get the backing, but returned to Cornwall more determined, with the increased media attention, to make a go of his invention.
In the Dragon’s Den, Theo Paphitis said that the Ollypop surf towel was “as useful as knickers on a kipper” – prompting Olly to develop his brand and range further, as well as using the Kipper’s Knickers slogan.
Ollypop on Dragon’s Den: Youtube Video
If the video didn’t appear above, you can view it direct on: http://youtu.be/tVIxcntWfJo
Olly created his surf towel to help beginners of surfing to practice standing up on their board. The towels are printed with a surfboard and bare footprints where a surfer has to place their feet to achieve the tricky manoeuvre of actually standing up on the board. The idea being that a beginner can practise anywhere before hitting the water.
A bit pricey for “just a towel”, the surf training towel will help beginners to get the confidence they need as it does enable them to practise before they hit the beach on their holidays and they can instantly look like a seasoned pro when they hit the surf with their mates.
The range covers towels for age groups from Age 1 to adult, meaning the whole family can get the chance to get a head start. Further products in Olly’s range now include T-shirts, hoodies, DVDs and books for kids.
Website: http://www.ollypopsurf.com
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