Speaker A
The next up is London-based Natalie Quail, who's gone from being a high flyer to an entrepreneurial prior, which she believes has equipped her for dealing with the dragons.
London entrepreneur Natalie Quayle pitches Smile Time, an online oral cosmetics retailer, seeking £50,000 for 2% equity on Dragons' Den. She ends up with a double-dragon deal.
Key Takeaways
- Smile Time built strong demand and sales through an affordable, convenient alternative to dentist whitening.
- Dragons were sceptical about defensibility, since the products are not proprietary and entry costs are low.
- Founders should secure key assets such as domain names early.
- Natalie accepted more equity than required for the investment, a notable negotiating outcome.
What the video covers
- Natalie Quayle, a former international tax lawyer, pitches Smile Time, an online retailer of at-home oral cosmetics.
- The company reportedly generated over £1 million in sales in the last 12 months.
- Her core product is a peroxide-free teeth whitening kit retailing at £39.99, positioned as roughly eight times cheaper than dentist whitening (about £300 to £1,000).
- The range includes charcoal kits, bamboo toothbrushes, an electric toothbrush (£69.99) and a teeth whitening pen.
- She sought £50,000 in exchange for 2% equity, a valuation of £2.5 million.
- Dragons questioned whether the products are truly proprietary, since entry to market is cheap and the offering could be replicated.
- Deborah Meaden questioned whether the products are cosmetic rather than dentistry products; Natalie confirmed they are cosmetic and will not match dental results.
- Dragons criticised the company not owning the smiletime.com domain, which only had smiletimetee.com.
- Natalie reported a returning customer rate that nearly doubled to 20%, from 10%, after building stronger customer connection.
- Financials: £846,000 revenue in 2021 with an £82,000 net profit.
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
present to hundreds of investment bankers so going into a boardroom is not something that is entirely new to me sonic smile it might be a teeth whitening product like i use oh look peter's pride in his pearly whites
Speaker A
In my previous career as an international tax lawyer, I had to present to hundreds of investment bankers, so going into a boardroom is not something that is entirely new to me.
Speaker A
market dragons my name is natalie quayle and i'm the ceo and founder of smile time a rapidly growing online retailer of easy to use at home oral cosmetics that has generated over a million pounds in sales in the last 12 months these range
Speaker A
Sonic smile. It might be a teeth whitening product, like I use. Oh, look. Peter's pride in his pearly whites is nothing compared to Natalie's pride in her successes so far.
Speaker A
however when i was an international tax lawyer i literally had no time to go to the dentist and i tried online options but they either didn't work or caused sensitivity this is when i realized there was a gap for small care solutions
Speaker A
I was told that I would never get into law, yet I made that happen. I was told this business would never succeed, but I think our product is the best on the market.
Speaker A
that you're holding is perfect for just before a selfie she's offering up a bite-sized two percent of her business in return for 000 pounds how do they look they look good yeah what about that even better stephen bartlett might be all set for a
Speaker A
Dragons, my name is Natalie Quayle, and I'm the CEO and founder of Smile Time, a rapidly growing online retailer of easy-to-use, at-home oral cosmetics that has generated over a million pounds in sales in the last 12 months.
Speaker A
going to provide you with the same results as if you go to the dentist but equally the price point is eight times cheaper our teeth whitening kit retails at 39 pounds 99 compared to if you went to the dentist it would cost 300 pounds
Speaker A
These range from our best seller, peroxide-free teeth whitening kit, to our natural alternatives such as our charcoal kit and our bamboo teeth brushes.
Speaker A
this year is currently 1.7 million based on the last few months i kind of knew you'd have your numbers right having been an international tax lawyer i was thinking this is not an area i'm going to catch you out on
Speaker A
For me, feeling confident about my smile was a gateway to feeling confident in other areas of my life.
Speaker A
a bright start but peter jones has been perusing the products and he wants to know how charcoal powder made it into his box how does that work on to make your teeth white the charcoal powder it's absorbing the
Speaker A
However, when I was an international tax lawyer, I literally had no time to go to the dentist, and I tried online options, but they either didn't work or caused sensitivity.
Speaker A
in do it for the grand pizza do it for the girls but you have a beautiful smile already good time to say that okay can we know more about the electric toothbrush so the electric toothbrush is 69.99 what
Speaker A
This is when I realized there was a gap for small care solutions that are convenient and, most importantly, customer first.
Speaker A
than two cause i would say eight times you always just better cut a lot more it costs about eight times more yes we're not doing whitening at the moment yeah but there's a lot of players doing this a lot of players
Speaker A
We are pitching for 50,000 pounds in exchange for a 2% stake in our business.
Speaker A
and they want to disrupt the market at 1995. i would challenge that price alone does not disrupt this market what disrupts it is both value and customer experience right which is what we're offering but there's nothing proprietary here you
Speaker A
[Music]
Speaker A
the other side not chat bots at the beginning of the year we had a returning customer rate of 10 and by generating that greater connection with our customers we've managed to almost double that to 20 percent and of our 32 000 customers
Speaker A
A range of oral cosmetic products and toothbrushes is the proposition from Natalie Quail. So, our teeth whitening pen that you're holding is perfect for just before a selfie.
Speaker A
her website that he thinks is amiss i noticed that you've got smiletimetee.com yes but you haven't got smiletime.com no who's got smiletime.com uh i'm not sure you're not sure i'm not why didn't you get that you're a lawyer that's one of the first
Speaker A
She's offering up a bite-sized 2% of her business in return for 50,000 pounds. How do they look?
Speaker A
domain why can't you because that would just disrupt service you should know that even if that's not the case you at least buy the domain and you redirect it but at least you've protected it that's a big trigger for me that you
Speaker A
They look good. Yeah. What about that? Even better.
Speaker A
entrepreneur's efforts as outstanding is she prepared to put her money into the oral enterprise so i've been listening and i appreciate you've got a fantastic strategy and you're creating consumer demand and there's not very many businesses as a startup go on to achieve a million
Speaker A
Stephen Bartlett might be all set for a selfie, but it's Deborah Meaden who takes the spotlight with the first round of questions.
Speaker A
the price that you are okay so i'm going to declare that i'm out thank you natalie i'm just sitting here thinking do you know i'm i'm just i'm just never going to invest in it simply because i i'm just not interested
Speaker A
So, this is very much a cosmetic. This is not a dentistry product?
Speaker A
and newest recruit able to bring a smile to natalie's face with an offer i must say what you've done in a year is amazing thank you however entry to market is very cheap you could easily replicate replicated but i think your biggest asset is you
Speaker A
Exactly. These products are to use like any cosmetic or grooming product. They're not going to provide you with the same results as if you go to the dentist, but equally, the price point is eight times cheaper. Our teeth whitening kit retails at 39 pounds 99, compared to if you went to the dentist, it would cost 300 pounds, all the way to a thousand pounds.
Speaker A
but i want 25 percent okay 25 wow two kasilyaman spots a potential toothbrush tie-in and tables an offer but in return for the 50 000 pounds she's seeking he wants more than 12 times the 2 of equity that's up for grabs
Speaker A
Okay. Are you making any money?
Speaker A
chat i mean click is offered 25 i know right oh gosh do you know what i really think i can help specifically on the digital marketing piece this is what i've done for the last decade i'll make you an offer i'm gonna offer
Speaker A
We are making money.
Speaker A
stephen bartlett is seeking a more financially favorable ten but natalie's only offering two percent will she agreed to a dragon taking a much bigger bite out of her business teacher and stephen thank you for both your offers i would love to work with
Speaker A
Go on, then. Tell me.
Speaker A
natalie departs the den with a double dragon deal but leaves behind some raised eyebrows over her decision to hand over twice as much of her company than she needed to she had an offer for all of the money
Speaker A
So, we generated 846,000 in 2021, with a net profit of 82,000.
Speaker A
i'm crying i'm very happy
Topics:Dragons DenSmile Timeteeth whiteningoral cosmeticsstartup pitchNatalie Quaylee-commerceentrepreneurshipUK businessinvestment
![[EN] How To Make Your Bigger And Stronger‼ everything you need to know — Transcript](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/q6wOgvbfJwM/maxresdefault.jpg)
