This Thursday nights BBC 2 Show Dragons Den will feature some
of the Entrepreneurs who braved the Dragons in last year’s
series.
One of those entrepreneurs who was successful and then turned
down the dragons money, is now already well on his way to becoming
a puzzle multi-millionaire.
Entrepreneur Danny Bamping appeared on the last series, with
his Bedlam Puzzle Company and had the dragons almost fighting
over each other to invest. After some clever negotiations he
finally accepted a deal on camera for £100,000 in exchange
for 30% of his company to 2 of the Dragons (Theo & Rachel)
– after a brief period of due diligence he changed his
mind and opted for a bank loan instead.
Less than a year has passed since broadcast of the programme
and already the company is well on its way to huge global success.
Last Christmas, every retailer that stocked the Bedlam Cube
– completely sold out (Including Hamleys and online retailer
Firebox!), Since then the company has secured some of the UK’s
largest retailers for this coming season including WHSMITH,
John Lewis, Tescos, Debenhams and Argos! Most Toy and Gift shops
are also stocking the cube as well. So far the company has sold
over 100,000 cubes and is about to hit the £1 Million
sales figure.
Recently the Bedlam Company agreed distribution deals in Australia
& New Zealand, South Africa and several European countries.
It is also currently in detailed discussions to tie up large
exclusive distribution and licensing deals in America and Asia.
The 3-D ‘tetris style’ puzzle cube actually has
19,186 different correct solutions, but to find 1 is extremely
difficult – indeed to most people it’s impossible!
Danny said;
“My appearance on Dragons Den certainly raised the profile
of myself and the Bedlam cube overnight and from then on –
it literally has been Bedlam! The company has grown so fast
and demand hasn’t slowed down at all,, as word has spread
the addictiveness of the cube has captured peoples imagination
and its literally selling itself at the moment – as its
such a great product – with huge play value!”
“When I went on the show – I valued the Bedlam
Puzzle Company at £1Million…its now worth 5 Times
that less than a Year later... I’m glad that I didn’t
accept the Dragons offer – it wasn’t the right people
and not really the right kind of finance required at that stage,
Hence, why I opted for the Bank Loan.”
“The next 12 months is going to be very exciting as we
branch out into new territories and launch some fantastic new
products which compliment our brand very well!”
"One of the first things I did earlier this year was to
find new premises for the company and also to buy a company
car...as I've not had a vehicle for the past 5 years or so.
I am now driving a Toyota Prius Hybrid in keeping with mine
and the companies green ethics. The Bedlam Cube has no packaging
and our wooden ones are made from Renewable Rubberwood, next
year we are looking to make some of our products from recycled
materials"
Hector Moldovo - a Puzzle Expert from New York states;
“The Bedlam Cube is certainly what I would call the Everest
of puzzles. I find it amazing that for a puzzle to have so many
solutions that it becomes a great challenge to finding one.
But that's what a puzzle is supposed to be. It's should challenge
you again and again. This is something that can't be achieved
with jigsaws and even Rubik's Cube.”
Additional Notes for editors;
Before Easter the company launched ‘The Bedlam Egglam
Cube’ – which is considered by far the hardest of
the range. With only 198 correct solutions and yet despite thousands
being sold – So far no one has claimed to have actually
solved it! Just before the World Cup they launched The England
Bedlam Cube…which sold extremely well on its website since
the company decided to reduce the price by £1 for every
match England won! Shortly afterwards the company launched its
National range of Bedlam Cubes – for Ireland, Scotland
and Wales. These have become very popular very quickly! Recently
the company announced it has sold its 100,000th Bedlam cube
in less than 18 months of trading…yet in its Bedlam Hall
of Fame on its website so far only 150 or so people have actually
claimed to have solved the Bedlam Cube.
On the 4th July in Hamleys the company launched a ‘Mini’
version of their Bedlam Cube. The Mini cubes have an RRP of
£5 and are bound to be a huge hit with customers and retailers.
At the same time of the launch the company decided to reduced
the RRP on its Best sellers – The Retro, Planet, British
& Black and White cubes ALL which are now priced at £10
RRP.
Selling to the corporate market has also proved lucrative –
with clients such as O2, If.com, Siemens, Pricewaterhousecoopers
and BP, just some of its growing client list!
Danny Bamping was recently included in the Top 50 Entrepreneurs
of 2005 – placed at no 28.
28. Danny Bamping
Not many pitchers on the Dragons Den manage to secure investment.
Even fewer manage to prise money from the Dragons’ grasp,
only to then turn them down after the cameras have stopped rolling.
But then again, not many entrepreneurs are Danny Bamping. After
persuading Rachel Elnaugh and Theo Paphitis to part with £100,000
to fund his Bedlam Cube, Bamping decided to keep his stake in
the business, while cannily raising the profile of his fiendish
puzzle, by accepting a bank loan instead. Bedlam would be found
in toy store Hamleys; had it not completely sold out at Christmas.
Contact us directly for more information, interviews, images
and possible free samples!
http://www.bedlampuzzles.com
Contact us directly for more information, interviews, images
and possible free samples!
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