Self-employment

Dragon's Den auditions return

London entrepreneurs have another chance to brave the Dragon's Den and walk out with some major investment gold.

HANK DANISZEWSKI

[ 2007-04-10 ]

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The CBC business reality show, featuring a panel of wealthy but testy investors, is returning for a second season and is holding one of its cross-country auditions at the London Small Business Centre Thursday.

Jennifer MacDonald of Strathroy became a star last season, becoming the first entrepreneur to land a deal for her organic salad oil company.

Allan Simm of the Small Business Centre said Sean Wise, a former venture capitalist, will be back in London to screen the entrepreneurs and decide who will make the cut for a future taping in Toronto. A CBC crew will also be on hand to tape background footage for the show.

Those who make the cut this year will get coaching from a "Dragon Slayer" workshop sponsored by TechAlliance and the Small Business Centre.

Last year, some contestants complained about caustic comments and questions from the Dragons.

Simm said the coaching will help contestants be better prepared this year.

The show is taped in Toronto and gives entrepreneurs a few minutes to pitch their investment ideas in front of the "dragons."

The five dragons include Jim Treliving, co-chairperson of Boston Pizza; Laurence Lewin, chief executive of La Senza lingerie; computer security guru Robert Herjavec and Jennifer Wood, president of two cattle companies.

But the most fearsome is Kevin O'Leary, an MBA from the University of Western Ontario who serves on the executive board of the Richard Ivey School of Business.

MacDonald closed an investment deal with Wood and Treliving last December and has been working on developing new products since.