Partner Article

Behind the business with Duvalay

Husband and wife team Liz and Alan Colleran presented their zip-up memory foam mattress and duvet buisness idea to the Dragons’ Den, and secured an £80,000 investment from Hilary Devey. Liz and Alan are set to share their story at the upcoming ’I Beat the Dragons Event’, and took the time to take Bdaily behind the business.

Could you outline Duvalay for us?

Duvalay was established eight years ago. We manufacture and retail innovative memory foam sleeping products, primarily for the Leisure Industry. Up until recently we have chiefly sold on line but are currently developing wider distribution via caravan and trucks stop retail outlets.

What key challenges has your company recently faced?

Most definitely moving premises! Because we manufacture everything in house it was a logistical nightmare and something we don’t want to do too often. Finding suitable premises was also much harder than we had envisaged. With the economic climate as it is at the moment there was a lot of availability but our requirements were quite specific and hard to match up to.

What is your biggest achievement over the past 12 months/ to date?

Being successful on Dragons Den. Gaining such a high profile successful business partner as Hilary Devey has and will be a major asset to our company.

What is your biggest focus for the coming year?

We are actively involved with some very large UK companies with the aim of procuring large B2B contracts.

If you had to choose one top piece of advice for someone just starting out in business what would it be?

Make sure you have a viable commercial product that people will actually want not one that you think they will want!

You’re involved in the upcoming ’I Beat the Dragons’ event, what is that about and why have you decided to get involved?

We are delighted to be involved in the ‘I Beat the Dragons’ event on the 27 th June at the Quadrus Centre in Boldon. We will be sharing our story and experience of entering the Dragons Den and walking away with £80,000 investment. It’s an ideal opportunity to share some of the knowledge we have gained over the last eight years. Running a family business means you have to be a “Jack of all trades” to some extent and we have certainly learnt a great deal during our journey,

What key advice would you have for a small business looking to secure investment?

Make sure you are prepared. They will want to know everything about you. If you have anything at all that you think and hope they won’t ask, they will! Present yourself well and in a professional manner. They will be judging you as a person and wondering if they can work with you easily. Remembers you aren’t just pitching your business to some extent you are pitching yourself.

For you chance to win a working lunch with Liz and Alan, to discuss your business, visit the Bdaily competition here.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .