Dragons Den reject to multi-million pound business - Laura Bartlett, House of Coco

Leeds Business Podcast

This week we speak to Laura Bartlett, founder of fashion and lifestyle magazine, House of Coco..

Laura tells us about her disastrous appearance on Dragons Den, how The Clothes Show caused her to become personally bankrupt, the growth of her current business and the benefits of being tee-total. She also shares with us how to get PR for your business.

INTRODUCING LAURA BARTLETT

What sets Laura Bartlett apart from the conventional entrepreneur is her remarkable ability to lead with her heart on her sleeve. Unlike many in her field, Laura approaches her journey with unyielding honesty and vulnerability, sharing not only her triumphs but also her struggles. She bares her soul, showcasing the highs and lows of her entrepreneurial odyssey, providing an authentic glimpse into the rollercoaster ride of chasing dreams.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

[00:00:30] What is the House of Coco?

[00:01:00] Laura’s early career and the original magazine

[00:09:30] Appearing on Dragon’s Den

[00:14:00] The Clothes Show and personal bankruptcy

[00:19:00] The launch of House of Coco magazine

[00:22:00] The experience and lessons of personal bankrupt

[00:26:00] Building a successful magazine and taking on Conde Nast

[00:29:00] The pros and cons of running a remote team

[00:32:00] the alcohol-free life

[00:37:00] Supporting Leeds Women’s Aid

[00:29:00] The pros and cons of running a remote team

4 KEY TAKEAWAYS & BUSINESS LEARNINGS

• Always open your mail (you may avoid going bankrupt!)

• The quicker you learn the lessons, the better

• If someone else is doing it, it means you can do it too

• If you can't quit something, you're addicted

4 BEST MOMENTS

"According to viewers of Dragons Den, I look like a pig in a frock"

"The aim was to compete with Conde Nast Traveller magazine"

"I could stop now and have a salary for life"

"No-one's coming to save me from me"

VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOU

Website: www.leedsbusinesspodcast.com

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/leeds-business-podcast/

Laura on Dragon’s Den – https://youtu.be/dvEm0WtTR-s

Webinar – What’s it really like on Dragon’s Den? - https://philfraser.co.uk/whats-it-really-like-to-pitch-on-dragons-den/

Leeds Womens Aid - https://leedswomensaid.co.uk/

Website: https://houseofcoco.net/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartlettlaura

Shout out tags: https://pinkgorilla.co.uk/

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ABOUT YOUR HOST

Phil Fraser went from an accidental kitchen table start up, with no investment, all the way to multi-million pound sale to a PLC 18 years later. He’s travelled the full SME business journey of launch, growth, scale and exit.

As well as hosting the Leeds Business Podcast, Phil now works with ambitious SME-owners as a Business Sounding Board (think somewhere between Business Coach and Business Mentor). In simple terms, he’s ‘a pair of ears and an extra pair eyes’ for SME Owners helping them to be better at what they do. Phil’s mantra is It doesn’t need to be ‘lonely at the top’. He helps Business Owners to be better business owners, by helping with their clarity and focus.

As a Business Sounding Board, he gives SME Owners the time & space to regularly discuss their challenges and opportunities, with no sense of judgement or bias, and in complete confidence. This allows them to explore their options in full, culminating with a list of issues to address/clarify, a clear target in mind, a roadmap to success, and a renewed enthusiasm and confidence for the challenges ahead.

Phil has appeared as a guest on over 60 podcasts, webinars and interviews, from around the whole globe, talking on a variety of business subjects. You can view them all at https://philfraser.co.uk/watch-hear-phil/.

LEEDS BUSINESS PODCAST

Leeds, Leeds Business, Business in Leeds, Nous of Fraser, Business Sounding Board, Business Coach, Business Mentor,

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