'I'm out' - Westmeath entrepreneur turns down Dragons

A Westmeath entrepreneur who took his healthy dog treat business to the BBC 1's Dragons' Den show last night, (Thursday, February 29) has taken a paws off approach to their investment bid.

Richard Marles, 38, whose company Park Life turns over more than €1 million in annual revenue, used the dragons’ trademark rejection line, 'I’m out', against them.

He appeared on the BBC One show alongside Labrador Penny, asking for £150,000 for a 5% stake in Park Life, whose flagship product is Fris-bix, frisbee-shaped dog treats which can be thrown over 40 feet.

They encourage dogs who struggle with recall to return to their owners’ side for more.

Following an intense session with the tycoons, Marles from Glasson in south Westmeath, received offers from both Peter Jones and Touker Suleyman - but ultimately decided to turn them down given the strength of his brand.

The offers were the full amount, £150,000 for 30% of the business from Jones, and an investment of £75,000 for 20% from Suleyman.

“I considered the offer but given how much I have put into the company, I had to walk away,” he said.

“I got a good laugh out of them when I told them ‘I’m out’ as usually, it's the Dragons who say that.

“But the real star of the show was Penny, my Labrador, who inspired our entire range of Park Life healthy treats.

“She fell asleep during my pitch, and the Dragons told me she was the most relaxed contestant they have ever had.

“She’s usually a very chilled dog, so I used that as an opportunity to talk about our fastest selling product, the calming treat Chill-Bix, and she did a great job marketing the line!”

Dragons' Den is just the beginning for Park Life, which has recently signed a deal with Disney for a European licence to make dog and cat treats with the Disney branding.

“We are passionate about what we do,” said Marles, who is married with three children.

“The idea for Park Life came about in 2018 when we left Penny with my mother-in-law for the weekend.

“When we returned she was bloated and uncomfortable, and we realised that the only difference was that she had been given a common brand-name dog treat, which was full of vague ingredients and bulk fillers.

“I tried to shop for something healthy and grain-free, but nothing seemed to tick all the boxes, so we started baking treats at home, and everything took off from there.”

Park Life’s full range of grain free, natural treats, including Fris-Bix and Chill-Bix, can be found at https://www.parklife.dog/