Former BBC Dragons’ Den entrepreneur criticizes Deborah Meaden for ‘unfair’ and ‘misleading’ criticism

The Brightman siblings, Anna and William, made waves on Dragons’ Den back in 2019 with their business UpCircle, formerly known as Optiat. Their pitch for a £50,000 investment in exchange for two percent of the business caught the attention of Dragons Peter Jones, Touker Souleyman, and Tej Lalvani.

After some intense negotiations, the siblings struck a deal with Souleyman and Lalvani, each investing £50,000 for a 15 percent stake in the company, with the option to sell back 2.5 percent once they recouped their investment. However, after leaving the Den, the Brightmans decided to decline the investments and relaunch their product independently.

In a recent interview with GB News, Anna Brightman revealed that she felt Deborah Meaden’s comments on the show were unfair and mean-spirited. Meaden had criticized the siblings for not having official certifications for their vegan and cruelty-free products, accusing them of misleading consumers.

Anna defended their branding choices, explaining that official certifications are expensive and they had opted for a more cost-effective approach. She expressed disappointment in Meaden’s comments, especially since they had hoped to have her as their Dragon.

Despite the setback, the Brightman siblings remain determined to succeed with UpCircle and are forging ahead with their business on their own terms. Their resilience and commitment to their vision are sure to lead them to success in the competitive world of entrepreneurship.