- Peony Li was offered money on Dragons Den, but she 'refused to settle for less'
- READ MORE: Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett leaves his fellow entrepreneurs seeing red after he strikes lightning-fast deal with trail-running business
A businesswoman refused to 'settle for less' and rejected three offers on Dragons' Den - proving the doubting Dragons wrong as her booming business is raking in £5million a year.
Peony Li, who lives in London, appeared on BBC One's Dragons' Den this evening after pitching her healthcare company We Are Jude to the business moguls.
Her company offers bladder care education, products, and treatment alongside raising awareness of bladder health.
Its 'hero' product is a clinically-tested bladder strength supplement that claims to improve pelvic floor strength to reduce leaks and relieves the frequent urge of needing the toilet.
Peony, 28, pitched her bladder care company to the Dragons, with the intention of highlighting the hidden epidemic of bladder incontinence in the UK - and securing funding.
Peony Li (pictured) appeared on BBC One programme Dragons Den - but turned down the money she was offered
However, her risky move has paid off, as now Peony says her business is turning over £5million each year
Steven Bartlett, who initially made his fortune with a social media marketing company, dismissed Jude for its hefty marketing spend.
Special guest Dragon Emma Grede - the self-made millionaire and co-founder of Skims and Good American alongside the Kardashians - made an offer of £100,000 in exchange for three per cent of the business.
But determined Peony held firm and turned it down, along with interest from Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden.
'If I didn't have our other investors, I would definitely say yes to the deal,' Peony said. She continued: 'But I would love to counter propose the offers, £100,000 for 1.5 per cent.'
But for Deborah, it was 'one step too far', which led her to decline the Peony's proposal.
She believes her incredible success puts to bed the doubts raised from Dragon Touker Suleyman, who was unsure about Peony's plans to sell Jude products in Boots and on QVC.
Unhappy with the initial proposal from the judges, Deborah offered a counter proposal of 1.5 per cent of her business in exchange for £100,000
But it was a proposal that Deborah (pictured) thought was 'one step too far', meaning she had to decline the offer
Peony pitched a bladder care company that 'that claims to improve pelvic floor strength to reduce leaks and relieves the frequent urge of needing the toilet'
Peony felt that 'taking a lower offer would diminish the input of my early investors', which is one of the reasons she turned down the money
Since visiting the Den, Peony says her company is turning over £5million each year - with products selling out swiftly at both of the retails giants.
Now eight months after filming the show, Jude's growth has quadrupled and marketing costs have halved.
Peony said: 'Stepping into Dragons' Den felt completely surreal because I never dreamt I'd be part of such an iconic show.
'It was nerve-wracking, not only because I'd put years of work into creating Jude, but because it isn't just a business – it's part of me, it's about my story, so it was a big deal to put myself out there.
'It meant so much that the Dragons recognised the importance of what I'm building and could see the potential impact of Jude.
'I was, of course, really flattered that such amazing business people bought into my vision and were prepared to invest in my company.
'But I am so passionate about what I am doing and the future of Jude that I knew I had to hold firm if I didn't get exactly what I was looking for.
According to Peony, despite turning down the Dragons' offers, she says their help has been 'invaluable'
The businesswoman has described being in major retail spaces like Boots as a 'milestone' for her business
'It wasn't just about me - I felt strongly that taking a lower offer would diminish the input of my early investors who had such faith in my vision that they bet on the business when it was nothing more than an idea.
'This experience underscores a common challenge for women in business, the temptation to settle for less particularly when negotiating with business titans and authority figures.'
Despite rejecting the business giants' financial help, Peony said she learned a lot from the experience.
Peony said: 'The Dragons' advice was invaluable, but I needed to take on board what they said while staying true to my strategy.
'I was convinced that introducing Jude products into retail spaces, even if earlier than is typical for similar businesses, was crucial.
'Being seen in these retail spaces, especially alongside established brands like Tena pads, was not just a milestone for us, it symbolised a progressive shift in the incontinence industry.'
