Siobhan Miller, who studied on the Psychology MSc course at the University of Westminster, recently appeared on Dragon’s Den and was granted funding from two Dragons for her hypnobirthing business ‘The Positive Birth Company’.
Entering the Den with the highest valuation (conducted externally) that the show has seen, Siobhan captured the Dragons’ attention with her pitch, where she introduced The Positive Birth Company and shared her mission to make antenatal and postnatal education and support more accessible for everyone, and how she has harnessed the power of digital platforms to turn an idea from her kitchen table into a global business.
The Positive Birth Company received offers from three out of five Dragons. British businessman Tej Lalvani and British fashion retail entrepreneur Touker Suleyman made an offer to share the full amount of funding asked of £136,000, for a combined 10% equity stake in her business (dropping to 6% if they got their money back).
The Positive Birth Company was founded in 2016 by Siobhan, who suffered a traumatic birth in 2007 and later became a Royal College of Midwives accredited hypnobirthing teacher. While raising three children, she developed a framework that formed the basis of her first digital course which launched the company itself. Now in its fifth year of business, The Positive Birth Company offers group courses, 1:1 coaching, free resources and workshops across their social media and three digital courses.
Reflecting on her Dragon’s Den experience, Siobhan Miller said: “It feels so surreal. I’m still pinching myself! I can’t believe so many of the Dragons wanted to get onboard and join The Positive Birth Company. It’s hugely flattering and validating! I was very nervous beforehand, worried about the Dragons being mean - they have a super tough reputation. But they were all so lovely, encouraging and complimentary, and that was the most surprising thing!
“My mission since day one has been to make antenatal education and support more accessible because I passionately believe everyone deserves equal access to the knowledge, tools and support necessary for the best birth possible. Access to education shouldn't come down to a postcode lottery or how much money you have in the bank, but rather the opportunity for a positive and safe birth experience should be an opportunity that everyone has.
“I’m so grateful for the opportunity of going into the Den and being able to share what we do here at The Positive Birth Company. I’m hopeful that with the Dragons’ help, we will be able to reach even more people and make a positive difference to the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of families around the globe.”
Find out more about Psychology courses at the University of Westminster.
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