Shaun Pulfrey founded the Tangle Teezer detangling hairbrush company.
Pulfrey, a hair colourist and inventor, developed the Tangle Teezer to remove knots while reducing the pulling associated with ordinary brushes. He presented the product on Dragons' Den, but the pitch did not secure the investment he sought from the panel.
After the programme, Tangle Teezer grew into an international beauty brand. Its brushes use a distinctive arrangement of flexible teeth intended to glide through tangled hair, and the company expanded its range beyond the original product.
The story is often cited when discussing businesses that did not receive a Dragon’s money but later succeeded. A television rejection is not the same as a business failure: entrepreneurs can continue independently, raise money elsewhere or refine their products after appearing on the programme.