Rachel Elnaugh was behind Red Letter Days before appearing as a dragon on Dragon’s Den.
Red Letter Days was an experience-gift business offering activities and special occasions as presents. Elnaugh co-founded the company and became strongly associated with its growth during the 1990s.
She later joined the original Dragon’s Den investor panel, bringing experience from the gift and leisure market to the programme. Her business history made her a particularly relevant investor for pitches involving consumer products, services and experience-based offers.
Red Letter Days is sometimes confused with Peter Jones’s later involvement with the company. The key distinction is that Elnaugh was the entrepreneur associated with founding and building the business, while Jones became connected with its rescue and subsequent ownership after financial difficulties. The two names are therefore both linked to Red Letter Days, but in different roles.