Theo Paphitis acquired Ryman in 1995 before appearing on Dragon's Den. Ryman is a British stationery and office-supplies retailer, and its acquisition helped establish Paphitis as a prominent entrepreneur in retail.
Paphitis bought the established stationery chain during a period when he was building a portfolio of consumer businesses. Under his ownership, Ryman remained associated with stationery, office products, printing services, and high-street retailing.
Paphitis later became one of the best-known Dragons on the BBC programme. His background in retail gave him a particular interest in brands, store networks, customer service, and the practical challenges of scaling a product business.
Ryman is distinct from WHSmith, Staples, and Paperchase, all of which have also operated in the stationery or office-supplies market. The relevant historical fact is Paphitis's 1995 acquisition of Ryman, not the founding date of the retailer.