A father and son who were rejected by all five Dragons when they appeared on Dragons’ Den say they’re more determined than ever to make a success of their business.
Max Palfrey was only 11 when he became one of the youngest entrepreneurs to ever appear in the Den when he and his Dad Matt asked for £50k for 10 per cent equity.
The pair, from Derby, may have left empty-handed but the youngster won the praise of Steven Bartlett.
The Diary of a CEO host told Max: “I have a sneaky suspicion that you might be sat up here in one of these chairs some day Max.”
The schoolboy, who is now 12, replied: “That’s the plan.”
Max, who is autistic and has ADHD, came up with the idea for Comfa after struggling with the feel of everyday clothing due to sensory processing differences.
Together with his father, he created the Fidget-T – a T-shirt with built-in pop fidgets, encased seams and peel-off tags.
This is designed to help with sensory regulation and provide all-day comfort.
The company was set up two years ago and sells its products on its website.
Speaking after his appearance, Matt said: “My phone didn’t stop buzzing for about an hour after our segment ended, with orders coming through.
“In the week since the episode aired we have had a much higher interest and turnover, which is great because it just confirms the market that we know is there for the product.
“There is still a long way to go to reach everyone who would benefit, but it’s a great start.”
Matt said the plan was to create a full collection of clothing.
“We already have adult sizes, long sleeves and the much requested school polo shirts available for pre-order on the website, with more planned very soon.”
Max wasn’t involved in the questioning section by the Dragons but his father praised the show and all the production staff.
“Even though it was obviously a stressful experience, they supported us at every step both before and after filming,” he said.
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“We really enjoyed the experience even though it didn’t end with the investment we had hoped for.
“Max was blown away by how kind and encouraging they were. In fact, he has decided that Steven (Bartlett) was right and he should be in one of those chairs one day! Watch this space.”