For any hopeful entering the Dragons' Den, the prospect of pitching to five highly successful entrepreneurs is undoubtedly intimidating, as they seek to spark interest with a brand new idea. The tension is further ramped up by the presence of millions of BBC spectators, all eager to witness high-stakes drama first-hand.

Typically, ambitious contestants arrive brimming with optimism, ready to convince the Dragons why their venture deserves a substantial financial boost in exchange for a cut of their firm's future profits. Yet the experience isn't universally triumphant and numerous participants have left deflated after a tenacious grilling from the show's tycoons after uncovering flaws.

This was starkly true for one 2017 participant who conceded to tearing up post-show from a particularly "appalling" clash with Peter Jones, a veteran of Dragons' Den, reports .

In spite of a unanimous dismissal by the Dragons, Nicola Wood of Bury, Greater Manchester, vowed not to let the defeat derail her entrepreneurial ambitions.

Nicola marched into the Dragons' Den with a buzz, eager to showcase her revolutionary haircare concept - Hair Made Easi. The 53-year-old identified an unexplored niche and crafted Easiweft, a system enabling salon patrons to effortlessly wash, dry, style, and store their hair.

Her idea bundled clever tools and accessories tailored for extension wearers, alongside fundamental salon staples such as combs and brushes.

The pitch took a turn when she disclosed the financial aspects of her venture, seeking an £80,000 loan to secure half of her business from her partner and revealed a £14,000 loss in operations. Nevertheless, Nicola radiated optimism about recuperating losses due to burgeoning interest.

With a generous offer of a 25 percent share up for grabs, Nicola faced scepticism from the Dragons, who declined to show enthusiasm for her proposition.

Peter Jones notably rebuked her strategy to purchase her partner's share, criticising: "I don't think that's good Nicola, I think that's appalling, that's really really bad," and subsequently declined involvement.

Undeterred by the sour mood amongst the entrepreneurial elite, Nicola departed with a determined pledge to the Dragons: "I'll just crack on and make it an amazing success."

Despite the setback, Nicola went on to prove her doubters wrong, and in 2024, the mother-of-two proudly announced that she had reached her first £1 million milestone.

Reflecting on her Dragons' Den experience with Manchester Evening News, Nicola shared: "Dragons' Den was an amazing experience, even though some of the comments were a bit harsh really, I cried when I came out of there."

Nicola continued: "If I saw Peter Jones today, I'd probably shake his hand and say thank you very much for NOT investing. If they had invested I don't think I'd be here now. I've achieved everything since without any external investment."

Dragons' Den will air this evening on BBC One from 8pm and is avaibale to stream via iPlayer.