Old Bryanstonian (OB) Flinty Bane (Ha ’13) successfully secured a £50,000 investment on BBC’s Dragons’ Den. After delivering a compelling pitch for her tech start-up, SKIN, alongside her business partner, Ben Barter, the entrepreneur secured the support of ‘dragon’ Sara Davies.
SKIN is a price comparison app designed to provide consumers with access to top-tier skincare, make-up, fragrance, hair care and grooming products. The business is connected to thousands of brands and the UK’s leading beauty retailers.
This investment, in return for a ten per cent share of the company, will help SKIN, which was established by the duo during lockdown, in expanding its reach to a global market.
Commenting on the investment, Flinty said:
“Going into the Den was the most exhilarating and nerve-wracking experience of my career. I knew what a huge risk we were taking, but I was confident that SKIN would resonate with some of the Dragons, and certainly members of the public. Nothing can prepare you for the pressure, but after months of practising our pitch and a couple of funding rounds under our belt, we felt ready. Going into the Den, we knew who we were as a brand as a business – all we had to do was to answer the questions. Securing investment from Sara was the best possible outcome – I could see what the product meant to her as a consumer and I am so proud to have her backing.”
Successful entrepreneur, business owner and Dragon, Sara Davies, added:
“With SKIN, the penny dropped for me straightaway, it’s a genius idea.”
When asked how her time at Bryanston influenced her, Flinty said:
“Bryanston helped me to embrace the unconventional. It nurtured and celebrated the things I was good at, and helped in areas where I struggled. I knew that I had been given the best possible start, and that made me determined to do something with it. After 11 years, I still feel connected to the school and the friends I made there will be with me for life.”
