Meet Dragons’ Den’s Most Successful Reject

Ten years ago, hair colourist Shaun Pulfrey stood nervously in front of five Dragons to pitch his idea for a new type of detangling hairbrush. Seeking an investment of £80,000 for a 15% stake, He claimed that his invention, the Tangle Teezer could glide effortlessly through all types of hair, smoothing knots and tangles without pain or damage, unlike any other hairbrush on the market.

A decade after hearing his business idea described as ‘hair-brained’ and ‘a waste of time,’ in the Den, Shaun celebrated his role at the helm of a global business which operates in over 70 countries at a glittering showbiz party in London last week. Often described as ‘the one that got away’, Tangle Teezer is Dragons’ Den’s most successful ever reject, with 4 hairbrushes sold every 20 seconds somewhere in the world. The product has legions of celebrity fans and has won over 25 beauty industry awards. Shaun is also proud to have won two Queen’s Awards for Innovation and Export and is an ambassador for The Princes Trust.

The son of a deep-sea fisherman, born in Grimsby, Shaun initially disappointed his father by not following in his footsteps, instead leaving school with no formal qualifications and heading for a career in hairdressing. Shaun became known as the salon’s ‘go to guy’ for detangling and had his lightbulb moment for the Tangle Teezer at the salon backwash.

Tangle Teezer is celebrating its 10th birthday by re-launching a limited-edition version of The Original detangling brush in Purple Glitter.