"No longer dependent": "Lion's Den" founders let million dollar deal burst
Created: 09/22/2022, 11:45 am
By: Christian Böttcher
Lions perplexed - Hyrise founders let million dollar deal burst at the last second.
That has never been the case with “Die Höhle der Löwen” on VOX.
Berlin – Two founders pull the tooth out of the lions.
The two business partners Dominic Blanc (35) and Michael Land (34) want to mediate between career changers and companies with their start-up "Hyrise Academy".
The idea makes it into the evening program.
On Monday, September 19, they presented their innovative business concept in "Die Höhle der Löwen" on VOX.
A true negotiation thriller ensued.
In the end, of all people, the founders let the million dollar deal fall through.
"The Lion's Den": Million deal burst after negotiation thriller - founders pull the tooth of lions
In season 12 episode 4 of "The Lion's Den", the two founders went into the negotiation with a confident offer.
It should be 500,000 euros for ten percent of the Berlin start-up "Hyrise Academy", with an overall rating of five million.
The concept behind Hyrise: Interested companies can use the platform to specifically recruit career changers for sales in the digital industry - without having to rummage through deals.
Personality should come first.
Despite the bomb pitch in "The Lion's Den" - the deal with "Hyrise Academy" has burst.
© VOX
If everything fits between the two parties, the applicants are then provided with the appropriate online courses and coaching and are thus perfectly prepared to start their new company. For QVC legend and entrepreneur Judith Williams (51), there is a promising one behind "Hyrise Academy". business idea.
"Your topic occupies me completely," it said at the start.
The euphoria of the 51-year-old is hardly surprising, after all she also started out as a career changer in sales.
Williams just didn't like the price.
Her offer: the offered half a million euros, but for 15 percent company shares. Her long-term competitor and "Lion's Cave" icon Carsten Maschmeyer (63), on the other hand, wanted to lure the founders out of their reserve.
The entrepreneur has experience, has already built up sales companies in the past, but was rarely fobbed off with 15 percent of the company shares.
If you want this expertise, you have to offer something.
His request to the founders: "Make me an offer."
When Dominic Blanc and Michael Land counter-offered, however, even the experienced investor's facial features slipped away.
12 percent company shares: not with Carsten Maschmeyer.
Visibly disappointed, he spoke to the founders' consciences: "I think I failed to explain to you what I can do for you." The 63-year-old assures "From the handshake you are worth three to four times as much.
The negotiation thriller between the founders and the "The Lion's Den" jury went into the next round.
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Dominic Blanc (35) and Michael Lang (34) haggle over a deal worth millions in "The Lion's Den".
© VOX
The lions eventually countered in unison with an offer the founders of Hyrise could not refuse.
750,000 euros and both investors on board for 20 percent shares in the start-up based in Berlin: the deal was made, for the time being.
After the show it turned out that the two founders had backed down at the last second and the potential million-dollar deal had fallen through.
Maschmeyers and WIlliams company valuation of three million euros after the offer pissed off the two.
"The Lion's Den": Did you even want a deal?
"Hyrise" founders reject allegations
But there was apparently more behind the failed deal than just the lack of financial incentive for the two business partners.
As Gründerszene found out, the Berliners had turned their business model inside out shortly before the show.
Instead of applicants, the "Hyrise Academy" should now be aimed specifically at companies that are actively looking for career changers - from the job exchange to the recruiting tool, so to speak. A change of perspective that was probably worth it.
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As Blanc and Land revealed, their company was apparently in the black shortly after the broadcast of "Die Höhle der Löwen" on RTL +.
"We were already cash flow positive shortly after taping the show, so we didn't necessarily need money anymore," they revealed
.
After the show aired, allegations arose that the founders only took part in "The Lion's Den" for publicity purposes.
Both candidates firmly denied the allegations.
What does "cash flow positive" mean?
The word cash flow comes from the English and means cash flow or flow of capital.
The value of cash flow is used by companies to keep track of how much money has flowed into and out of the company.
A company is cash flow positive if the income predominates and a surplus has been generated.
A company is cash flow negative when expenses exceed income.
A deficit arises.
In an interview with BILD, Carsten Maschmeyer also commented on the failed million-dollar deal.
It is a pity that the two ambitious founders did not communicate the change in their business model in advance.
For him and his lion partner Judith Williams, the basis of the business went flutes.
Nevertheless, the alienated investor wished the two founders and their start-up all the best for the future.
The fact is: Maschmeyer should not have experienced such a curious negotiation thriller over all broadcast dates of "Die Höhle der Löwen".
Sources used:
BILD, Gründerszene, RTL, TV Now
