You remember Deborah from Dragons’ Den, don’t you? The person who tells entrepreneurs their ideas are rubbish. She’s worth about £40 million. So how did Deborah Meaden make her money? Not from telly, that’s for sure.
The Early Stuff That Failed
At 19, Deborah went to live in Italy and began selling glass and ceramics to top-end stores, including Harvey Nichols. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Except that other companies nicked her goods and sold them without her consent. She simply couldn’t afford to wage legal fights, so 18 months later, she shut it down.
Most people would be gutted. Deciding when to give up is one of the best business skills we have!’ shares Deb. Fair point.
After Italy, she came back and bought a Stefanel franchise. Italian fashion brand. Two years later, she sold her share to her partner for £10,000. Ten grand. Not exactly millions.
Where the Actual Money Came From
Deborah became a part of her family’s amusement arcade business in 1988. Her mum and stepdad owned it. She took over running the arcade operations.
In 1992, the company became part of Exeter-based holiday park operator Weststar Holidays. They had premises throughout South West England.
And here’s where how did Deborah Meaden make her money becomes interesting. She went on to lead a management buyout in 1999. She used a loan to purchase the company from its existing owners, including her family.
She became the majority shareholder. She put in mental hours for six years to turn Weststar into a success. By 2005, they were providing holidays for over 150,000 people annually.
Then she sold it. In 2005, she sold her majority stake to Phoenix Equity Partners for £33m. Thirty-three million quid.
In 2007, she sold her remaining 23% stake when Alchemy Partners bought Weststar for £83 million. Her bit was valued at around £19 million.
Total? Around £52 million.
So that’s where the money was. Not Dragons’ Den. Not small investments. Deborah Meaden holiday parks.
What She Did Next
Most people who make £52 million would retire. Not Deborah.
In 2009, she bought Fox Brothers, a textile mill in Somerset that’s been going since 1772. The last woollen cloth mill is still operating.
“I saw a business opportunity,” she told the Daily Telegraph. Not sentiment. Business.
In 2011, she launched The Merchant Fox, an online shop selling luxury British-made stuff. Both businesses still run.
She also started investing in smaller businesses through Dragons’ Den and privately. How many businesses does Deborah Meaden have? About 19 different companies now.
Her Personal Life
Deborah Meaden husband is Paul Farmer, though he uses the surname Meaden now. They met in 1985 when he worked at Weststar during uni. Split up, then got back together. Married in 1993.
Does Deborah Meaden have children? No. They’ve got loads of animals instead: dogs, cats, horses, geese, ducks, chickens. Their Somerset home’s basically a farm.
Where does Deborah Meaden live? Near Langport in Somerset. She bought it in 2006 after selling Weststar for £33 million. It’s a ten-bedroom listed property. Quite fancy.
She also owns property in London. Deborah Meaden Sister is Gail, her older sister. Their mum moved them to Essex after divorcing their dad. Her mum later married Brian Meaden, who Deborah calls her “true father”.
Dragons’ Den Stuff
Since joining Dragons’ Den in 2006, Deborah’s invested over £2 million in about 60 companies. Her first investment was Ian Chamings, who’d patented an algorithm for mixing dance music. Became huge in the US fitness.
Deborah Meaden most successful investment from the show? Hard to say. Several have done well. She’s backed everything from exercise mats to kids’ backpacks to novelty ice creams.
She’s tougher now than when she started. “When I started, I took a lot at face value and trusted people were being genuine because they were on TV,” she told Director magazine. “But I’ve learnt sometimes they’re just there for the publicity.”
Translation: she’s been burned.
The Early Signs
Deborah showed business sense young. Set up a flower stand as a kid. At 11, she worked all summer doing odd jobs to save money for a pony. Then earned more by giving other kids rides on it.
She left school at 16, studied business at Brighton Technical College, and then worked as a salesroom model before starting her export business in Italy.
Her mum and stepdad owned Weststar, but Deborah didn’t inherit it. She bought it in a management buyout. Borrowed money, took the risk, made it work.
What Makes Her Different
Most Dragons made their money in tech or finance. Peter Jones did telecoms. Steven Bartlett did social media.
Deborah made hers in holiday parks. Not glamorous. Not sexy. But proper profitable.
She’s also one of the less wealthy Dragons. Her £40 million is nothing to sniff at, but Peter Jones is worth over £500 million. Touker Suleyman is worth around £200 million.
Doesn’t matter to her, though. She’s comfortable, doing what she loves.
Her Books
- In 2009, she published Common Sense Rules, a business advice book. Used a ghostwriter to help.
- In 2023, she published Why Money Matters for kids aged 6-9.
- In 2024, she published Deborah Meaden Talks Money for young adults.
She’s trying to teach financial literacy to younger generations. Good on her.
The Somerset Connection
Deborah’s proper Somerset. Born in Taunton, lives near Langport, and owns Fox Brothers mill in Wellington.
In 2009, she appeared in a short film promoting Somerset to businesses. She’s passionate about her local area.
The Reality
£40 million sounds like loads. And it is. But she’s not buying superyachts. She lives in Somerset with her husband and their animals. She works. She invests. She supports charities.
She once said the key to her success is knowing when to walk away. She walked away from her Italian business after 18 months. From the fashion franchise after two years. She sold Weststar when it was at its peak value.
Timing matters. She’s brilliant at it.
What You Can Learn
She failed twice before succeeding. She borrowed money to buy her family’s business. She spent six years turning it around. Then sold it for £52 million.
That’s not luck. That’s graft.
Most people don’t get rich from one brilliant idea. They get rich from spotting opportunities, working relentlessly, and selling at the right time.
Deborah’s not the flashiest Dragon. Not the wealthiest. But she built her fortune from holiday parks in the West Country whilst everyone else was doing tech. Isn’t that great!
