Seep’s Laura Harnett On What It’s Like To Win On Dragons’ Den

Laura Harnett, founder of Seep, convinced guest judge Trinny Woodall to make her first and only investment during Dragons’ Den, partnering with Deborah Meaden to invest in the eco cleaning brand 

Dragons’ Den: Behind The Scenes With Seep Founder Laura Harnett

Congratulations, Laura. You secured not one but two Dragons on the Den last night. How does that feel?

I feel a massive sense of validation in a really lovely way. Sometimes you start these ideas and you’re too scared to tell people about them because you’re worried it’s such a long shot. But then, when you actually go into something like the Den – something I’ve been watching for years and years – and two of the people you admire most in the world say, ‘Actually, I love your idea,’ and they back you financially and with their reputations, it doesn’t get much better than that.

What are you hoping that each of them – Trinny Woodall and Deborah Meaden – will bring to your brand Seep?

They were the two Dragons I really wanted. Trinny was a guest Dragon, and I didn’t even know she was going to be there. We were told a week before we aired that there would be a guest Dragon, and then finding out it was Trinny was just unbelievable. She’s a phenomenal businesswoman.

I don’t think anyone could have predicted how she would build Trinny London into a global beauty brand. She really knows what she’s doing, and her star just couldn’t be higher.

For me, having Trinny is about her expertise, her personal profile, and her audience. She won EY Entrepreneur of the Year last year, and her insights on raising investment and building a team are really relevant – she was in my position not that long ago. She also brings a huge network and credibility. We’ve already had access to her team for advice and exposure, which is incredible.

And then there’s Deborah – an absolute legend. Everyone knows her from the Den, and she has so much experience. She was a key choice because she’s so passionate about sustainable brands, as my aim to to encourage people to live as sustainable as possible, while raising awareness of hidden microplastics in everyday products. I’m aware Deborah works incredibly hard for the businesses she invests in and I’ve already seen that in action. Having two super-strong female entrepreneurs backing us is amazing.

How did you prepare for your Dragons’ Den pitch, and were there any particular challenges or surprises during the process?

There was a lot of preparation. The process begins with the producers reaching out to see if you’re interested in applying, then you go through an application process, followed by waves and waves of due diligence. They vet every single statement on your website and your claims – it’s actually more rigorous than any investment process I’ve experienced because the BBC needs to protect itself. That level of scrutiny was a surprise. The biggest shock, though, was finding out about Trinny joining as a guest Dragon. That was a very welcome surprise.

We also had to think carefully about how to structure our pitch, ensuring our key messages landed with the audience at home – not just with the Dragons. Our ideal customers are predominantly women with disposable income who care about sustainability, so we had to make sure our messaging resonated with them. Not everything I wanted to say made it into the final cut, but I think we got our core points across.

Walk us through the day on set at Dragons’ Den…

It’s all recorded in Manchester. I had to be on set by midday, and all the products and props had to be delivered either the night before or that morning. Once you arrive, you’re taken to the green room, where you get your makeup done and set up your display behind the scenes.

There’s a lot of pre-recording – walking in and out of the lift, looking pensive, that sort of thing. By the time I actually entered the Den, it was about 7.30 or 8pm. That’s a long time to be waiting, worrying, and trying to remember your pitch.

The pitch itself is only about a minute long, and you have to memorise it perfectly – there are no retakes because it’s all been pre-approved by the BBC. The adrenaline was so strong on the day that I forgot my pitch halfway through. The cameras really zone in on any little mistakes. I do a lot of public speaking, but I’d never felt that kind of pressure before. My memory is still hazy about what happened.

Your brand, Seep, is not only innovative in terms of materials but also a problem-solver for the issue of sustainable cleaning products. What sparked the idea?

Having worked for big consumer brands for a large part of my life, during lockdown, I had some time to reflect. I told myself that if I didn’t take the opportunity to launch something myself in the sustainable space (my passion), it could be one of my biggest regrets. Having come through breast cancer treatment a couple of years before, I’d lost my fear. I gave myself a deadline: if I couldn’t find a good reason not to do it, I’d go for it. Three months later, I developed my first product and placed my first order. That’s how Seep began.

What has been the most rewarding part of building Seep, and how do you measure its success beyond financial metrics?

The best part is seeing someone recommend Seep without realising they’re talking to me, the founder. I love getting photos from customers showing our products in their homes.

We also measure success by impact. We’re a B Corp – one of the highest-scoring B Corps, and the only one in the cleaning tools category. Our mission is to eliminate a billion plastic cleaning tools from landfill by 2030. We’ve eliminated around five to six million so far, so we have a long way to go, but that’s how we track our impact.

Looking ahead, what are the next big goals for Seep?

Being on Dragons’ Den and landing investment from Trinny and Deborah will turbocharge Seep. We want to maximise the Dragons’ Den opportunity – building brand awareness and boosting sales on our website. We’re now stocked in Tesco and Ocado, so making those partnerships successful is a big focus.

We’re also launching new products and pushing into more retailers. The goal is to make Seep the go-to for eco-friendly cleaning tools while eliminating as much plastic waste as possible.

To find out more and stock up on Seep products, visit theseepcompany