A Pitt Meadows graphic designer was the latest local to stare down the business suits on CBC’s Dragon’s Den, during the taping of the show on March 26.
But Thomas Cetnarowski can’t say a word about how his request for investment dollars turns out until the episode airs, sometime next fall.
“They turned out to be very nice people,” Cetnarowski said Monday.
“What people see on TV takes about three to four minutes. In real time, it took me 35 to 40 minutes to go through the real pitch.”
After some small talk to put him at ease, Cetnarowski explained the product he dreamed up after looking at his neighbour’s gazebo that had hangers for glasses and other dinner hardware.
Why not develop a hanger that could be fixed on to an umbrella pole?
That hanger could then hold wine glasses, lanterns, cups, or if it was slid close to the table, napkins or condiment jars.
“Enough with going back and forth to the kitchen – why not do this?”
Cetnarowski found a company in India to manufacture the metal fixtures and early this year had some product shipped in.
So far, he’s sold about 30 hangers ($20 each), but he’s talking to Canadian Tire, Jysk and Home Depot.
“I’m hoping, if I grab one of the major players on the market, that would be great.”