Shows that feature entrepreneurs looking for investors are proliferating, and each has its own distinct vibe. Quebec entrepreneur Virginie Roy was able to notice this, since she participated in three of these reality shows: in Quebec, in English Canada and in the United States. She tells us a little more about behind the scenes.
Published at 5:00 a.m.
Virginie Roy is the founder of Proud Diamond, a company that sells jewelry made from lab-grown stones. It has been selling online since 2021 and its first physical store has just opened in Quartier DIX30.
Read “A jewelry store where you can try on engagement rings at will”
During the shoots in which she took part, all her presentations began the same way: she gave the entrepreneurs a box containing two rings, one adorned with a mined diamond, and the other with a laboratory diamond. The objective being to demonstrate to them that it is impossible to distinguish one from the other.
The reception was not the same on the three sets – she also felt an “obvious clash of cultures”, she said in an interview with The Press.
In the eye of the dragonMontréal
Viewers were first able to discover Virginie Roy during her appearance on the Quebec show In the eye of the dragonin an episode broadcast in April 2023.
In a ten-minute segment, she presents her business and receives a warm and friendly welcome. The dragons listen patiently to his explanations of the process of making the stones.
“My passion comes from my family. My grandfather has been in the diamond industry since I was very little,” she tells them.
Marcel Dumontet, the grandfather in question, then appears on the set, participates in the discussion and the investors even ask him if he is proud of his granddaughter – to which he responds in the affirmative, obviously.
SCREENSHOT FROM THE SHOW
The atmosphere during the appearance of Virginie Roy and her grandfather, Marcel Dumontet, on the show In the eye of the dragon was decidedly friendly. The episode was no longer available online at the time of writing this article.
Of course, dragons also ask financial questions. But we sense kindness and encouragement as she details the figures.
Even when the dragons declare that they are passing their turn, they find a nice way to do so. “The story that continues, I am a finished fan,” assures Nicolas Duvernois, for example, even if he does not intend to invest.
“It’s very obvious that you are a very talented entrepreneur, this element interests me a lot. I am far from knowing this area well, but I think that you know it, and it is an area that interests me,” underlines businesswoman Christiane Germain, who accepts the offer. of the entrepreneur. Off the air, they agree that Mme Germain becomes a mentor and gives visibility to her jewelry in her hotels, which the entrepreneur considers more advantageous.
” HAS In the eye of the dragonthey really look at the story of the person, of the entrepreneur, before looking at that of the company. They are caring, they will challenge you, but it is rare that you will get picked up. Afterwards, you arrive in Toronto and it’s something else,” points out Virginie Roy.
Dragons’ ItToronto
Indeed, the atmosphere is completely different when we listen to the episode of Dragons’ Itbroadcast in November 2023.
The questions are tougher, but above all, the dragons don’t express much sympathy. Family history as well as environmental and ethical concerns do not seem to particularly interest them.
After the company presentation, they begin to criticize its case, its strategy and its product. “These are not real diamonds,” say two of the investors at the same time. We have the impression of witnessing a long segment where the entrepreneur is criticized from all sides. “They were looking to put on a show », analyzes Virginie Roy.
SCREENSHOT FROM THE SHOW
Investors of Dragons’ Den did not show much sympathy to Virginie Roy. Pictured are Dragons Wes Hall and Michele Romanow.
The dragons’ speech ends with a murderous little sentence. “You know what? Lab-grown diamonds are not a woman’s best friend [not a girl’s best friend] “, says businesswoman Arlene Dickinson.
Virginie Roy got through the segment with aplomb, even if it left her with a bitter taste.
They challenge you on anything that could bring you down. They are not interested in your story, don’t really ask questions about it.
Virginie Roy, remembering her time at Dragons’ Den
The episode is online on the CBC website.
See the episode
Entrepreneur Elevator PitchMiami
It was therefore with great apprehension that Virginie Roy agreed to participate in the show Entrepreneur Elevator Pitchfilmed in Miami, Florida, and presented by Amazon Business.
Production there is ten times the scale of Quebec or Toronto. They take you from one building to another with a driver and a car. You have assistants, food… it’s even more stressful because it’s so big.
Virginie Roy, aboutEntrepreneur Elevator Pitch
The premise: she enters an elevator, and has exactly 60 seconds to do her pitch – no more, no less. Then, the investors decide if they want to meet with her to continue the process.
Virginie Roy managed to open the doors, and was able to meet them. In a fairly cordial atmosphere, they discussed his project and its products.
And it worked: she managed to win the heart of Pocket Sun, a businesswoman at the head of SoGal Ventures.
SCREENSHOT FROM THE SHOW
Businesswoman Pocket Sun (in black) has expressed interest in investing in Proud Diamond.
The financial details remain to be refined, but the interest is there; so she did well to go there. “In the end, I said to myself: when you have a failure, you don’t have to stop. When you are an entrepreneur, you also have to embrace this roller coaster. »
The episode is online.
See the episode
And now ?
If the agreement with Pocket Sun does indeed materialize, Virginie Roy’s objective would be to use the money to enter the American market.
“If things work well with the Brossard branch, I will then open in Miami,” she explains to The Press.
Its long-term goal is not to increase the number of stores in the same market, but rather to have a few demo stores that people can visit to learn about the products, before shopping online.
