DDB

D.D.B. Dragons Den is Back. It's back baby. Starting on Wednesday 15th July, BBC2. I love that show. It was where millionaire Duncan Bannatyne first came to my notice. He started his moneyseeking in his thirties and still made it big financially, a true underdog success story.

You can research all the dragons for free on the Internet as they all have: their own websites, Wikipedia entries, internet interviews, youtube videos. If you want to pay for their advice, they have all written books too. I've posted a micro review of their books here, with prices for brand new books from Amazon.co.uk.

Dragons Den success from pitch to profit (£4.99) (by all of the dragons).
This book is good value as it's got success tips from all the dragons. This benefit is why I recommend it in my blog. Rather than buying books from all the dragons, you only need this one. They give their life stories and financial strategies freely, and hold nothing back. This book does it all.

The Real Deal: My Story from Brick Lane to "Dragons' Den" by James Caan (£4.79)

He was originally charging around £18 when the book first came out. James seems like a nice guy, but I won't be buying this book.

Anyone Can Do It: My Story by Duncan Bannatyne (£5.49)

This is a great book. I purchased this and it is among my top books. The only reason I don't list it as one of the top 5 recommended books on this blog, is to keep that list short.

Common Sense Rules: What You Really Need to Know About Business by Deborah Meaden (£11.39)

This book is very recent release. Deborah already features her advice in the book "Dragons Den success from pitch to profit", so surely there can't be that much new here. I'm probably not going to read this book.

Enter the Dragon by Theo Paphitis (£5.49)

I took this book out from the library a few months ago. Its amazing how many different things this man has done. What I remember most is how he sold his old house for a massive loss during the nineties, as he had lost all his money and needed to downsize. He managed to overcome terrible setbacks throughout his career.

Tycoon by Peter Jones (£1.64 used)

I took this book out from the library. It was a bit arrogant and self-righteous. I remember him talking of starting a bar which failed, proving that a person cannot be good at making money in every area. I remember it most for this poem he quoted, which I think was at the start of the book: "The wise old owl sat on the oak. The more he saw, the less he spoke. The less he spoke, the more he heard. Why can't we be like that wise old bird". The moral is to listen and learn, if you want to be rich.

How To Be Smart With Your Money by Duncan Bannatyne (£8.99)

I have purchased this book. Duncan strikes again. This is a great book for these credit crunch times. He states his financial advice clearly and simply. its a nice medium sized book, and an easy read.

Wake Up and Change Your Life by Duncan Bannatyne (£12.34)

I paid good money for this book. It starts by blends part of his autobiography from his other book "Anyone can do it", but the majority of it is taken up with how he evaluates, starts, and profits from business. This should be required reading in business schools.

100 Secret Strategies for Successful Investing by Richard Farleigh (£8.09)
I have this book. Its a bit overlong in places, but what was good was how Richard evaluates his investments. He says of all the proposals that come his way, he doesn't invest in over 95% of them. He doesn't throw his money around like a drunken sailor. He is extremely cautious with his money. Its an OK book, but not fantastic as it just feels very long to read.

CONCLUSION:

You can find out more about Dragons Den on the BBC website. The BBC website is excellent as in addition to extensive background information about each dragon, it also has an excellent Online Dragons Den show, with 2 new dragons.