Jenny Campbell, who appeared as a dragon on the BBC entrepreneur series between 2017 and 2019, spoke about her time in the den and answered dozens of questions from students about the show and her career.
A former banker turned entrepreneur and investor who, aside from Dragons’ Den, is perhaps best known for founding ATM business YourCash Europe, Mrs Campbell said the main message she had tried to convey to students was the importance of having the confidence, desire and ambition to succeed.
‘There are no such thing as glass ceilings, only sticky floors,’ she said.
‘There aren’t many challenges you can’t deal with, just know there will be challenges, and then knock them down.’
She had been delighted by the level of engagement shown by the students, estimating that 80% of them had watched Dragons’ Den.
‘I’m hugely impressed with the girls here, there’s a calmness and serenity but also a friendliness and lovely personality with all them, I think most of them are quite self-assured.
‘One of the younger girls asked me how I deal with big challenges, so I put the question back to her and she said she processed them down into smaller parts.
‘I said that’s exactly what I do, I look at the whole of it and divide it up.
‘I learnt a long time ago, if you don’t know what decision to make, don’t make it.
‘Sleep on it, something will happen tomorrow that will make it clear to you, so just take your time.’
Speaking about Dragons’ Den, she said students were surprised to hear the length of time it took to film just one episode for the series.
‘For every episode we did about 100 filming hours, and that then obviously has to be cut down to one hour. We’d start at 7am and not finish until the evening, and that would go on for weeks. It was pretty tiring.’
Having the chance to speak to a woman with the business acumen of Mrs Campbell was an opportunity many of the young girls found inspiring.
Charlotte Davies, 17, and a keen Dragons’ Den viewer, said she was impressed by Mrs Campbell’s bravery in taking risks.
‘She’s stood her ground and been unapologetically herself, and that’s something I really admire, especially as a woman.
‘I’m looking to study astrophysics at university, which is traditionally a male-dominated subject, and she’s filled me with confidence that I’ll be able to do it.’
Poppy Elliott, also 17, and an aspiring human rights lawyer, said she had found hearing about Mrs Campbell’s career as a banker, and how she had to fight to achieve the same recognition as her male colleagues, particularly inspiring.
‘She has stood up for what she wanted, wanting the best for herself, and to hear her break it down for us was really helpful,' she said.
‘I’m going to remember the things she’s said as I get older, go to university and then hopefully get into law.’
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