It is an entirely unique proposition and there is no other product out there like it. With the dual appeal and a product which covers three uses school, travel and every day use we could be a leading global brand. That seemed reasonable to them and they carried on oohing and ahhing over the bag. And indeed, there’s lots to admire. Relax,” I said, “It’s probably something boring for dad, or for me.” Secretly hoping it was for me.

I told them I’d let them use it from time to time, we’d definitely bring it on holidays to carry all their books and colouring bits and “important things”, and that they could have the game of Snakes and Ladders for keeps. I know, I’m a hero. In 2012, Hayward and Forbes appeared on Dragon’s Den, securing investment from Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden following a highly successful pitch which left all five Dragons craving equity in YUU. I would hope to have sold to a bigger company who can take YUU to the next level. There are of course times when you think about it being a lifestyle business and never letting go, but there is a whole world out there, and new experiences to be had. You never know, I may end up sitting in one of those chairs in the Den helping others as I was helped! We started our business seven years ago and knew then that we were onto a good idea. On 9 July 2010 we put our first advert out at 6.58am and sold our first YUU bag at 7.12am.We have had quite a few, but I guess the pinnacle moment in our business was our pitch on Dragons? Den. To have all five investors give offers, plus give huge credit to us as individuals and as business owners, was extraordinary recognition.

What was key for us was to stay focused and positive. Everything is possible if you plan, research and execute with passion and confidence. Being friends as well as business partners and mumrepreneurs could have given us further challenges, but we have been able to balance and manage both successfully. From a very young age I was always inspired by my father, whose entrepreneurial spirit Ive inherited. Later in life, it has always been Richard Branson. He’s a man with unique and great business acumen, but for me it is his manor his path to success has been decorated with passion and kindness. The experience have us the exposure that we needed, plus personally we gained an even deeper knowledge of how to run a growing business. To be focused, and not to panic. don’t worry about making mistakes, as these are the times during which you grow the most as an entrepreneur.In less than 4 years YUUworld has developed an ever expanding product range and has launched local operations in Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Germany in addition the the UK and Ireland core business.

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YUUworld

Angels Den Funding Limited (hereinafter referred to as AD) will be the controller of your data (Angels Den means all entities from the Angels Den capital group, which includes Angels Den Funding Limited with its registered office in London and all entities related to it and dependent on it) and only our Trusted Partners. We only sold online for the first six years in the UK, Scandinavia, Mexico and Australia. In the last year weve been expanding into retail and into other international territories. During the 7 weeks that followed, we sold out of our first container load. We brought out a second line to our range a year later due to customer demand, and expanded into Australia in our third year.